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BioWare hiring for a New IP with significant online elements, perhaps MMO-lite

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Notes:
  1. This is explicitly listed as a new IP.
  2. It's being worked on at BioWare Austin and at least one other BioWare studio.
  3. BioWare Austin is explicitly helping out on the New IP from the Mass Effect team, but it's unclear if this is also the same project.
  4. It's worth noting that all of BioWare's studios work on all the games right now (see this position where you can work as a Senior Gameplay Designer on Mass Effect: Andromeda from Austin, Edmonton, or Montreal), so the studio might not be too strong an indicator.
  5. They reference experience developing for MMOs as a plus and mention that online is a notably big part of this title. Maybe an MMO-lite type thing like Destiny or The Division. I don't think it's likely they're making another full fledged MMO, but who knows.

Job posting: https://career4.successfactors.com/...lertName=&_s.crb=KanvmjKq4ThbGd8wV2rIAwGlSE4=

BioWare is a division of EA which crafts high quality multiplatform role-playing, MMO and strategy games, focused on emotionally engaging, rich stories with unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's most critically acclaimed titles and franchises, including Baldur's Gate, NeverWinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. BioWare currently operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec, Canada) and Austin (Texas).

BioWare’s games have continually achieved critical and commercial success. All of our published titles are highly rated at www.gamerankings.com; in fact we have 6 games in the top 1% highest rated games of all time! In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bioware . To join the millions of fans already registered with the BioWare community, go to http://social.bioware.com.

BioWare is seeking a qualified Senior Lead Server Engineer for a new, unannounced BioWare IP. This role will direct a team of software engineers to create the backend systems that will drive online play for this exciting new game. The successful candidate will have expert knowledge of and experience in the design, implementation, and continuing support of large scale real-time client/server applications using primarily C++. Extensive experience with and knowledge of multi-tier client/server architectures as well as scalable distributed systems are required. Experience developing PC or console games with significant online elements is a strong plus. Experience with current cloud-based computing solutions and technology is beneficial.

Key Responsibilities
Works with the game project’s Technical Director and other senior engineers to architect and develop game server systems.
Leads and manages the online team; mentors more junior engineers in online best practices.
Develops and authors all phases of technical design specifications and ensures completes implementation.
Contributes heavily to decision making and process definition for the game’s online operations plan.
Drives team to write clear, maintainable, and portable code. Ensures team results are high quality.
Guides team through testing, KPI analysis, and code refinement throughout the project life cycle.
Helps team accurately estimate work and manage schedules to deliver timely, high quality results.
Works with designers, artists and other stakeholders to achieve desired results.

Required Skills
A Bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering
Minimum of 5 to 10 years professional software development experience writing client / server applications in C++
Architectural expertise in designing distributed simulation systems, particularly in an MMO or similar online context
Demonstrable experience mentoring or directing work of a team of software engineers, ideally in a direct management capacity in an area of online game development
Expertise in Unix/Linux/Win32 Operating systems
Expertise in building multithreaded, multi-process, real-time systems
Expertise with client/server message passing architectures
Experience with modern cloud-deployed service architecture
Experience working with very large code bases
Experience tuning real-time server systems for performance and reliability
Experience with persistence of distributed systems
Excellent analytical and mathematical skills
Strong interpersonal skills and problem solving ability

Recommended Skills
Experience with SQL and NoSQL database paradigms
Experience with languages including Python, Java, and Node.JS
Experience with multi-studio development
Game industry experience
 

Warxard

Banned
Shadow Realms making a comeback? Bioware Austin using assets from that to make it into an MMO-lite without the asymmetric stuff sounds fair.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
As far as I can tell, Shadow Realms was essentially just an expanded version of Dragon Age: Inquisition's multiplayer before it was canceled.
 
As far as I can tell, Shadow Realms was essentially just an expanded version of Dragon Quest Inquisition's multiplayer before it was canceled.

It definitely looked similar, and IIRC BW-Austin ended up contributing some post-launch MP support to DA:I eventually, too.
 

