Life at Resolution: Magnus, AR Technical Director
Here’s the second installment of our new series aimed at highlighting the different roles and work perspectives at Resolution Games, starring industry veteran and our AR Technical Director Magnus.
What is your favorite part about working at Resolution Games?
My absolute favorite part is the fact that we’re breaking new ground when it comes to AR gaming. AR gaming hasn't even reached its infancy yet, it is that early! And Resolution Games is a part of shaping the future of gaming in AR. That means that we don’t even know what we can apply from console or mobile gaming and what we need to figure out specifically for this new way of playing games. It also means that with Resolution’s pedigree we get to work with hardware makers so we get a glimpse into the future and we get to experiment with all sorts of new AR hardware.
One part that I especially love is our R&D work. In the AR division we spend quite a bit of time researching and testing things. Sometimes we experiment with new hardware, or if we have an idea for an experience/demo we allocate some time to experiment with that. A part of game development is just about shipping the game, so wrapping it up and getting it out the door. This phase isn’t always super creative, so having time for R&D besides the regular projects is a great way to keep the creativity up.
What is an example of a fun challenge or project you've worked on?
One tricky challenge in AR gaming is how to combine user friendly UX with selling the AR immersion. In AR it is very important to sell the idea that the virtual objects really belong in your real world. That means we need to match lighting conditions, sizes and physical behaviors to some extent. That is often in direct competition with good UX.
RELATED READING: How we grounded Angry Birds: Isle of Pigs in your living room
For example, when we made Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs for mobile AR we worked really hard on the illusion that the Angry Birds level belongs in your room. That was one of the core pillars in the AR version of the game, the user shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a real tower of blocks, and the game level.
So we had a long process of deciding if we wanted levels that the user had to attack from other angles than just the front, and if so, should we force the user to move around in their living room to walk up behind the level. That is not very user friendly, but it really sells the immersion.
In the end we decided that is one of the cases where UX is more important than immersion, so we added the possibility for players to rotate the level, so they didn’t have to walk around their table to get the best vantage point.
Another challenge is to try and look ahead and guess what is coming, figure out where we want to be, and also see how our portfolio of games fit into that or if we need to create something new. Certain platforms are better suited for certain experiences, and to try and match that can sometimes be tricky.
Can you share a highlight about how we work together at Resolution Games?
Having a background in AAA games development with teams up to 600 people and development cycles up to three years long, I really enjoy the smaller teams and shorter projects at Resolution Games. Game teams are more autonomous and have more freedom here compared to other places I’ve worked.
I also really enjoy the fact that we’re an independent developer, so pretty much all decisions are made by someone at Resolution Games.
What are some fun things that happen at Resolution Games outside the daily work routine?
My favorite thing besides regular work is our game jams. They are an excellent way to experiment with new ideas and collaborate with people I don’t normally work with.
READ MORE: Highlights from Resolution’s Game Jam
What excites you about being in the VR/AR games space?
The feeling of creating something brand new is fantastic. There is a lot of excitement surrounding AR and VR, and there is so much happening in that space it’s insane. Technology that seemed out of reach just five years ago is soon to become a reality. That technology needs content so to be able to provide games for that is great. To see the advancements happen up close, and to be a part of shaping that future and what gaming will be like, it is so much fun!
Are you interested in joining us in this exciting space and grow with unique challenges in games programming? We’re hiring! Check out some of our open positions below or head straight to our career site.
