I have already repaired the wireless network, so it’s all very familiar.

Traveller’s Tales for the first time tomorrow morning… maybe I’ll even find out what I’m going to be doing! Sounds like there’ll be more than just me starting there for the first time, too…

Anyhoo — hope everyone had a good festive wossname!

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We’re vaguely seeking a new employee.

By vaguely, I mean we will be looking hard for a new employee when December rolls around with the aim of getting someone to start in January.

It seemed like a good idea to put up a preliminary post now and let some word spread, to see what might come in – and so it doesn’t have to be done in a rush.

We will be expanding our development team, and we’re looking for a mid-level developer. Exactly what that means is very much down to the candidate, but as a basis:

• Our work is primarily Flash based. As a team we are definitely developers rather than graphic designers using a bit of script, so we need someone who knows how to code. At least an understanding of OOP is a must – I don’t really care in which language. C++ or C# is good, Java is good, Actionscript 2 is okay-ish, Actionscript 3 is excellent (but unlikely). Actionscript 2 is our primary programming language, Actionscript 3 is what we’re currently moving to – if you’re a Java or C# bod you’ll pick it up in no time.
• The more programming-related technologies you’ve played around with the better. Breadth of experience is a Good Thing.
• Other tools and technologies we use include: XML, PHP, haXe, MySQL, Ant, Apache, Java, Flex, HTML, CSS, Subversion, Redmine, Bridge, Alfresco. That should give you a rough idea of the sort of shop we are.
• We work on PCs, but also write for OSX (and almost certainly other things in the future). Our servers are OSX and Ubuntu. Knowledge of any of those is also a Good Thing.
• An idea how to drive Adobe products – primarily Photoshop, Flash – is handy.
• Being creative in any way, whether it be writing, drawing, playing with sound – all are Good Things.
• We are based in Cardiff. So ability to be in or near Cardiff is, clearly, a Good Thing.

Wage range is yet to be settled on, but it will be low by South East standards (there’s no point in pretending otherwise!). We make up for it by hurling burning sheep across the border and juggling lovespoons. Oh, and being able to see acres of green outside our window and occasionally having Tim Roth or Tori Amos stealing items of cutlery^*.

Oh, and what do we do? Create CD-ROMs, books, boardgames, webgames and suchlike for the educational market; for kids between ages 3 and 11. Everything from noughts-and-crosses up to full-length point-and-click adventures. (Although if you’re expecting GTA5, look elsewhere…)

It’s a very small company (although part of a much bigger company which does Stuff You’ve Seen On TV) and is at that stage where it has more work than hands to do it with. Anyone involved in a company of that size will know that it’s an all-hands-on-deck enterprise; everyone can have input into everything, from the character concepts for a game to the colour of the writing on the back of the DVD case. And that’s the way we like it.

If you are interested, feel free to get in touch by the usual channels; or alternatively the more unusual one of jobs at awenmedia dot com.

^*This is really true. Except the bit about the sheep.

We’d prefer something web-based if possible (rather than installing new kit in our offices) and preferably something easy to integrate with.

Anyone got any experience/suggestions/recommendations?

Ta!

Graphics by the animation studio that we’re currently working with. Game engine by me. Once again, the game engine is all in Flash, if there’s anyone out there who might have a use for a Flash-powered point-and-click adventure engine…

(Not that I was obsessed by Monkey Island in any way at all…)

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(Bearing in mind that I’m going to Venice for a week so may be slow in responding.)

I guess we could work with people on the other side of the country if necessary/the right person comes along, but would prefer to have the person in our office if at all possible.

This is due to unexpectedly sudden adoption leave. (We knew it was coming… just not quite this fast!)

Said animator will be working on a low-budget Monkey Island-like adventure, amongst other things.

They don’t need any scripting or coding ability; just the ability to draw pretty pictures and make them move to spec.

Pass it on!

Ian

What have I been up to?

Well, there was that filming thing with Bill a couple of weeks ago – you’ll have seen Rach’s photos by now. Bill says the rough cuts are coming together really well, so hopefully there’ll be something to be put online at some point in the near future.

And a trip to Aberdeen to fit my mother with her first computer and show her the Any key.

And lots of work; got past the worst of the recent stuff (8 weeks making our software Mac compatible *sigh*) but there’s still tons to do. No matter how many people we employ, the workload doesn’t seem to diminish…

A handful of film visits, some of which I’ve noted down.

And losing Blame Culture‘s drummer – bah! (Surely someone else in the South West can hit things in a rhythmical way?)

And ordering a Giant New Shed (isn’t life thrilling?) with the emphasis on it having a roof that doesn’t leak (as opposed to our current one).

And then, aside from that, mostly writing and editing. I’m at about episode 114 of 167 on a first-pass novel edit, but am well aware I’ve got at least a couple more passes to go. And I have one unedited 100-page screenplay that I need to go back and kick into shape, and a half-completed pilot episode for something that I need to clean up the first 10 pages of and send to someone.

So – mostly busy. I have no idea when I ever found time for that LRP thing.

Back to rearranging letters on a page…

I’m currently looking for a junior developer to join our production team.

Our company’s core business is creating interactive educational games (or ‘edutainment’ if you really must) for kids aged between 4-11.

Our primary technology is (very advanced) Flash, using Actionscript 2. We also use Actionscript 3, PHP, Javascript, MySQL and a smattering of Java, C# and various scripting languages. We develop for PC (*sigh*) at the moment but are looking at expanding to Mac, and use Linux servers. We’re big fans of open source.

I’m looking for someone who knows a bit about computers, has a little programming under their belt, and who wants to learn lots more. Familiarity with any of the things I’ve listed above is good. The more things you have a little bit of knowledge about, the better – I’m not looking for specialists, I’m looking for someone we can turn into a jack-of-all-trades like the rest of the staff here. A secondary skill or interest such as music or graphics is great.

We’re based in Cardiff.

If you’re interested, drop me a CV to ian (at) b-dag (dot) com

If you know anyone who might be interested, nudge them for me.