So, I just completed my first week at Gizmondo Studios, Austin (formerly Warthog, formerly Fever Pitch, etc). I’m working on a game for the Gizmondo handheld platform.

I honestly think this is the perfect project for me. While I learned a lot in my years at Multimedia Games, and I will always be grateful to them for giving me my first programming position, I didn’t learn many actual game development topics – the games I made at MGAM had no AI, used no 3D, had no scripts…they were about as simple as games could be and still be called games. While I learned a lot about these topics on my own (an A* pathfinding program I wrote last year just to see if I understood the algorithm is what got me my current gig), I’ve never actually used any of them in my production environment. Handheld games are typically a lot simpler than full-fledged console or PC games, so there’s less pressure and less to learn all at once.

Everybody here seems great…no personality conflicts yet. And I love being back in town – much better lunch options. And I’m getting really good at Mortal Kombat II. I’m going to miss the view from the MGAM building, though (I’ll have to drive back out there and take a picture of it so you can see what I mean).

So far, so good, and I’m really enjoying it.