Self-Taught Coding, Importance of Tools, Crunch, NLP, Snow Crash, Ageism, GitHub, Toastmasters, and Quake’s Elegance with Norman Morse of Perforce Software

Apr 30, 2021

55:38

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I welcome Norman Morse, Triage Engineer at Perforce Software. We begin by discussing COVID-19’s impact, and his current role helping game developers. Hear thoughts on the importance of git and Perforce, how a previous job led to his current one, and the challenge of layoffs.

Listen to his origin story around doing kernel development, building a team, and getting absorbed into EA. Learn his theory for success, going door-to-door for a job, teaching himself languages, and the importance of Linux and enthusiasm.

We then talk about the importance of GDC and social skills, Toastmasters, studying NLP, along with learning technical skills. Hear about working in Unity back in 2008, supporting P4, and how GitHub is an engineer’s resume. Learn about favorite games he worked on, thoughts on the future, concerns about how studios fill roles, ageism, sharing a game engine, and crunching.

We then wrap up talking about triple-A dev concerns, missing co-workers during COVID-19, commuting, a bad air conditioner, connecting with people, engineering tips, and how the industry is finally evolving.

Bio:

Norman Morse is an Engineer and 25+ year veteran of the game industry who’s worked both within game studios and tool companies. EA, Sega, Crystal Dynamics, and Stormfront Studios are some of the bigger game companies he’s been at along with many others, plus ten years as a Triage Engineer at Perforce Software. He’s also a life-long learner and self-taught engineer, Master Practitioner in Neurolinguistic Programming, Toastmasters advocate, and personal coach.

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