In 2002, I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science at the University of Minnesota, emphasizing in Graphics Programming, with a minor in Mathematics. Although I specialize in graphics, I am interested in most all aspects of software development.

I have been using computers since I was 10, and programming since shortly after that.

Shortly after graduating college, I was working for the University of Minnesota, programming immersive graphics applications for a Virtual Reality lab. The applications I worked on included architectural design tools and games. A portfolio of many of my projects, including a 3D Ray Tracer I wrote from scratch is available at www.horningabout.com/jimb/portfolio.

• Continue my independent game development, focusing on innovative multiplayer gaming
• Not currently seeking a job

• Extremely proficient in C/C++ and JavaScript (server-side Node.js and browser programming)
• Development for Cloud-based deployments such as Amazon AWS
• Client and Server architecture for highly scalable online games
• Database architecture and implementation
• Server configuration and maintenance for Linux and Windows
• Significant experience developing in Lua, Java, SQL, ASP, JSP, MIPS and X86 Assembly, Pascal/Delphi, Web+, Perl, Python
• Windows programming with Visual C++, MFC, Win32 APIs
• Experience developing for consoles, including the PlayStation 1, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360
• Developing and maintaining game engines
• Graphics programming in DirectX, OpenGL, WebGL (OpenGL ES), and software rendering
• Communications programming using TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, especially communication with the non-technically inclined
• Strong math background
• Working knowledge of modern graphics and rendering techniques including lighting and shadowing, deferred lighting, light mapping, post-processing effects like depth of field, bloom and HDR, ambient occlusion
• Working knowledge of fundamental 3D graphics and rendering techniques including scan conversion, ray tracing, volume rendering, texture mapping, antialiasing, vector math, hardware acceleration, radiosity

• Founder and Game Developer
  October 2014 to Infinity
  Dashing Strike LLC (www.dashingstrike.com)
  Founded in Mountain View, CA, then nomadic
  
  • Building innovative and engaging multiplayer experiences.
  
  
• Principal Engineer
  January 2014 to February 2016
  Yahoo!, Inc (games.yahoo.com)
  Sunnyvale, CA
  
  • Bringing our technical expertise gained while building Cloud Party to bring the Yahoo Games platform to the cutting edge.
  • Building user acquisition and analysis tools to better acquire and retain users for the Yahoo Games and Yahoo Daily Fantasy Sports platforms.
  
  
• Founder and Lead Engineer
  June 2011 to January 2014
  Cloud Party, Inc (www.cloudparty.com)
  San Jose, CA
  
  • Architected, engineered, and maintained a scaleable, distributed, user-editable 3D virtual world, taking advantage of cloud services, and with an entirely browser-based client (HTML5, WebGL for accelerated 3D rendering, no downloads or plugins needed).
  • Cloud Party was successfully acquired by Yahoo in January, 2014
  
  
• Lead Graphics Programmer
  Janurary 2003 to 2011
  Employer: Cryptic Studios (www.crypticstudios.com)
  Managers: Bruce Rogers, Stephen D'Angelo
  San Jose, CA
  
  • Designed and supported a number of tools for asset management, revision control
  • Developed filesystem used for all game data and back end for live servers including our object database
  • Ported our engine to the Xbox 360 and supervised contractors porting to the Playstation 3
  • Primary author of many graphics subsystems in our custom graphics engine including materials, shader and memory management
  • Lead of the graphics team managing 3-8 people working our our graphics engine, both OpenGL and DirectX
  • Helped develop and ship City of Heroes, Champions Online, Star Trek Online, Neverwinter Online
  
  
• Web-Based Software Designer and Server Administrator
  Summer of 2001 to 2003
  Employer: TalentSoft, Inc (www.talentsoft.com)
  Manager: Victor Tong
  Eden Prairie, MN
  
  • Supported and maintained Web+Shop, an eCommerce application.
  • Developed Web+Update, a cross-platform (Windows, Unix, Solaris, etc) application allowing easy updating of TalentSoft products and web servers.
  
  
• Software Designer, previously Systems Support
  1996 to 2000 (summers)
  Employer: Universal Pensions, Inc
  Manager: Steve Agustinack
  Brainerd, MN, USA
  
  • Worked on a team developing multiple applications, in both standalone and web-based versions. Also responsible for some individual projects, including an online IRA Service Center which was widely used by many banks allowing their customers to apply for IRAs online.
  • First 2 years, worked in internal systems support, diagnosing and fixing computer problems on Dos/Windows/Windows95/NT/Netware computers.
  
  
• Undergraduate Researcher
  1998 to 2000
  Employer: University of Minnesota
  Manager: John Carlis, PhD
  Minneaplos, MN, USA
  
  • Engaged in directed research in the area of 3D data visualization. Specifically, I developed a program called MidiVis (working copy available at http://www.horningabout.com/midivis), which takes musical data (in the form of a midi file) and allows a functional way of displaying musical data (on a 3D spiral) as opposed to the traditional staff notation. I worked varying hours every week over the period of roughly 1 year.
  
  
• Computer Consultant
  1996 to 1998
  Employer: Independent School District 181
  Contact: James Hunt, Mr. Sipper
  Brainerd, MN, USA
  Responsibilities:
  
  • Ordered parts and built 10 computers to upgrade a CAD lab
  • Maintenance on those computers and others

• B.S. in Computer Science (Magna Cum Laude), 1998 to 2002
  University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Minor: Math
  GPA: (Major) 3.9 (Overall) 3.8
  
  
• High School Diploma, 1995 to 1998
  Brainerd High School
  GPA: 4.0
  

• L. Anderson, J. Esser, V. Interrante. A Virtual Environment for Conceptual Design in Architecture. Eurographics Workshops May 2003.
• Garret Romaine. Star Trek Online Goes Where No Game Has Gone Before. Intel Visual Adrenaline Magazine Jul 2010.

• While it was active, was a maintainer of the CDX Graphics library, a DirectX wrapper/Game Development Kit
• Previously an active member of the University of Minnesota chapter of the ACM.

• Finalist in the western hemisphere regionals of the 2009 Google Code Jam
• Finalist in the 2004 Google Code Jam
• One of 25 international finalists in the 2003 Google Code Jam (placed 15th out of an initial ~2000 competitors)
• One of 16 national finalists in the 2002 TopCoder Collegiate Challenge (national programming competition)
• High ranking (as of 9-15-02, ranked 82nd out of 4046 active coders; top 2%) in TopCoder, a weekly world-wide programming competition.
• Site winner and 12th ranking team at the 2001 ACM Midwest Regional Programming Competition
• Site and Regional winner at the 2002 ACM Midwest Regional Programming Competition
• Dean's List in 1999 through 2002
• Accepted and participated in IT Lower Division Honors Program at the University of Minnesota
• Graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors at the University of Minnesota
• Highest Scoring Team Member on Brainerd Senior High's Math Team, 1997 and 1998

• Interests: Computer Gaming, Strategic/Board/Card Games, Skiing, Hiking