Blog for Nicolas Quijano at GarageGames.com

Game Industry Veteran Gun For Hire !!!

Nicolas Quijano — 2008-07-09T21:58:38+00:00

Hello All !

Just a quick note, to let the community know, yet again, that I'm actively seeking work, be it as an employee or contractor (remote or in Montreal)
Open to negotiations on remuneration, but I'd like to reiterate that I'm not looking to volunteer work for any project, however good it is.
If I want to volunteer, I will contact you.
Why mention it ?
My plate is already full "volunteer work" wise, being involved in my own project(s) and part of the community effort and beta teams on Harpoon Commander's Edition and Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare.

You can check my resume : Here, with the full version being available on request

As for what kind of work I'm looking for ? Programmer, since it's where most of my experience lays, but I'm also interested in the Producer's hat, especially Tech Producer/Team Manager.

Anyhow, here is the website for that game I was working on at A2M 2 years + ago :

So don't hesitate to contact me if you're looking for self motivated inviduals !!
Hope to hear from you soon
Cheers !!

IT lives !!!

Nicolas Quijano — 2008-06-16T21:20:00+00:00

..or rather, I live.
Howdy, long time no see !!

After 2 years completely out of the game, I'm bootstrapping myself back into action and the game.
I'm starting a quest for employment or contract work as a game developer, albeit in a relaxed fashion, on my own terms, especially regarding employment at a studio, for all the usual reasons for someone who's been there, done that already, and doesn't want to sell his soul to the job anymore...
But more importantly, I've started working on my own designs again, in a field of gaming that's been always dear to me, and that in many ways brought me to computer gaming and programming :
wargaming

I've recently acquired a copy of each of the two current PC incarnations off Larry Bond's Harpoon, the table or miniatures based game of modern naval combat, now in its 4th edition, those two being Harpoon Commander's Edition, the community maintained and updated version of the original PC/Mac version of Harpoon released back in 1989 and Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare, itself based on the Harpoon 2 core, with which it still shares UI layout, data structures, etc.

So, not even new games, and no flashy graphics, much less 3D, even after the updates.
Why buy those two games, or arguably, two versions of the same one ? Well, apart from being an all time favorite of mine, Harpoon is probably one of the oldest serious games around, and has always been used by the professionals of armed forces and navies from around the world as a training aid, on the PC and Mac as well as the original paper and miniatures version and its subsequent editions.

Nowadays, there is even a Pro version, specifically tailored for the military with additional features (some of which made it back to the gaming version, like multiplayer) and leveraging classified information in the assets database, unlike the gaming version, which is obviously built from publicly available information.
Speaking of information, one of the reasons the game has appealed so much to grognards is the fact that the game is in itself a tremendous technical reference library on all sorts of naval warfare assets.

This has been mentioned as a selling point for both paper and computer versions : among others, Tom Clancy used the miniatures version to test out the engagement scenarios from the Hunt for Red October, and in conjunction with the author himself, Larry Bond, mapped out and played out the convoys from Red Storm Rising.

Why do I talk about Harpoon so much ?

Well, I'd rediscovered what got me into the whole mess of gamedev in the first place : wargaming (well, and rpgs, but let's not go there, hehehehehehe) got me interested in computers, as much as arcade video machines from the late 70s, and as a precocious fan of tabletop and miniatures wargaming, I rapidly saw the possibilities offered by computers, especially the personal computer in playing wargames, even if just as managerial aids to start with, so we could concentrate on tactics and strategy and not spend so much time looking up combat tables, odds, etc. And rolling dice, hehehe.

Consequently, I've picked up the mantle of the wargame designer as well as that of software developer to bring something hopefully quite good to the personal computer wargaming scene.
That said, I'm also going to be looking at employment and contract possibilities, especially ones pertaining to the development of wargames, as I would rather earn my living working on such projects than only do it in my spare time.

Anyhow, that's all for now, and I also wanted to pop by to simply say :
I'm back !!!

Look forward to hearing from many of you and catching up with your doings and all...
Cheers !!!
Nic

Back to Indiedom

Nicolas Quijano — 2006-05-08T19:23:17+00:00

Yep. I think I'm done with working for mainstream studios, which I think those of you who've done it in the past and now do the indie thing will most likely totally understand...
Anyhow, after (again) considering quitting gamedev and coding altogether, I realize that I do miss working on games.
So just a quick blurb that I'm available for contract work.
But, before contacting me, consider these very important points :
- I DO NOT work for promises of future compensation against eventual royalties, sales, etc. Don't even ask.
- I will not relocate permanently for employment.
- I coiuld travel occasionally to touch base, for a mid to long term contract or remote employment, as long as there is a decent agreement on the expenses incurred from such travelling.

That's about it, feel free to direct any questions to the email in my profile.
Cheers, stay true, and Keep On Torquin' !!!

