• Josh Caratelli

    Engineering Lead

     

    Currently coding at:

    Gravity Well

  • G'day!

    I'm Josh, a hardworking, team-oriented programmer who strives to write clean, cache friendly code. I’m always eager to learn and leverage my skills to facilitate unforgettable gameplay and narrative driven experiences.

    broken image

    I love working in teams and keeping busy

    Over the years I've worked on several shipped titles and major franchises:

    • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 [Support Engineering]
      (XS|PS5|XB1|PS4|PC)
    • Call of Duty: Vanguard 
      (XS|PS5|XB1|PS4|PC)
    • Call of Duty: Warzone
      (XB1|PS4|PC)
    • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 
      (XB1|PS4|PC)
    • Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War [Pre-Production]
      (XB1|PS4|PC)
    • Call of Duty: WWII 
      (XB1|PS4|PC)
    • Rugby League Live 4
      (XB1|PS4|PC)
    • Don Bradman Cricket 17
      (XB1/PS4/PC)
    • Casey Powell Lacrosse 16
      (XB1/PS4/PC)   
    • Smog Game
      (iPhone/iPad)
    • Rugby League Live 2
      (XBOX 360/PS3) 

    I also concurrently studied a Bachelor of Computer Science at RMIT University, graduating with Distinction, while shipping four of the above AAA titles.

    broken image

    I'm an adept programmer and love learning

    I love coding and game development with a passion, and solving challenging problems by working with others to hit deadlines. I realize that I don't know everything, but I recognize my weak points and add it to my learning.

     

    Over the years though I've honed my experience with the following:

    • Languages:
      C/C++, LUA, C#, Python, GSC.
    • Version Control Software: 
      Perforce, Git, Subversion.
    • Project Management Tools:
      JIRA, Trello, Hansoft.
    • Software:
      Visual Studio, Havok, InstaLOD, FMOD Studio
    • Engines:
      Unreal Engine 5 / 4 / 3 (Licencee Version) and other industry leading proprietary technologies.
    broken image

    I'm a STEM diversity advocate and enjoy speaking and presenting

    I believe everyone should be able to make games and that having diverse people brings a plethora of benefits to not only the team but the project as well.

     

    To help with this, I've co-created a STEM scholarship to promote and inspire people from diverse backgrounds into games development and tech.

     

    I also regularly speak at conferences, conventions and to media and provide advice for students and buddying game developers on how they can start making their own games.

     

    Portfolio Reviews

    If you'd like a CV or portfolio review please send me an email! I love to pay it forward and I've helped over 50 buddying developers land their first game development role since 2019.

  • Professional Projects

    A sample of the game titles that I've worked on over the years

  • Call of Duty: Vanguard

    Senior Software Engineer | Core / Systems

    (XS | PS5 | XB1 | PS4 | PC)

  • broken image

    Senior Software Engineer

    Destruction Strike Team Member
    > Was part of a core engineering effort to implement fine-grain destruction, a marquee feature for the title
    > Destructible asset pipeline and rigid body optimization
    > Improved client only clutter to assist with destructible atmosphere
     
    Physics Engineering
    > Forces (radial force occlusion, weapon muzzle and bullet impact forces)
    > Ragdolls and cloth
    > Further physics support for hierarchical "composite" model I previously co-authored
     
    Core Gameplay Systems
    > Extensive work to save a pivotal Single Player level from being cut on two occasions
    > Killcam
    > Weapon caliber damage multipliers
    > Weapon mounting and mantling, in particular planning and implementation for destruction mechanics
     
    Misc
    > Extensive onboarding for all disciplines and a regular point of contact for Call of Duty Engineering knowledge
    > Single Player NPC developer names tooling and implementation
    > In-game commemoration planning for an employee
    > Patch Notes assistance

  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare // Call of Duty: Warzone

    Software Engineer | Core

    Sledgehammer Games

    (XB1 | PS4 | PC)

  • broken image

    Software Engineer

    Note: I was on loan to Infinity Ward for Modern Warfare and Warzone's production

    Large Map Technology Strike Team Member
    > Helped take the franchise from small player counts to support 150+ players in a large play space, from publisher tech green-light to ship
    > Automatic Proxy LOD generation asset pipeline, including Proxy LOD thermal vision material support and continuous integration support
    > Spatial Grid based asset streaming, with a particular focus on long range sniper scopes
    > Additional work for for impostor cards and "Submap" workflow

    ^ See Rulon's GDC Presentation for more info (I'm special thanked at the end alongside other team members):
    Lima Oscar Delta!: Scaling Content in 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
     
     
    Core Engineering
    > Co-authored a new hierarchical "composite" model asset to improve art and design workflow for moving models and vehicles
    > GPU vertex cache optimization for current generation platforms

     

  • Call of Duty: WWII

    Software Engineer | Core / Live Ops

    Sledgehammer Games

    (XB1 | PS4 | PC)

  • broken image

    Software Engineer

    Core Engineering
    > Joined just before E3 and provided core engine programming support for Singleplayer, Multiplayer and Co-Op (Zombies)
    > Support for "Headquarters" social space, a marquee feature for the game
    > Resolving Microsoft XR’s and Sony TRC’s to ensure title submission compliance
     
    Live Ops
    > Moved to Live-Ops and Build Management post launch due to favorable time zones
    > Assisted with in-game update creation and deployment
    > Eventually became the sole build engineer in charge of 1st Party Title Updates

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

    A brief summary of my professional work experience, if you would like to see some more detail check out my LinkedIn!

