Hello there! I am

Sem Essessi

Game Developer & Software Engineer

32+ years of programming experience. Building games, engines, creative tools and software across every major platform.

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About Me

I'm a developer with extensive experience creating software, mobile applications, creative tools, and AAA games. My primary interests are computer programming (especially graphics), mathematics and physics.

I've been programming for over 32 years, with 28+ years in C++. I'm fluent in a number of programming languages and enjoy learning new ones as necessary. In my spare time I've written complete pieces of software for general public use, game engines, small games and tech demos.

My current projects are varied and include a new game engine, generative AI tools, language compilers, indie game development, and VR experiences.

32+ Years Programming
28+ Years with C++
10+ Shipped Titles
AAA To Indie & Apps

Work Experience

Chief Technology Officer

Red Marmoset Studios

Aug 2021 – Present
  • Development of indie FPS title Bad Blood
  • Development of indie platformer Soccer Boy
  • Development of indie racing game Five-O
  • Contract work with 3rd parties

Chief Technical Officer

Robot Radio

May 2018 – Feb 2022
  • My Spaceship game for Amazon Alexa
  • Ghost writing contracts

Senior Programmer

nDreams

Feb 2019 – Feb 2020
  • Work on Phantom: Covert Ops – VR game based on UE4
  • Pitch and early project work with UE4 for LBE and PSVR games – Fracked and Far Cry VR

Technical Director

Ball Sweat and Tears

Sep 2018 – Nov 2019

Technical Director

Cranium Software

May 2013 – Nov 2019
  • Known Space app for iOS
  • Ghost writing contracts

Senior Software Developer – NUKE

The Foundry

Feb 2016 – Jan 2017

Senior Software Engineer / Software Engineer

Made With Mischief, Inc.

Jun 2014 – Feb 2016
  • Working on Mischief – an innovative infinite canvas drawing application

Programmer

Aqua Moon Games Ltd

Jun 2013 – May 2014
  • Gameplay and high-level audio, rendering and physics programming targeting iOS and Android using Unity
  • Mini Moon Goons Matchup Mayhem, Moon Goons Great Escape, Goons On The Run

Programmer

Escapist Games Limited

Nov 2011 – Apr 2013
  • Programming across all disciplines – audio, rendering, networking, systems, gameplay, UI
  • Star Chart – augmented reality stargazing app for iOS, Android, Windows 8
  • Pogo Guy – 2D procedural platform game for Mac OS X and iOS
  • Writing articles for Intel Software Adrenaline

Experienced Programmer

Codemasters

Nov 2010 – Nov 2011
  • Design and implementation of graphics/special effects, VSD solution for Bodycount
  • Optimisation across whole codebase during last 8 weeks of Bodycount project
  • Early tech work on future platforms for other Codemasters projects

Junior Developer

Trillium Software (now Precisely)

May 2010 – Dec 2010
  • Design and implementation of UI features for data profiling tools using C++ with MFC, ATL and WTL

Junior Programmer

Rebellion

May 2009 – Mar 2010
  • Programming games on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 – specifically graphics and gameplay code using C++ and shader languages
  • Titles: Aliens vs. Predator, Rogue Warrior, NeverDead, Sniper Elite V2, Sniper Elite III

Earlier Work

Further details available on request

2000–2009
  • Logistics Order Desk Co-ordinator at Virgin Media – stock orders, returns, repairs and transport (2007–09)
  • Discount Exceptions Administrator at ntl – correcting customer account data (2006)
  • Assembling computers on the factory floor at Centerprise
  • Private security at auctions
  • Administration at Basingstoke College
  • Personal assistant work
  • Shelf stacking at Sainsbury's
  • McDonald's

I have worked continuously since I was 16, without a break and without a formal route in. These jobs paid for the self-taught years behind everything above.

Notable Projects

🔫

Bad Blood 1926

Indie FPS · PC · Demo out now

Indie first-person shooter set in the prohibition era, in development under Red Marmoset. Demo out now on Steam.

FPSUnity EngineSteam
⚽

Soccerboy vs Aliens

Indie Platformer · PC · Shipped July 2026

Indie 2D platformer developed under Red Marmoset. Shipped on Steam in July 2026.