Sunday Dec 4 16:17

Nicolas Quijano — 2005-12-04T16:17:56+00:00

Hi there, long time no planny.
Starting tomorrow, Monday December 5th, I start working at Artificial Mind and Movement, a medium sized studio here in Montreal known for doing licensed IP titles.
But I'll be working on a AAA original IP xbox360 title.
Haven't been this psyched about gamedev in a long time.
Matter of fact, I thought I was done with it just a few weeks back :)
But, after a few months total break from it, it is my livelyhood, and A2M seems to be a good employer (good benefits, approved overtime as paid holidays, etc)
I also look forward to the challenge on working on a bigger team. should be interesting.
Been absent from the GG boards, and find it daunting to get back into it : if you're not browsing everyday, and a few times a day to boot, the volume of posts has become quite unmanageable, alas.

As for life outside games : played barely any games these last few months, and to rekindle myself to it, I'm resubbing to WoW, the game that made me realize I spent way too much time playing, hahahaha.
I'm on Elune, Fjord, lvl 46 or 47 Elven Hunter. Say hi if you're around...
Might start other alts on other servers...
But I said life outside games : still very involved in the local music scene, produced my first show in years last week (pictures), and just need a drummer to get my new band going, since the last one crashed and burnt about a month ago.
Any drummers in Montreal able to play hardcore into kicking out some jams ? :)

To all my buddies and friends from the GG community : sorry I didn't make it to IGC, it's just wasn't possible this year. I will do my best to be there in 2006, even if it's just to hang out with you guys, get drunk and maintain our long standing IGC traditions, hehe.
To GG : Congrats on all the recent developments !!!
My mind sometimes boggles at the sudden burst of growth GG seems to have gone through in the last year, a testament to the hard working crew at work there :)
Cheers, stay true,
Last but nost least : Keep On Torquin' !!!

Monday Aug 22 19:44

Nicolas Quijano — 2005-08-22T19:44:08+00:00

Full time indie is hard work, looking for contracts is work

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted on here.
Finished the contract for 21-6 Productions a while back and I'm looking for more work, preferably as a contractor, although I've started making the rounds of local studios here in Montreal, as the downtime between contracts and the time taken up by looking for them sure does takes its toll.
Granted, I took some well deserved time off to enjoy the summer before starting to look for work, and that felt very, very good.
As others have noted, it's important to do stuff outside of games and game dev : I've recently started playing in a band again, as well as joining a coop that runs a bar and show venue centered on the underground music scene.
Get to see a lot of bands some atrociously bad, most of them average, but some excellent :)
Meet a lot of people from all over the place, so that's a blast.

Looking for contract work
So if you need a programmer for your project and can afford to pay him, feel free to contact me.
No royalties only deals, etc.
Flexible on rates, industry experience and references.
Here is my profile

It's looking more and more like I won't make it to IGC this year, which pains me, as I was looking forward to making it to the fourth one in a row ;)
Ah well, I guess there is always next year.
So until next time, Keep on Torquin' !!!

Friday Mar 25 14:32

Nicolas Quijano — 2005-03-25T14:32:31+00:00

Going Hollywood : to unionize or get trampled underfoot, is that the question ?? Or is it Government subsidies or not ?

Some of you read Game Dev Mag, I'm sure.
Got the latest issue in the mail yesterday (still waiting for my IGDA card 'though..), and there is an article on a trend that's apparently taking hold on the West Coast game dev industry, states side.
Now, they are a few incorrect facts : Canada is more heavily unionized than the States, or at least Quebec is :)
And we have labor laws that in theory should have a lot more teeth, 'cause the big studios are getting a pass on those (but so are a lot of corps regarding employment termination, but they pay overtime, like the law dictates)

A dear GG friend is heavily in favor of the unionization of the industry, and he brings interesting points to the discussion : Thomas Buscaglia, who, by the way, is running for the board of the directors of the IGDA. If you're a full member, and haven't exercized your democratic duty, do it already :)
Lol, inciting people to vote, where I can't be bothered to do so in real politics...
He basically says, and he's right, that the whole crunch thing with no overtime paid, has been factored into production schedules (not that well, since a lot of projects still run late), and that basically, the purse strings have their backs to the wall, and are really scared of labor getting organized, as that will make development costs rise, if not skyrocket in the short term, as a transition is made to a saner development model.
I agree wholeheartedly : some of my buddies at various studios here in town that shall remain nameless, have to tally overtime hours to get raises !!!
Yeah, you read that right : you don't do overtime as much as we like, we'll pass you on the raise this year...
Again, not paying overtime is illegal here, even if they try to pretend that those wages are yearly, you still fill timesheets...
Sometimes, the fact that our tax dollars are going to help those corps is hard to swallow, even for a guy like me who it's in his best interests that the industry keep chugging along in his hometown. : they get 50% of most employees pay as a tax credit, as well as other incentives.
Not only that, but our provincial government is bending over, and having some nasty double standards as far as private education goes : they're is talk of cutting all subsidizing to private elementary, secondary and pre university collegial schools, while on the other hand, they're basically paying for people to attend the Ubisoft School of Game Dev drones.
If my name was Guillemot, I'd be laughing my way to a shareholder's meeting, or rather, my meeting with EA... (this is speculation ;))

This has got to stop : the game industry is using the guise of hi-tech, hi paying jobs (yeah, right) to basically blackmail the various levels of governement here in bending over multiple ways to keep those corporations here...