Ushay

Member
As far as I can tell, Shadow Realms was essentially just an expanded version of Dragon Quest Inquisition's multiplayer before it was canceled.

Mother-Effin Dragon Quest Inquisition, love that game.

OT - Are we looking at a console version of SWTOR but with a new IP?
 

Sou Da

Member
As far as I can tell, Shadow Realms was essentially just an expanded version of Dragon Quest Inquisition's multiplayer before it was canceled.

Bioware goes handheld. I'm assuming this is Ohlen's new joint after they binned Shadow Realms.
 

Whompa02

Member
Would love to see a game where shooting and fighting/murder isn't the core of the gameplay, but it's Got a lot riding on it so I'm sure it has it.
 
Bioware goes handheld. I'm assuming this is Ohlen's new joint after they binned Shadow Realms.

For a second I thought he was one of the QC Games people, but he's not.

My first guess would be that this is BioWare Canada's new project and Austin is just helping, but it's possible they are letting Austin lead another project.
 

Savitar

Member
Once upon a time I would have been hyped for a new Bioware title but I've come to realize their games are not aimed at me by this point.
 

DedValve

Banned
How does that work with a game focused on online?

You CAN make a game that doesn't resort to violence but I don't think anything on the scale of MMOs has ever resorted to that as its go to even though there are plenty of MMOs where you don't HAVE to do anything violent even though its there as a primary option.

Off the top of my head the only remotely close thing would be No Mans Sky focus on exploration.


But a game focused on Trade, Puzzles, Exploration, these things can be done. But its an MMO or MMO-lite and regardless of how "lite" it is those things are stupid expensive so the publisher will probably push for violence as the main attractor if the devs haven't already made that choice themselves.

How big is Bioware btw? Can they only support the full development of two titles at once?
 

Whompa02

Member
Now how does that work in the AAA space?

I think videogames have reached a point where we don't have to rely on that. Unfortunately violence sells easier. Just a thought / would be nice to see. Not necessarily something that would bum me out one way or another :p

There's so much exploration in the social world that bio ware utilizes in their franchises that I think the proverbial keg hasn't been kicked just yet. Would like to see an rpg that utilizes more than a, "kill these marauders" to proceed design philosophy. Not saying bioware doesn't, just would like to see that world expanded on.
 

GECK

Member
How big is Bioware btw? Can they only support the full development of two titles at once?

It doesn't matter in the least. EA would just open Bioware-South/East/West/Space if they needed more manpower.

Bioware died a long time ago
 

TMWNN35

Member
EA In Vancouver is hiring people right now to work on an "Exciting new IP"

Wonder if its linked to this at all.
 

diaspora

Member
Gaider was working on a new Bioware IP, I wonder if it's this game and he left after his work on the story was done.

edit: Consider that Mass Effect 3's gameplay was developed with the help of DICE. This potential Division/Destiny-like game could be made with the aid of DICE.
 

Ridesh

Banned
Casey Hudson's departure letter

...Though there’s never an easy time to make a change like this, I believe this is the best time for it. The foundation of our new IP in Edmonton is complete, and the team is ready to move forward into pre-production on a title that I think will redefine interactive entertainment...

I can't imagine a project of this ambition without some sort of online component.
 

Secret Owl

Neo Member
I wouldn't be surprised if Overwatch began heading in this direction at some point too. Blizzard is sitting on years of MMO concepts/R&D that were a part of the project that spawned Overwatch. Plus, they've been experimenting with co-op in Hearthstone through the tavern brawl as well. Maybe they're thinking that dedicated players will care most about PvP anyway, so launching the brand with that as the sole focus is the best way to kick things off. It's kind of what the Tintanfall creators did, considering Titanfall 2 is now going to have a campaign. And from a branding perspective, Blizzard used Warcraft III to lay the groundwork for WoW so it could have an initial player base large enough to sustain itself.

Of course, Blizzard wouldn't need to do this for Overwatch to be wildly successful. It's just a thought.
 
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