Hi everyone, and welcome to the second installment of Who Is Borderlands!

Everyone likes vehicle combat, right? We all enjoy a healthy dose of frenetic, adrenaline-pupming, "oh-god-blow-them-up-before-they-blow-us-up" vehicular madness.  Today we're going to talk with one of the mad scientist minds behind vehicles in Borderlands, Kyle Pittman .  Kyle uses his code voodoo, which he's been honing since the tender age of six, to make the vehicles in Borderlands some of the most interesting and fun you've ever seen.  I could go on about how awesome Kyle is, but let's let him speak for himself:

Ennui: I understand you’ve been programming for a long time – when did you get started, with what language, and what is the first program you remember writing?

Kyle: I’ve loved video games ever since I was little.  I began learning to program in GW-BASIC when I was about five or six years old for the sole purpose of being able to make my own games.  My brother and I would check out old issues of 3-2-1 Contact magazine from the library and teach ourselves to program by implementing the simple BASIC games that they would include each month.  Once I started writing my own code, I would mostly try to copy NES games that I enjoyed.  I distinctly remember a Zelda-themed program I once wrote.  It played like a really bad text adventure (i.e., “Do you want to get the sword (Y/N)?”) with really bad line art graphics, but hey, I was six. 

Ennui:  What led you to work for Gearbox?

Kyle: I went to grad school at the Guildhall at SMU, and as part of the curriculum, I had the opportunity to do a three-month internship at a game studio.  Gearbox was my first choice, as it was local and I was familiar with some of the company’s previous work.  The internship turned out to be a fantastic learning experience, and after I graduated, Gearbox was my top choice for employment.

Ennui:  So, for those curious, what does a “day in the life” look like for you as a programmer on the team?

Kyle: I usually come in to work around 10 AM and start off the day with my usual morning routine of checking my e-mail and reading the latest gaming blogs and news sites.  Once a week, the code team will have a morning meeting to discuss our ongoing and upcoming tasks.  After that, I sync to the latest build and get down to coding.  I work in close proximity with the code leads, so help is always available if I need to discuss solutions to any problems.  Lunchtime frequently involves group outings to one of the many nearby restaurants.  Afternoons are prime working hours.  At 5 PM, I break for game time (Team Fortress 2 is currently the popular choice around the office), and then I spend the remaining hours of the day hopefully wrapping up whatever I’ve been working on and checking it in. 

My cycle for a task usually starts with going for the quickest, easiest implementation first, just to prove the functionality.  Then I’ll discuss options with my lead and figure out the best way to proceed.  Considerations for which approach to take usually involve adhering to existing patterns and providing the designers with a clean, intuitive interface.  Finally, once a feature is functional on the code side, the designers will have a chance to evaluate it and provide feedback as to how it could be improved.

Ennui:  Vehicles are a large part of the Borderlands experience – tell us how you've helped to make them awesome!

Kyle:  I basically hit the ground running as soon as I was hired here, and easily found my niche as "vehicle guru," which has been challenging, but also a lot of fun.  Some of the many vehicle-related tasks I’ve worked on include updating the handling so that vehicles drift nicely, hooking up vehicles with our AI system so that AI drivers can navigate around rocks, and scripting a system for playing particle effects so that cars can blow up real good when you shoot ‘em, complete with ragdoll physics on the ejected drivers!  These sorts of tasks are always fun to work on because they provide some immediate visual feedback, and I get to have a hand in bringing some of the game’s creative features online.

Ennui:  What have you accomplished that you’re most proud of on the project?

Kyle:  This is pretty goofy, but when I was developing the turbo mode for the vehicles, I stuck a Star Wars-esque “jump-to-lightspeed” effect in there when you engage the afterburner.  It was partially meant to help convey a sense of speed, but mostly, I just thought it would be funny because I’m a big nerd.  Anyway, the team got a kick out of it, and it’s ended up sticking around and even being shown during our recent demo in Leipzig.  So that was pretty cool.

Ennui:  Talk a little more about what makes vehicles in Borderlands special, it sounds like there's a lot to them.

Kyle:  Vehicle combat in Borderlands is fast-paced, frantic, and full of crazy things I’ve never seen before in any other game.  For instance, bandits will hang off the sides of their cars while they chase you down, and once they get close enough, they’ll leap off and try to grab onto your vehicle.  Another cool one is that while you’re driving, you can trade places with your gunner, and your guys will actually climb out of their seats and switch positions while the vehicle is still traveling full-speed.

One of our designers built a test map using the AI driver buddy I have been working on to drive you around while you sit in the gunner’s seat firing rockets at bandits who are chasing you around.  As simple as this scenario is, it’s already loads of fun, and it’s easy to lose track of time in there, blowing up cars and watching the debris go flying around.

Ennui:  Beyond game development, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?  Have any hobbies outside the world of gaming?

Kyle:  I enjoy all things music.  I play guitar and drums, and I like to dabble in writing and recording music when I’m not gaming.  I mostly listen to punk and ska these days.  Some of my all-time favorite bands are Social Distortion, Millencolin, Green Day, Streetlight Manifesto, and Pearl Jam.  Recently, I've been enjoying the Gaslight Anthem's “Sink or Swim,” which has barely left my car since I bought it.

Ennui:  What’s your favorite part of working with the Borderlands team so far?

Kyle:  This is the first game I’ve worked on (not counting student or hobby projects), so for me, getting to experience the development of a major AAA title firsthand is pretty awesome.  The entire team is encouraged to be creative, and there’s really a lot of enthusiasm for the project and a strong desire not only to make the best game possible, but also to make smart engineering decisions upfront in order to save ourselves time and effort in the long run.

Ennui: Thanks Kyle! 

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