Doesn't help that I'm very ambivalent about the politics of helping big corporations (SMBs are another ballgame altogether, and the original targets of all those incentive programs) with the tax dollars of the most overtaxed citizens of North America : in statistical term, the average Quebecer starts to make money for himself in early july of each year...

But are unions the way to go ? If we keep following Hollywood's lead, it's an unequivocal and resounding yes :)
Sure, game dev workers will have to get used to not having permanent positions, and have long lulls between projects, but the hourly wages will go up a lot, it will force good managerial policies, and save money in the long run.
And guess what ? I'm fairly sure a lot of indies, invididuals and studios already work along that model : no traditional security of employment, but steady contracts coming in.

If we don't, and it stays under the model of steady employment, I'm not so sure we want anything to do with unions, or at least the big centrals : might be a better idea of look at what the MS contractors in Washingon State did a few years back and do something along these lines, and make an alliance between those various local groups, staying away from the big centrals, who seem more keen at times to concentrate on their ongoing power struggle with corporations string pullers :)

In all cases, interesting times ahead.

If you've never been to the IGC, or for any other reason are not familiar with the Quality of Life issues in our industry, I strongly suggest you get a free account at the IGDA to download the Qualifty of Life white paper, and give it a read. Don't know if it's available elsewhere on the Net.

EA is not the bad guy, it's just the biggest of them all :)

With that said, a nice Easter weekend to all, especially those among us who are getting a 3 or 4 days weekend out of the deal (I'm not ;))
Cheers, and so more ranting soon...

Mirrored on my fine blog : Permacrunch

Tuesday Mar 22 16:57

Nicolas Quijano — 2005-03-22T16:57:35+00:00

Indie Life, does it get more busy and fun than that ?

Wow. I'm psyched, pumped and having a ball, and sometimes have to pinch myself to realize how fortunate and privileged I am to be doing what I love for a living while not being just a cog in a machine...
After a bit of a downer and procrastination (helped by WoW being fun ;)) when I stopped working at Gameloft Montreal, things are definitely on an upswing nowadays, on many levels although the prime topic of interest here is game dev and how you life outside it can affect it.

Working full time on a contract job for 21-6 Productions, but we can't talk about the project for the time being. Sorry :)
Interesting work, great team, great people, and a great project to work on.

And then, I'm also working with Dave Myers on a part time basis, for his new studio Lumpy Games, on the exploring game he mentions in his blog.
This is a project that's also very dear to me, as I've loved the broad genre of TBS/RTS and other more "thinking" games that appeal to the grognard in me ever since I played the original Balance of Power on a friend's Mac back in, what, 1984 or 85 ?
Not to go into the fact that I owned and played the original Civilization boardgame back in that era :)
I mean, from a gamedev's perspective, this games are like a boon : quite sophisticated in the way everything pieces together, etc.
It will rock, as this is another great team and bunch of great people :)

And there is more on the horizon :)

Now, this is all possible because the rest of my life is suiting me : I have a controlled burn rate, distinct short term and mid to long term goals for where I want to be at, be it game dev wise, or just living a good life.
Not to say that the last 4-5 years haven't seen a lot of ups and downs, failed promises and expectations, mistakes and outright failures.
That's normal : no pain, no gain as the popular saying goes..
Being happy helps, a lot, and for that you need to do other things from working on games and playing them : we all have phases where it seems that we only do that : make games, play games, no life outside...
You can't just be working on games, you'll burnout.
You can't have you head in the cloud (at least, not too much ;)), or you'll never reach those goals, however lofty and grand they may seem.
Which brings back to a motto you'll hear regularly around here :

Right size your life !!

Do what you can do according to your situation, not less, not more.
Achieving a balance is the key here :)

Now, I'm sure I'm not the only one psyched by T2D, the TSE upcoming milestone (have a good holiday Ben), and the looming refactoring of TGE known as 1.4.
Not to mention the great work the GG PR and Marketing guys are doing.
I mean, face it : a Ubisoft recruiter is looking for talent here :)
We must, as a group and community be doing something right, neh ?

