About me
My First “Insert Coin” 🕹️
My passion for technology was sparked long before I wrote my first line of code. It was born in the vibrant chaos of arcade machines, with the sound of coins clinking and the melodies of games like Snow Bros. Even as a kid, I was filled with immense curiosity: I wanted to understand how those magical boxes could create entire worlds on a screen. Back then, unraveling that mystery felt completely out of reach.
As the years went by, that fascination only grew. On an old computer running Windows 95, I discovered gems like Sokoban and Battle Chess. Each game was a new door to the imagination. My journey continued with the legends that defined my childhood: Prince of Persia (1989), the brilliance of Day of the Tentacle and Monkey Island, and eventually, the leap to 3D with the Nintendo 64. Playing Super Mario 64 and Zelda: Ocarina of Time wasn’t just entertainment—it was the moment I knew my future would be tied to creating video games 🎮.
My Beginnings in Programming 🖥️
I wanted to feel that thrill of discovering a new title again—but this time, from the other side of the screen. My first real dive into development happened almost by accident, within the universe of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. I set up a small server in MTA SA and, to shape it, I began scripting my first logic in LUA. It was pure self-learning, and every tiny working script felt like an incredible victory.
That’s where I discovered what I love most about development: synchrony. Watching the different technical pieces—code, animations, sound—click together like a perfect gear mechanism is, to me, the true magic of this craft.
The Big Leap: From Idea to Publication 🚀
After several personal projects, including a small open-world prototype in Unity that taught me a great deal, the time came to face a real challenge. Alongside a teammate, I embarked on developing Aeternum Grand Plaza, a project that took us from the first line of code all the way to an official release on Steam.
As the lead programmer, my role was to bring the entire game architecture to life. It was a massive challenge, but also a crash course where I had to implement complex systems from scratch. Some of the challenges I most enjoyed solving included:
SteamWorks & Leaderboards 🏆: Connecting the game to the Steam ecosystem to manage achievements and competitive leaderboards.
Actor Pooling System ⚙️: Designing a solution to optimize performance and efficiently manage game resources.
Save System 💾: Creating a robust logic that allowed players to resume their progress without issues.
Version Control 🤝: Implementing and maintaining a professional workflow with Perforce to ensure perfect synchrony with my teammate.
Bringing Aeternum Grand Plaza to life not only validated my technical skills in Unreal Engine 5—it also solidified my work philosophy: I love problems, because the satisfaction of finding the right solution is unmatched.
A Bit More About Me ☕
Today, at 33 years old, my goal is clear: to keep building video games. I’m looking to join a team—ideally with an indie spirit—where communication is direct and I can collaborate closely with other passionate people to create unique experiences. I’m open to any challenge, as long as it involves programming and solving logical puzzles.
When I’m not in front of Unreal Engine, you’ll probably find me analyzing the mechanics of a new game or dusting off the N64 for a dose of nostalgia. I’m someone who deeply values commitment and synchrony within a team—I believe great games can only be born from great collaboration.
I’m Cristian Gómez, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my story.