Tim Sweeney

 

Tim Sweeney is a computer game programmer and the founder of Epic Games, and is best known for his work on their Unreal engine.

Sweeney established Epic as a shareware company while he was a student majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland. Sweeney revealed that he had been interested in game development and computer programming since he was 10 years old. Tim finally started to make games, right out of his parents’ basement where he lived. Epic got its start when Sweeney created ZZT, the company’s first game. As Sweeney has revealed in interviews, ZZT’s success fueled the side-scroller Jill of the Jungle, the success of that game led to the next, and so on.

Sweeney became most well-known for working on Epic’s Unreal engine, the game engine used for the Unreal series of first-person shooters and other computer games.

For Unreal Engine 3 and upcoming Epic Games titles, Sweeney states that he is not doing as much programming as was done on previous projects, and that he is fulfilling the role of a technical director. His duties include: setting the overall direction of the engine and the various projects based off the technology, meeting with the independent hardware vendors, and doing research and development work for future engine technology.

Sweeney is frequently considered the counter-part to another famous game programmer, John Carmack. Both are industry leaders in game engine design and, although various tools now allow these developers to program less, it is noteworthy that they simply focus more on engine programming. Testament to this is the next Unreal Engine (Unreal Engine 4) already being under research and development with a team of 1, Tim Sweeney. These new technologies as well as additional programmers take away some of the tedious work of project specific programming and instead allow the game engine programmer to focus on larger and more difficult concepts.

He is well known for his love of exotic sports cars; he owns a Lamborghini Diablo and a Ferrari F430.

Tim currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Games Credited

Gears of War (2007), Microsoft Game Studios
Gears of War (Limited Collector’s Edition) (2006), Microsoft Game Studios
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (2005), Ubisoft, Inc.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005), Rockstar Games, Inc.
Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005), LucasArts
Shadow Ops: Red Mercury (2004), Atari, Inc.
Thief: Deadly Shadows (2004), Eidos, Inc.
Unreal Tournament 2004 (2004), Atari, Inc.
Devastation (2003), HD Interactive
Unreal II: The Awakening (2003), Infogrames, Inc.
Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror (2002), Infogrames, Inc.
Unreal Championship (2002), Infogrames, Inc.
Unreal Tournament 2003 (2002), Infogrames, Inc.
Deus Ex (Game of the Year Edition) (2001), Eidos Interactive, Inc.
Deus Ex (2000), Eidos Interactive, Inc.
Tyrian 2000 (1999), XSIV Games
Unreal Tournament (1999), GT Interactive Software Corp.
The Wheel of Time (1999), GT Interactive Software Corp.
Unreal (1998), GT Interactive Software Corp.
Extreme Pinball (1995), Electronic Arts, Inc.
Tyrian (1995), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Jazz Jackrabbit (1994), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Traffic Department 2192 (1994), Safari Software Ltd.
Solar Winds: The Escape (1993), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Xargon (1993), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Zone 66 (1993), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Brix (1992), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Jill of the Jungle (1992), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Jill of the Jungle: Jill Goes Underground (1992), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Jill of the Jungle: Jill Saves the Prince (1992), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Kiloblaster (1992), Epic MegaGames, Inc.
Onesimus: A Quest for Freedom (1992), Ark Multimedia Publishing
ZZT (1991), Epic MegaGames, Inc.

EA’S BLOCKBUSTER RACING FRANCHISE MAKES A SHARP TURN WITH NEED FOR SPEED PROSTREET

Compete in the Highest Level of Street Racing this Holiday Season

Vancouver, Canada – November 14, 2007 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced that Need for Speed™ ProStreet ships to retailers today in North America. The game will ship in Europe from November 22 onwards. To celebrate the launch of the game, EA is auctioning off a one-of-a-kind autographed Need for Speed ProStreet poster and will donate the proceeds to the non-profit organization, Save the Whales, founded 30 years ago. The poster was signed by over 40 celebrities including Hayden Panettiere from NBC’S Heroes. Proceeds from the auction will go to Save the Whales for their programs to educate children and adults about marine mammals and the importance of protecting them in their environment. The poster will be placed on eBay on Friday, November 16 at 9:00am PST. “The development at team at Black Box is proud to be delivering an all-new experience in the Need for Speed franchise that ups the ante in the racing game genre,” Larry LaPierre, Executive Producer at EA Black Box. “We are equally proud to make this commitment to Save the Whales, especially in light of the recent oil spill in the San Francisco Bay.” Need for Speed™ ProStreet delivers something completely new by taking gamers to the highest level of street racing where the competition is fierce, the cars are hot and the races span the world. Experience the thrill and intensity of driving the most anticipated street racing cars that have yet to hit the North American market including the 2009 Nissan GT-R, the 2008 Porsche 997 GT2 and the 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X. Need for Speed ProStreet is your ultimate taste of the chaos and unbridled adrenaline sweeping street racing culture. In Need for Speed ProStreet, gamers must prove they have the racing mettle to dominate the competition. Design and customize cars, face-off in iconic locations and battle in four distinct racing styles – grip, drag, drift and the all-new speed challenge. The competitive play is further amplified online with the introduction of a unique social feature that allows gamers to compete against their friends and rivals across the world without the need to be online at the same time*.
Need for Speed ProStreet is an all-new racing experience. The atmosphere is electric – complete with energetic crowds, photo-realistic vehicles and billowing smoke – all designed to embody the pressure and intensity of the gladiatorial challenge known as Show Down. An all-new procedural damage system will have cars scratching, denting and crumpling differently with every driving mistake. Need for Speed ProStreet is the realization of the intense rivalry, raw power, and visceral aggression that embodies street racing culture. Need for Speed ProStreet is developed by EA Black Box in Vancouver, British Columbia and will be available for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the PC for a MSRP of $59.99. It will be available on the Wii™ for a MSRP of $49.99 and on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo DS™ for a MSRP of $29.99. For gamers on the go, they can download the mobile platform for a MSRP that starts at $2.99. The game will also ship for the PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) handheld entertainment system early next year. The game is rated E10+ by the ESRB and 3+ by PEGI. More information can be found at www.needforspeed.com. Press can download assets at http://info.ea.com.