Time for talent with Roche Ng

Meet Roche Ng, one of our amazing female engineers, working as a part of our Game Content Tools team. Read more about her story below & don’t miss out on her advice for those aspiring to work in game programming!

Tactile: Hi Roche, could you tell us a bit about what you do at Tactile?

Roche: Sure! I’m a proud member of the Content Tools team, and our main goal is to make life easier for our fellow creators. We create digital tools that simplify tasks like content creation, organization, sharing, and analysis. For example, we’ve developed a flowchart importer that takes the hassle out of moving flowcharts into Unity (see the screenshot below). We also have our very own custom map editor, which streamlines the content creation process.

Tactile: What was your journey to becoming a Game Programmer?

Roche: I’ve always been fascinated by the magic behind creating video games, and that curiosity drew me into the world of programming. As I wrapped up my bachelor’s in computer science, it became clear that my heart was set on specializing in game development. So, I pursued a master’s degree in this field and now I get to bring my passion to life every day!

Tactile: What do you like the most about the team you’re working with?

Roche: We are a very small team, but I appreciate each member very much. My teammates are very talented at what they do. They are good people who always inspire me to do better and aim for improvement. Plus, we get to work with different projects instead of only one, and I think that’s fantastic!

Tactile: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Roche: We spend a lot of time fine-tuning tools tailored to the specific needs of different teams within the organization, so the real joy for me comes from witnessing these tools in action. It’s like being part of an inventive process where our solutions are not just wanted but eagerly requested by various teams. This sense of being creators and problem-solvers makes our work truly rewarding!

Tactile: What are your top tips for those (especially other women) aspiring to pursue a career in game programming?

Roche:
✨ Learn and PRACTICE: Gaining a strong foundation in programming concepts is important, but nothing beats practice. Dedicate time to practicing and honing your coding skills.
✨ Build a Portfolio: Create your own game projects, contribute to open-source game development efforts, participate on game jams! Building a portfolio of your work not only showcases your skills but also demonstrates your commitment to potential employers.
✨ Network and Connect: It’s not always easy to land your first job, or even your first internship. This is why networking is invaluable. Consider attending game development conferences, workshops, and meet-ups in order to connect with like-minded professionals, learn from others in the industry, and discover job opportunities.
✨ Believe in Yourself: Lastly, believe in your abilities and the value you bring to the industry. Your unique perspective and creativity can contribute to the creation of amazing games. Game development can be challenging, but don’t be discouraged by obstacles or setbacks. Keep pushing forward and continue learning.

Time for talent with Guadlupe Suárez

If you’ve ever downloaded one of our games from the app stores or visited our games SoMe pages, you could have been drawn in by the catchy icon or the fun and colorful graphics. Behind these assets is a talented team of Graphic Designers, including the wonderful Guadalupe Suárez 👋

Tactile: Hi Guadalupe, could you tell us a bit more about what you do at Tactile?

Guadalupe: I work at Tactile as a Graphic Designer within the Creative Marketing team. My main task is designing assets like game icons, screenshots, feature graphics, interstitials, etc. for different digital platforms to invite users to download our games.

Tactile: What is the best thing about your team?

Guadalupe: The people I work with are super talented, fun, and good team players. We are always sharing knowledge, we help each other, and we move forward together. Another awesome thing this team has is a great sense of humor!

Tactile: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Guadalupe: I would say it is quite rewarding to work on a graphic that performs well enough to be applied. This is because before implementing any of the assets we make, they need to be tested to see how they perform. These tests give us data on how much interest users show in these graphics and in downloading and playing our games. If one of these assets performs well, then it can go live on different platforms. I find it very motivating to work on new ideas or to try and develop a certain concept in many different ways and formats.

Tactile: What do you think are the most important qualities that every graphic designer should have?

Guadalupe: I think it is important to find out what turns on your creativity, to be open to feedback, and to never stop learning. It is also great to master as many tools as possible to be flexible, versatile and have options to transmit and materialize what you need to communicate.

Tactile: When you’re not at work, you are …

Guadalupe: As a mother of two small kids, most of my time goes there. There is a lot of drawing, playing, and storytelling (voices included). There is some gardening too, as we have a green garden with a few kinds of vegetables. I also enjoy meeting with my friends, drawing comics, and playing drums.