What have you been up to during your internship and what have been the highlights so far?

I started my internship by making a game prototype, then quickly joined the Monument Valley team that is working on the next sequel. I got to build level prototypes and learn all about the tools we use to make them. As a programming intern, I had an opportunity to gain insights into the creation of a high-quality game, and have been working with source control every day.

A big moment for me has been helping to put a new input system into Monument Valley. It began as a task of making a feature for UI gamepad controls, and turned into a much bigger project of integrating the new system. It's pretty unusual for an intern to take on such a big task, which has made this whole experience super rewarding, and I felt pretty confident throughout with the support of my mentor. I've learned a ton about coding, debugging, bug-fixing, grid-based game development, core tech skills like adaptive game design and basics of devops. Improved my architectural understanding and game prototyping skills.

Even as an intern, I've been participating in team meetings and my ideas and help are both valued and encouraged. Offering insights into game design has shown me how important diverse viewpoints are in driving innovation. I'm super thankful for the chance to contribute to the development of a game as big as Monument Valley.

How has working at ustwo games changed how you see the games industry?

I've learned from scratch how everything operates: the workflow; how responsibilities are split; how many different teams work on a game; how playtesting happens; what stages and milestones game development includes; what goes into moving from an idea to a real game; and just how much work it takes to create a game like Monument Valley.

I've also learned how to think about code from a tool perspective, so that designers, artists, and the sound team can actually use them. I've seen how creative sparks fly and I've learned how valuable everyone's input is, how to effectively work within a team, and how great ideas are born from collective effort.

During the internship, I had the opportunity to work with different teams, which broadened my understanding of the game studio cycle. This included working on large projects and in a fast-paced prototyping environment, as well as learning about the differences between Live Ops and Dev Ops.

What skills or knowledge have you picked up that surprised you?

I didn't expect to get so good at being part of a team and using tools like Miro boards and Jira for managing game production. Hearing about the challenges that the more experienced programmers face has added a lot to my learning list. I've also been surprised to learn about the different specialisation roles a programmer can have. At the end of the internship, I also gained some basic knowledge of graphic programming and shader writing, which pleasantly surprised me and made this specialisation my second favourite after gameplay programming.

I'm really thankful for this chance to learn and grow in such a creative and supportive place.  This internship has been an amazing journey, and I think it made me a fully-fledged junior programmer. I can't wait to see what's ahead of me.

Do you have any tips for someone looking into game development?

If you think game development is for you, just start making things and keep at it. Always be learning. Stay curious and don't be scared to ask questions, even if they seem too simple.

If you’re interested in finding out more about career paths at ustwo games, hop over to our careers hub! We always welcome speculative applications across all disciplines.