IGC05, aka the fourth IGC will be the biggest yet, I think (and no, I do not have any priveleged information on the topic, I'm speculating) : more people, more games, more tech, more enthusiasm, and, hmm, more drinking... (lol)

Any endeavor in life is going to need a lot of hard work, but it's so fulfilling when it's the stuff your dreams are made of, that it goes against the grain, and you can be proud of what you do.

Many thanks to GG for being a "indie enabler", and staying that course.
Ditto to Justin and Dave for trusting me with their baby all the way back in late 2002 : that was a good push in the right direction, thank you both very much :)

Keep on Torquin' in the free world !!

P.S : It's not all fun and games, it's hard work, but the great moments make it all worthwhile

This plan is also mirrored on my blog, Permacrunch

Wednesday Oct 6 1:30

Nicolas Quijano — 2004-10-06T01:30:00+00:00

One more day of daytime crunch, and off to IGC I go...

I'll be arriving in Eugene around noon on Thursday, barring a volcano making it impossible to land in Portland to get my connecting flight...
This is going to be a short plan, but I wanted to say a little something :
I'm going to be looking for potential indie titles to bring to the mobile market through my employer, Gameloft, and will also be bringing an ngage (the original one), with some of our games, to show off our know how :)
I'm not empowered to actually make any deals (it's not my job), but I'll certainly plant the seed.
Note that the chances for ngage exclusive titles are remote : we're talking about multiple platforms, which could include the ngage and other series 60 nokia phones as well as a plethora of other handsets, sold as downloadable games, as the cost to do ngage specific titles are quite high.
But don't let that distract you from the potential for good revenues brought upon by having your game run on many, many handsets/carriers combo. both BREW and J2ME :)
So, don't hesitate to come talk to me, especially if you have a kick arse "casual" game :)
Looking forward to seeing the extended indie family in a very, very near future.
Meanwhile, Keep On Torquin' !!

Monday Aug 23 23:27

Nicolas Quijano — 2004-08-23T23:27:01+00:00

The Road to IGC04, and first day at the new job

So I started my new job today at Gameloft in their Montreal studio, as a programmer, doing some 3d R&D for mobiles for the time being (evaluating tech for an FPS title in the works) while I get settled in.
I also confirmed with my boss that I can take a few days before IGC, and only come back the tuesday afterwards, since I need to be in Eugene on Thursday to kick out the jams with my IndieJam 2004 edition brethren (we would like to be a lot better than last year ;)), and I really didn't want to have to fly back on sunday night, right after IGC.
So that's taken care of, and makes me all the more happy to be working there : nice, casual work atmosphere, with lots of room for gaming at work.

That said, not so sure if I'll be able to bring a demo of my game, seeing as I have to work on the Torque AI content pack demo and docs, as well as prepare my part of the track that Phil Carlisle, Josh Williams and myself will be presenting at the conference, which also deals with AI, as you can see on the IGC04 website
And last, but not least : write a review of TSE for GDSE, so we can get the word out there :)

Not sure when, or how long I'll sleep next, but it'll have to make do ;)

I hope to see many of you in a few weeks in friendly Oregon,
Keep on Torquin' in an Indie World !!

Monday Mar 22 19:55

Nicolas Quijano — 2004-03-22T19:55:06+00:00

A startup folds, another emerges...

The dangling Damocles sword that was hanging over our heads slashed down and nipped the flower in the bud...
As some of you already know, development on Keeper had come to a near total halt at the beginning of the year when we ran out of funds for the demo. This coupled with other internal difficulties has led to the shelving of the Keeper project, as well as the dissolution of Avatar Games, at least for the time being.

That said, I'm working on a prototype for a nifty and fun game with an old partner of mine, Dave Vedder. At the same time, we're also exploring two other game concepts, one of them a 2D arcade game on the Cops and Robbers theme (aka PacMan, and the other, a new concept also...
We're not founding a single business entity for the time being, at least until we can afford a real company (ie moral and legal person), and decide which country to base it in, and in what particular flavor. We've decided that the general partnership, be it USA or Quebec based is NOT a good idea, as it makes us responsible for each other, on top of company debts, etc.
Instead, we're doing an alliance of our respective sole proprietorship companies, so that we keep our respective responsibilities separate, etc.
Many, Big thanks to David Michael for his focused writing on the topic in his fantastic book, the Indie Game Development Survival Guide

I'm also looking for paid work : contracts or employment, games related or more general IT/Software work.

On something that might be of more interest in light of the current hooplah on shaders et al., I'm attending the OpenGL Shading Language seminar tomorrow, here in Montreal.
It's being presented by the guy who wrote the newly released complement to the red and blue, the Orange book, OpenGL Shading Language,Randi Rost, from 3DLabs.
You might not know it, but there is also a new edition of the Red book, covering OpenGL 1.4.
I will post info on the seminar later this week.
That's it for now,
Keep on Torquin', (or whatever tech you're using ;))
Indies rule !!