Bill Kendrick
Game Developer Portfolio

Consulted designers and artists regarding requirements and technical limitations. Created all game and shell code (some of which sits atop an API for text and menus). Helped tune game rules and gameplay action. Created a tool to convert PNGs to bitmasks during build-time; bitmasks used for pixel-perfect collision detection in-game, as well as intelligently applying decals to objects. Created code to alter PNG palettes at runtime (prior to rendering) using hue shifting. Designed a system (not used in this game) for mapping gradients to PNGs. Used intelligent splitting of bitmaps as a way of determining connection points and locations of objects, without requiring hard-coded coordinates.

• (Game has not yet been released.)

Consulted designers and artists regarding requirements and technical limitations. Created menu system (some utilizing an underlying element/widget system), 'Dish Mania' (dishwashing-themed puzzle mini-game), 'Pans In Panic' (cooking-themed timer-based mini-game), 'Trivia Challenge' (trivia mini-game), pop-up dialog interface, NPC interaction interface, and rich text/graphics displays (using element subsystem). Designed pseudo-3D 'Kitchen' screen display and worked with the project's other programmer as he implemented it. Helped porting team with initial launch on a tight deadline.

• Scalable feature-set
• Graphics and UI scalable from 'small' through 'large, wide-screen' displays and aspect
• Graphics tricks (mirroring, flipping, tiling, palette swap) used to provide a richer interface while still fitting within space requirements

Implemented the majority of a BREW "platform port" of a J2ME-based framework consisting of a UI layout engine, networking layer and byte-compiled scripting language, creating an application "player" (ported from the original Java source to C/C++) and migration and build-related tools.

Created initial ports of InStyle for over 40 handsets, grouped into a handful of (mostly size-differentiated) builds. Updated application script code and engine code, as needed, to fix bugs and support various handset features (one- or two-softkeys, hardware QWERTY keypads, landscape/widescreen displays, etc.)

• Pre-generated puzzle data shipped with app. that allows for millions of game variations
• Solver included, to allow input of puzzles from newspapers/books/etc. for play or solution
• Numerous difficulty levels, including Training mode
• Multiple levels of move Undo
• 'Hint' feature highlights cells which can be most easily solved now
• Player pays a time penalty for requesting hints or clues (cost depends on difficulty level)
• Mini-number mode allows up to 4 'proposal' digits to be displayed in a cell (shown on-screen at all times, even on 96px tall handsets!)
• Numerous games could be saved and reloaded
• Supported triple-tap or hardware QWERTY keypad entry
• Three high scores ("best times") recorded per difficulty level
• Game paused on exit ([END] key, clamshell close, etc.) and could be resumed after re-launch

• Full-screen explosion special effect
• Composited sprite objects, to handle angled game surface

• Two-player mode utilized app-directed SMS to alert opponents of invitations/challenges and game updates
• Player could be invited or challenged, even when the app was not running
• Players played relatively simultaneously, with the same set of letters
• Game server provided word validation based on a ~250,000-word dictionary
• Player's scores shown side-by-side, to show which words their opponent got that they didn't, and vice-versa
• Nine-letter combinations made from jumbled English words
• Score bonuses for uncommon letters or for discovering the nine-letter word
• Player's statistics (wins, loses, draws, rank, rating) available to player, and shown to opponents at game start
• Leaderboard showed top players, their ranking and rating, and allowed for challenges
• Player's most recent opponents stored, allowing for easy invitation to new games
• Players could choose to not receive challenges and/or invitations
• Game paused on exit ([END] key, clamshell close, etc.) and, within a time-limit, would auto-resume upon re-launch

• Utilized fixed-point math for 3D objects, rotation and movement
• Timer-callback-based 'threading' system used for initial, one-time 3D calculation routine
• Pre-rotated objects stored in look-up tables to reduce use of math during gameplay
• Objects re-used to reduce storage or RAM requirements (e.g., turrets and bullets were the same object)
• Seamless world which wrapped around on itself (cannot drive into the horizon)
• Increasingly difficult waves, with different numbers and combinations of enemies
• Game paused on exit ([END] key, clamshell close, etc.) and could be resumed after re-launch

• Utilized fixed-point math for scaling, rotation and movement
• Line-intercept collision detection
• Game screen seamlessly scaled to various handset screen sizes
• Increasingly difficult levels, with higher bonus values for success
• Game paused on exit ([END] key, clamshell close, etc.) and could be resumed after re-launch

