From Tokyo

From: Joseph Conley


Hi Jason,

I'm also a programmer in the game industry and I've recently come across your book.  I recently started a new job in Tokyo at Namco Bandai Games (I had previously worked at Activision Blizzard's Vicarious Visions studio(boy that's a mouthful)), and a number of people here recommended your book, and work bought me a copy that I hope to read soon, it looks very interesting and informative.  

On an interesting note, the reason why my coworkers here have your book is because they are actually the ones reviewing the translation work for Softbank, the publisher of the book here. I guess they are hoping to wrap that up asap, as the book is due out in this country November 30th I believe.

I have also been a huge fan of the Uncharted Series, and I attended the panel "Game Design with the Dogs" at PAX East earlier this year where Richard Lemarchand, Jacob Minkoff, and Justin Richmond lead us through a demonstration of creating a level in Uncharted 2.  The narrative in that game and the way that everything is designed with considerations to narrative in mind is just amazing.  I would love to work on a game like that some day.

The technical achievements are just as impressive if not more so, and I have to commend you on you and your teams' work.  As I mentioned to Jacob when I talked with him after the panel, I work in the same industry as you and I still have no idea how you make such an awesome game.  Maybe your book will help me understand :-)

Thanks for all that you do, I'm eagerly anticipating Uncharted 3.
Joseph Conley


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Hi Joseph,

Thank you so much for all the kind words!  I'll be sure to forward your compliments on to the whole team.  I'm very pleased to hear that you're reading my book -- if you have questions, feel free to ask!
By the way, I checked out your blog.  I've always wanted to travel to Japan... spent some time in Chennai, India and Hong Kong, but never Tokyo (at least not yet).  Your ray tracer appears to have been a success, too -- some nice renders -- what a great project!  Anyhow, best luck!  Learn lots and have fun on the other side of the world!

All the best,
J


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Hey Jason,

I wanted to let you know that I am about halfway through your book now (finishing chapter 8), and I'm really enjoying it. Even though I've worked in the industry for about 2.5 years now, I feel like I have learned a whole lot, and that you have helped fill in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of game engines. And even the parts that I have learned before in various classes spread out over years of college or in previous work experience have been aggregated together and presented in a format that is exactly aimed at the sort of work I do, and for that reason it's incredibly useful.  I'm really looking forward to the sections on rendering and animation.

Also, while I have been reading, I've been keeping a log of any questions, suggestions, or typos I notice, and I'll send a link to share that google document with you, as I will continue to update it as I read.  If you want, I can also ask the technical supervisors for the Japanese version to send me any odd points they noticed, and I can add that to the document as well.

By the way, are you going to GDC next month in San Francisco?  Me and my coworker at Namco Bandai Games (and one of the technical supervisors for the Japanese version of GEA) Kazuhisa Minato will be going, and if you're there we'd love to get together and chat about Game Engine Architecture.  Also, I saw that Uncharted 3 was announced, and will have support for stereoscopic televisions, which is something else we could discuss, as the game we are working on ("Dead Storm Pirates 3D" for arcades) also is stereoscopic.

Well good luck with Uncharted 3!

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Hi Joseph,

Thanks for the compliments, and for taking the time to accumulate notes.  I know I'll find them invaluable as I start work on the second edition (which I plan to begin sometime soon).

I just got a copy of the Japanese version of GEA, and I must say I'm thoroughly impressed!  The folks that translated it clearly spent a lot of time and effort on it.  I appreciate your help in keeping me informed.

Sadly, I'm not attending GDC this year.  I would very much like to meet you and Minato-san.  Hopefully we'll be able to hook up at another industry event, such as E3 or the like.  And certainly, if either of you find yourselves in Los Angeles, drop me a line and I'll hook you up with a tour of Naughty Dog.

Cheers and many thanks again,
J