     

    broken image

    Gravity Well

    Engineering Lead Jun 2023 - Current

    Senior Engineer Aug 2022 - Jun 2023

    Titles:

    • Unannounced Title
      Platforms TBA
      Release Date TBA

    Creating a new AAA title alongside a veteran team which includes the founding members of Infinity Ward (Call of Duty) and Respawn Entertainment (Titanfall, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order)

     

    For our first AAA title, we have partnered with a large Western publisher as we create an original IP. We aren't talking about the game yet, but we're excited to show it to you in the future

     

    Find out more at gravitywell.games

     

     

    broken image

    Sledgehammer Games, an Activision Studio

    Senior Software Engineer Mar 2022 – Jul 2022
    Software Engineer Jun 2017 – Mar 2022

    Titles:

    • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Core / Systems [Support Engineering]
      Xbox Series | PlayStation 5 | Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
      Shipped Late 2022
       
    • Call of Duty: Vanguard | Core / Systems
      Xbox Series | PlayStation 5 | Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
      Shipped Late 2021
       
    • Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | Core [Pre-Production]
      Xbox Series | PlayStation 5 | Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
      Shipped Late 2020
       
    • Call of Duty: Warzone  | Core
      Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC 
      Shipped Early 2020
       
    • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare  | Core
      Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC 
      Shipped Late 2019
       
    • Call of Duty: WWII | Core / Live Ops
      Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC 
      Shipped Late 2017

    As a Senior Software Engineer with Core Engineering, I predominately deal with core game engine and low-level system programming in both single and multi-player networked environments. I have worked on supporting marquee features for Call of Duty titles in the last several years such as Large Map Technology and Destruction.

     

    Other responsibilities:

    • As one of eight founding members, I helped plan and heavily contributed to onboarding for the Melbourne studio expansion to 150+ developers over two years.
       
    • Author of a Slackbot Framework which is widely used across Activision for: JIRA task creation, anniversary and promotion celebrations and hosting “Ask Leadership” sessions
       
    • Culture Committee Member, Fire Warden and First Aider
     
    broken image

    Big Ant Studios

    Junior Programmer Jan 2016 – Jun 2017

    Titles:

    • Rugby League Live 4
      Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
      Shipped Mid 2017
       
    • Don Bradman Cricket 17
      Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
      Shipped late 2016
       
    • Casey Powell Lacrosse 16
      Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
      Shipped early 2016

    As a Junior Programmer I work with an interdisciplinary agile team of artists, designers, sound engineers and programmers to design, prototype and implement new features within our existing proprietary engine technology. I ultimately strive to write clean, readable and maintainable code in C++ and LUA to meet deadlines on time and under memory budget.

     

    Responsibilities include:

    • Ownership of audio programming and meta-game systems such as match objectives and statistics, porting them from older projects and making improvements where possible.
       
    • Implement in-game UI closely with art and related gameplay systems with design departments.
       
    • Complete additional gameplay and core system tasks.
       
    • Collaborating with the Senior Sound Designer, utilizing FMOD Studio as a middle-ware audio solution to implement new audio features as well as maintaining the existing sound code. Primarily focusing on sports title commentary and sound effect systems.
       
    • Responsible for platform holder leaderboard implementation and in particular dealing with Microsoft's Xbox Developer Portal.
       
    • Writing and maintaining engine plugins and external tools with the tech team to ensure productivity across numerous departments using C# and Python.
       
    • General bug fixing and resolving Microsoft XR's and Sony TRC's to ensure our titles are submission compliant for the respective platform holders.
       
    • Additional voice acting
     
    broken image

    Double Mercury Entertainment Pty Ltd

    Founder/Programmer Jan 2015 – Jan 2016

    Titles:

    • Smog Game
      iPhone / iPad
      Shipped Late 2015

    Founder at Double Mercury Entertainment where I was the sole programmer on Smog Game, an award winning eco-themed colour matching endless runner for the iPhone and iPad, which shows children the benefit of reducing their 'Smog' carbon footprint. www.smog-game.com

     

    Responsibilities Include:

    • Implementing game mechanics and core programming (ad network/analytics integration etc) in the licencee version of Unreal Engine 3 using UScript, C++, Obj-C and Kismet.
       
    • Responsible for all business development related activities as company director:
      Incorporating Double Mercury Entertainment as a company, signing/formulating contracts (e.g. UE3 licence), regular meetings with our awesome supporters (PwC/Epic Games/The Arcade/IGDA Melbourne/GDAA - thanks!), entering award and trade shows etc.
       
    • Overall vision holder for the game and at some point I have touched every aspect of Smog Games' development, from: UI to Sound, Quality Assurance to VFX and PR/Marketing etc.
     
    broken image

    Speaker: Various Conferences and Conventions

    Speaker Jul 2013 – Present

    I've been invited to speak at various conferences and conventions, primarily talks focused on providing advice for students and budding game developers.