2DPlatformerSteam
★

Star Chart

Augmented Reality · iOS, Android, Windows

Award-winning augmented reality stargazing application. Consistently rated #1 educational product on Google Play. Published across iOS, Android and Windows platforms.

ARMobileCross-platform#1 on Google Play
⚙

GLToy

Game Engine · Cross-platform

Cross-platform game engine featuring advanced rendering, physics integration, and dynamic lighting capabilities. A personal project demonstrating deep engine architecture knowledge.

C++OpenGLEnginePhysics
🎮

Pogo Guy

Platformer · Mac OS X, iOS

2D procedural platform game that reached #1 free kids game on the Mac App Store. Demonstrates rapid full-stack game development capability.

2DProcedural#1 on Mac App Store
🚀

Known Space

Space App · iOS

Space-themed application for iOS developed under Cranium Software. An ongoing personal project exploring astronomical visualisation.

iOSSpaceVisualisation
🎧

My Spaceship

Voice Game · Amazon Alexa

An interactive voice game developed for the Amazon Alexa platform under Robot Radio Ltd.

AlexaVoiceGame
💣

Bodycount

AAA FPS · Codemasters

Graphics/special effects design and implementation, VSD solution, and full codebase optimisation during the final 8 weeks of this AAA console title.

AAAGraphicsOptimisation
💎

Graphics Demo

Three.js · Browser

Raytraced 3D scene you can fly around — 2,400 polyhedra, some 96,000 lights, traced shadows and reflections, and an FPS overlay over a chiptune soundtrack.

Three.jsWebGLBrowser
Play in browser →
✈

SA-43 Hammerhead

Three.js · Browser

Six-degree-of-freedom flight combat in an endo/exo-atmospheric attack craft. Weapon menu, target locking and an eject button. Gamepad supported.

Three.jsFlightGamepad
Play in browser →
🌌

We Have A Problem!

Three.js · Browser · In development

A space sandbox in progress — a block-based ship builder with saveable prefabs, asteroids to work, and a rendering stack that runs to star fields and black holes. WebGPU compute and Web Workers underneath.

WebGPUSandboxIn Development
Play in browser →
♟

Senet

Board Game · Browser

The oldest known board game, playable online. Seven AI tiers using an opening book and Monte Carlo tree search, peer-to-peer multiplayer over WebRTC, interactive lessons and a rated leaderboard.

MCTS AIWebRTCMultiplayer
Play in browser →

Engine Experience

A closer look at the technology behind the work — and where demo downloads will live.

⚙

Native Engines

C++ · Console, Desktop, Mobile

Engines written from the ground up — renderers, resource pipelines, physics integration and platform layers. Aliens vs. Predator, Sniper Elite, Bodycount, Star Chart and GLToy.

C++OpenGLArchitecture
View details →
🥽

Unreal Engine

UE4 · VR, PSVR, LBE

Senior programmer on UE4 VR projects at nDreams — Phantom: Covert Ops, Fracked and Far Cry VR, across PSVR, standalone headsets and location-based entertainment.

UE4VRC++
View details →
🎮

Unity

C# · PC, iOS, Android

Shipping in Unity since 2013 — mobile titles, Worlds Adrift, and the Red Marmoset Studios slate of Bad Blood 1926, Soccerboy vs Aliens and Five-O.

UnityC#Steam
View details →
🌐

Web & Browser

JavaScript · Browser

Games and real-time 3D that run from a link — Three.js and WebGL, WebGPU compute, Web Workers, peer-to-peer multiplayer over WebRTC, and the raytraced background on this page. All AI-assisted builds.

WebGLWebGPUWebRTC
View details →

Skills & Technologies

Languages

C C++ C# Objective-C Java JavaScript HLSL GLSL XSLT HTML/CSS

Platforms

Windows Linux Mac OS X iOS Android Consoles VR Headsets Amazon Alexa

Engines & Tools

Unreal Engine 4 Unity Three.js NUKE Custom Engines MFC/ATL/WTL

Domains

Graphics Programming Game Engine Architecture VR Development AR Development Performance Optimisation Shader Programming Physics Simulation Mobile Development

Publications

April 2013

Intel Software Adrenaline Articles

Three articles on planetary rendering and atmospheric effects for the Star Chart application, published on Intel's Software Adrenaline platform.

Get In Touch

Interested in working together? Feel free to reach out.

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