• Numerous drawing tools with simplified interfaces
• Utilizes 'gettext' and TrueType Fonts, providing localization into over 70 languages (as of April 2007)
• Special layered mode provides for coloring-book-style imagery and images with simulated depth
• SVG vector graphics and PNG bitmap graphics supported, for clipart
• Later, ported to the Sharp Zaurus PDA
• Later, ported to the One Laptop Per Child 'XO'
• Later, ported to the Nokia Maemo tablet device

• Fixed-point math for fast vector graphics
• Trigonometric look-up tables for fast rotation
• Used PDA's piezo buzzer for sound effects
• Sensible use of Agenda VR3 hardware buttons
• Game paused on exit, and could be resumed after re-launch

• Sideways (landscape) play on the PDA
• Used PDA's piezo buzzer for sound effects
• Two game variations: "Marching" and "Swooping"
• Game paused on exit, and could be resumed after re-launch

• Stylus or button controls
• Multiple level layouts and brick types

• Stylus or button controls
• Pre-rendered wall, floor and sky bitmaps used for speed
• Horizontal scroll effect used to simulate 3D rotation
• Randomly-generated mazes
• Various game options: Maze size, timer, mapping modes
• Game paused on exit, and could be resumed after re-launch

• Fixed-point math for fast vector graphics
• Trigonometric look-up tables for fast rotation
• Game paused on exit, and could be resumed after re-launch
• Later ported to the GamePark GP2X handheld game system
• Later ported to the GamePark GP32 handheld game system
• Later ported to the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game system
• Later ported to the Sega Dreamcast home video game console
• Later, ported to the Nokia Maemo tablet device

• Fast-action waves with varieties of enemies.

• One- and two-player modes (including cooperative)
• Game variations: Barriers, Bouncy balloons, 'Clear All' mode
• High score table covering all game variations
• Mouse, keyboard, joystick or paddle controls
• Later ported to Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game system
• Later ported to Sega Dreamcast home game console
• Later ported to GamePark GP32 handheld game system

• One- and two-player modes
• Keyboard or joystick control
• Variety of enemies and escalating levels
• End-game boss and end-of-game sequence
• Variety of CPU-inexpensive special effects ('warp-in', starfields, etc.)
• Later ported to Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game system
• Later ported to Sega Dreamcast home game console
• Later ported to GamePark GP32 handheld game system
• Later ported to Nintendo DS handheld game system

• Completely server-based (no plug-ins required); any HTML client can play.
• Written as a stand-alone HTTP server to increase performance
• Server state dumped to disk on shutdown, and reloaded and startup, for reduced downtime when updating server software.
• Plays 'Klondike' and 'Draw 3' variations

• 2D scrolling.
• Variety of enemy types and interactions ('turtle' enemy can be used to hurt others).
• Variety of level elements and interactions (e.g., breaking bricks, bonus boxes, etc.)

• Stereo sound (pans depending on object location)
• 'Classic' and modern themes
• Mouse or keyboard control.
• Later ported to Microsoft Windows
• Later ported to Gamepark GP2X handheld game system

• Web-based CGI.
• Runs in literally any web browser.
• Different difficulty levels available.

• Particle effects (water drops, snowflakes, sparks, etc.)
• Various enemy and weapon types.

• Mouse and keyboard controls
• Multiple 3D view modes (including missile's-eye-view)
• Various missile types (standard, spiraling, splitting)
• Later ported to Agenda VR3 PDA

• Web-based CGI.
• Runs in literally any web browser.

• Web-based CGI.
• Runs in literally any web browser.
• Different difficulty levels/sizes available.
• Players may add flags to the board.

• Web-based CGI.
• Runs in literally any web browser.

• Up to four players simultaneously.
• Multiple upgrade bonuses.
• AI enemy.

• One player (computer opponent, or "handball" and two player modes
• Numerous viewing angles
• Red/blue split 3D mode (for 3D glasses)
• Two-player handled by using one client (app) and two servers (X displays)

• Joystick, game pad or keyboard control
• Utilized a software-driven (flickering) display to produce more colors
• Includes a short animated bitmap intro sequence

• Keyboard, mouse or joystick control
• Later ported to GamePark GP2X handheld game system
• Later ported to Symbian OS mobile platform
• Later ported to Sega Dreamcast home game console

• Completely server-based (no plug-ins required); any HTTP client can play
• Written as a CGI application running under Apache webserver