Close

Ryan Westwood

Game Developer / Software Engineer

Download CV Download Resume

About Me

Experienced professional with a passion for technology hardware and software. With 2 years of hands-on experience, I have a background in Computer Games Technology and a proven track record of successful projects. My expertise lies in implementing innovative gameplay features, enhancing artificial intelligence systems, and contributing to the overall success of game development projects.

Outside of work, I enjoy staying updated on the latest industry trends, playing games, and exploring creative solutions to technical challenges. I'm a dedicated individual with a keen interest in technology and a commitment to delivering high-quality results.

Experience

Lutron

Engineering Technician

Rebellion

Junior Programmer

  • Tasks – Implemented a variety of new gameplay features with a focus on AI mechanics.
  • AI Development – Enhanced artificial intelligence systems, introducing innovative mechanics to improve in-game enemy behaviors.
  • Documentation – Created detailed documentation outlining the design and implementation of AI features. Conducted reviews to ensure code quality and adherence to project standards.
  • Communication – Actively participated in various meetings for sprint planning, providing updates on AI progress and collaborating with team members to refine and optimize game mechanics.

Double Eleven

Junior Programmer

  • Tasks and Bugs – Fixed a wide range of bugs from accessibility to platform specific optimization. Implemented new mechanics to pre-existing bosses.
  • Documentation – Created PR’s explaining the reasoning and methodology behind the approach. Updated tracked bugs with relevant information.
  • Communication – Attended daily meetings detailing current progress of work. Spoke to various departments to clarify design requirements. Offered guidance to others who were working in areas of the game I was familiar with.

Projects

BuildBuddy

Meet BuildBuddy, a streamlined project providing tailored Windows and Linux images and containers for self-hosted GitHub Actions. Focused on C/C++ projects utilizing CMake, Ninja, MSVC, GCC, and Clang, BuildBuddy enhances continuous integration while simplifying the build process for developers.

View Project

Carlo's Dungeon Crusade

Introducing "Carlo's Dungeon Crusade", a 2D action-adventure game in C++ featuring Carlo, who conquers dungeon adversaries with four abilities. Engage in strategic combat against Bob and Paul, utilizing advanced AI techniques: Finite State Machines and Behaviour Trees with dynamic pathfinding. Built on Windows and Linux, this project showcases agile development, seamless integration with AI libraries, SDL and BuildBuddy, a custom CI solution for streamlined C/C++ builds.

View Project
RenderBolt Video Thumbnail

RenderBolt

This project showcases a versatile software renderer, skillfully integrating raytracing, rasterization, and multi-threading for direct scene comparison. Efficiency is enhanced through spatial data structures, binary tree serialization, and .OBJ/.MTL file parsing. The renderer demonstrates a strong grasp of C++ and a dedication to optimizing performance, with impressive render times achieved through multi-threading and bounding volume hierarchy.

View Project

Unrealistic Engine 5

Unrealistic Engine 5 is a C++ project designed for university to showcase advanced graphics techniques using OpenGL. It has a robust ECS system, dynamic billboards, an immersive skybox, and an intuitive GUI. The engine supports seamless model loading and offers a smooth first-person camera experience. It compiles on both Windows and Linux, for cross-platform support.

View Project
Wrath of The Dead Video Thumbnail

Wrath Of The Dead

A captivating 2D survival game developed using C++ and SDL2, showcasing expertise in game programming and creative design. The player's objective is to protect a central well from relentless zombie hordes, utilizing A* pathfinding for strategic gameplay. Health potions, essential for survival, add depth to the experience. Key features include animations, collision detection, optimization, and a dynamic UI, demonstrating a solid grasp of file I/O, checksum, scene management, sound integration, and achievements.

View Project
Viking Village Video Thumbnail

Viking Village

In this project, I used Unity and FMOD to craft an immersive audio experience for a Viking village by the ocean. The environment is filled with dynamic sounds, from taverns and workshops to wildlife, windmills, fires, and crashing waves. FMOD’s real-time adaptive audio enhances the atmosphere, reacting to player actions and changes in the environment, creating an authentic, living world that draws players deeper into the Viking setting.

View Project

Invaders From Outerspace

Introducing my first-ever C++ project, "Invaders From Outerspace," where I recreated the iconic arcade game. This 2D action game features engaging gameplay, sound effects, leaderboards, and an intuitive user interface. This project showcases my initial attempt at C++ game development, allowing players to experience a nostalgic classic with modern enhancements.

View Project
Cuboid Video Thumbnail

Cuboid

Cuboid is an engaging infinite runner web game, leveraging Node.js and SQL for secure user registration and authentication. Players control a cube, skillfully dodging dynamically colored enemy cubes using the Colour API.

View Project

AI Library

Introducing a cutting-edge C++ library, built with CMake and leveraging GitHub Actions for seamless CI/CD. Designed for game development, this robust solution empowers you with efficient pathfinding algorithms, versatile finite state machines, and dynamic behaviour trees. Accelerate your workflow and achieve exceptional results.

View Project
Wrath of The Dead Video Thumbnail

FFXIV Rotation Teacher

FFXIV Rotation Tool is a Python application designed to help players of the popular MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV), learn effective rotations for different characters in boss fights. This tool automates the process of gathering player-used rotations and presents them to the user in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format.

View Project

Credits

Minecraft Dungeons

Fight your way through an exciting action-adventure game, inspired by classic dungeon crawlers and set in the Minecraft universe!

Outstanding Graduate Of The Year

The TIGA Awards celebrate innovation, technical excellence, and educational contributions within the UK game development industry, with a particular focus on recognizing exceptional graduates. My achievements demonstrate a strong ability to develop impactful, cutting-edge solutions, reflecting the expertise and creativity that align with the values celebrated by TIGA.

Certificate Download

Birmingham City University

During my time at university, I developed a multi-threaded optimization for rendering. I also gave a presentation on optimizing code by making algorithms cache-correct, memory-efficient, and using loop unrolling, with benchmarks to demonstrate effectiveness. Lastly, I created template GitHub repositories with C++ libraries built and linked correctly via CMake, which lecturers provided to students in future years to streamline project setup. All three contributions were preserved by the lecturers for future use, ensuring they continued to benefit students year after year.

Skills

Get in Touch