     

    Keynotes:

    • DigiCon (2016)

    Panelist:

    • Game Connect Asia Pacific (2022),
    • Academy of Interactive Entertainment (2018, 2019, 2020),
    • PAX Online (2020),
    • PAX Australia (2014, 2015, 2016, 2019),
    • Oz Comic-Con (2015)

    Lectures:

    • Tech Games Fest / Cause and Effect Gamers (2021),
    • Swinburne University (2019),
    • Game Connect Asia Pacific (2019),
    • Happy Brain Education (2017),
    • iiiConference (2016),
    • ACMI ScreenFutures (2016),
    • RMIT University Careers Advisers Seminar (2016),
    • "Hop into the World of Crossy Road" - Apple Store, Sydney Event (2015),
    • Victorian Education in Games Summit (2015),
    • Computer Games Boot Camp - Monash University (2013)

     

     

    broken image

    (VOLUNTEER) Epic Games

    User Group Founder​ March 2016 – Jun 2017

    As the groups founder I organized and ran Unreal Engine community events on behalf of Epic Games in Melbourne, Australia one of the burgeoning capitals of game development in the world.

     

    Unreal Engine Melbourne is Epic's largest user group in Australia with over 250+ members. The meetup provides events such as technical talks, networking events and launch parties:

    meetup.com/unreal-engine-melbourne

     

    Epic Games provides official sponsorship through event assistance and supplying promotional merchandise such as NVIDIA Shield consoles, signage and assistance with promotion on their social channels.

     

    Epic Games also provides Skype / Hangouts talks to get feedback, to see how they can better support the group, or just chat in general.

  • Media Attention & Publications

    I thoroughly enjoy interacting with media and communities, especially when providing advice on how to break into game development and on topics such as STEM diversity. Here's a sample of that:

    Polygon

    As I have a background in physics engineering, I was asked to add technical commentary to a Polygon article explaining why the physics in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was an impressive feat. A subset of my quote was published.

    Epic Games & the Unreal Engine website

    I wrote a guest blog post for the Unreal Engine website on using analytics for mobile titles: focusing on best practices for analytics and the process behind setting it up.

    Game Connect Asia Pacific (2019)

    Presentation I gave at Game Connect Asia Pacific, Australia's premier game developer conference a part of Melbourne International Games Week.

     

    This presentation covers a variety of engineering practices used at Sledgehammer Games both pre and post-launch for Call of Duty: WWII to ensure the best possible experience for both the players and the development team.

    Kotaku

    2K Australia closed its doors after the release of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!
     

    I helped organize a community effort to help those affected by providing a public Google doc where members of the community posted job listings for those the talented developers who were now out of work.

    RMIT University

    RMIT University featured me as their primary marketing asset for their Computer Science course.

    Good Game Spawn Point

    I appeared on national Australian television on the critically acclaimed Good Game: Spawn Point TV show for a developer interview.

     

    The interview covers my work history, my recently launched title Smog Game onto the App Store and tips for budding game developers to get into the industry.

     

  • Awards & Recognition

    I've been lucky enough to pick up some awards along the way! Here are some listed below:

    Winner, Australia 2015

    2nd Place - Smog Game, Sri Lanka 2015

    Winner - Smog Game, Australia 2014

    Winner - Smog Game, Australian STEM Challenge 2014

    Winner - Smog Game, Australia 2015

    Winner - Smog Game, Victoria 2015

    Honorable Mention, International 2014

  • Personal Projects

    Some commercial and non commercial personal projects I've worked on!

    iPhone/iPad endless runner.

    Smog Game is a color matching, eco-themed endless runner for the iPhone/iPad.

    • Sole programmer and co-designer who implemented game mechanics in UnrealScript/Kismet and core programming (ad networks/analytics integration) with C++ and Obj-C in Unreal Engine 3 (licencee).
       
    • Responsible for all business development related activities as company director (e.g. contract negotiation with Epic Games, Apple, PwC etc ).
       
    • Overall vision holder for the game. As the Founder I have touched every aspect of Smog Game's development: from Design to Project Management to PR etc.

     

    broken image

    GLSL audio responsive desktop wallpaper

    A small abstract audio responsive 'speaker' for your desktop created in HLSL for the Wallpaper Engine Steam Workshop. It now has over 6,000 downloads!

     

    Crank up your favourite tunes, sit back and relax.

    broken image

    Popular Steam Workshop weapons for Garry's Mods 'Trouble in Terrorist Town' mode

    For a weekend project, a friend and I co-created some custom Steam Workshop weapons for Garry's Mods.

     

    The Silent AWP and Backstab Knife, which have custom gameplay mechanics and art assets, promote the "Vanilla" tenants of patience and stealth in the social deduction 'TTT" game mode.

     

    The weapons are highly rated and now have over 10,000 downloads between them.

  • Blog

    Thought process. Tid bits. Tutorials.

    January 15, 2018 · Code,Tutorial
  • Contact me