* The Sentience(TentuPlay) People series introduces the roles and responsibilities of the staff at Sentience, Inc.(TentuPlay). This time, we met software engineer Hippolyte Maes! Hippolyte Maes is in charge of software engineer at Sentience.

Now, let’s learn more about how it is being a software engineer.

Q. Hi, Hippolyte! Could you please introduce yourself?

Hi, my name is Hippolyte. I’ve been working as a software engineer at Sentience for almost a year.

Q. Could you tell us about what you do at Sentience?

My mission at Sentience is to develop “Project P”, which is the company’s first game. Initially, I was focusing mainly on creating the game’s algorithm and server but now my role has expanded to include game client development too.

Q. What were the deciding factors that made you come to Sentience?

The factor that made me decide to come to Sentience was the company’s approach to learning. The fact that we are not afraid to try new technologies from various angles even if we don’t have prior experience with said technology makes working at Sentience very fun and helps to keep ourselves up to date in a fast-evolving field.

Q. I am sure there were both glorious and bumpy days while running multiple software projects. Could you expand upon some of the ups and downs you had at Sentience?

It’s true that we’ve encountered some challenges over the game’s development. It’s Sentience’s first game so there have been some growing pains along the way. Personally, I’d never worked on a game before so it’s been a great learning experience. Often, we find ourselves facing problems we never encountered before which makes it even more rewarding when we manage to solve them.

Q. What do you do when you face difficulties while working on a project?

When facing difficulties, my initial reaction is always to talk to my colleagues. More often than not, someone will have a good idea. If nobody does, just talking about it helps me see the issue through another angle which in turn leads to a solution. To give an example, when we were developing the game’s AI, the question of its intended complexity was raised. After a discussion, we settled on the current solution which covers our needs while leaving room for improvement if those requirements shift in the future.

Q. What kind of tools do you utilize while running a project?

I’m not really someone who cares about tools. I’m simply using the usual development tools depending on the nature of the project. More often than not, I’m not using any extra tools.

Q. I was told you are responsible for Game Algorithm development and Server development. What is the difference between the two?

Of course, both share an intimate connection. I would define the game algorithm as the core rule set of the game. It takes the players’ moves and processes them to calculate how those inputs made the game progress. When it comes to the server, it’s a more technical, down-to-earth machine that connects the player to the game algorithm.

Q. What is the culture like at Sentience?

I think the culture of Sentience is empowering each individual to feel in control of their work while having a positive impact on reaching the company’s goal. It’s a horizontal culture when inputs were taken into account.

Q. Could you please share your thoughts on the team you are working with? What is your ideal type of co-worker?

I’m very happy with the team I'm working with. Everyone has their strength, I think we complement each other well. I don’t really have an ideal type of coworker, there are good points to be found in everyone.

Q. Last question of the day: Could you please share your overarching long-term mission/vision as a core member of the Sentience team?

Since I’m working on the development of Project P, I’d like the game to be as fun as it can be. From a software engineer perspective, I’m aiming to make it work as fluidly as possible.

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