Ian C G Bell
My consultancy rates regarding programming and game design
are reasonable.
Specialities
Algorithm design and programming relating to:
Real time graphics (esp. procedural); audio; collision detection and mechanics;
optimisation; lexical processing; approximation methods; strategy formulation; third world issues.
Compact assembly coding. Game Aesthetics. Gameplay issues.
Primary Languages
C/C++, Assembly (6502,ARM,Intel).
Qualifications
1st Class Honours Degree in Mathematics (MA), University of Cambridge UK (1985)
Diploma in Computer Science, University of Cambridge UK (1986).
A & S Levels:: (1981):
Maths: A ; Further Maths: A2; Physics: A1
AO Levels:: (1979):
Biology: A
O Levels:: (1978/79):
History: A ; Economics: A ; Physics: A ; Chemistry: A ; Maths: A ; Further Maths: A ;
French: B ; English: B; English Literature: B
Previous Work
Machine control and Finite Element Analysis programing for Malaysian Rubber Producers Research Association.
Freelance game design and programming (notably "Elite"). Conversions of Elite to a variety of
6502 platforms. Codevelopment of PC voxel-based character
animation system for Revolution Software. Development water, fire and smoke effects for
Sony Playstation for Pterodactyl Software. Independant development of procedural adaptive ray stepping techniques.
Potted Bio
I was born in England in 1962 on the Samhain,
I attended St Albans Abbey Public (ie. private) School on a State scholarship and received an Exhibition place at
Jesus College, Cambridge to study Mathematics - specialising initially in pure mathematics and
finally optimisation techniques. Despite obtaining a first class maths degree, the computer science
department required i take a Copmputer Science Diploma prior to my intended PhD in Artificial
Intelligence. I obtained the diploma but was so disenchanted by the nature of the material
(with the exception of predicate calculus and formal semantics) that i left academia to concentrate
on artistic programming.
While at university i wrote the computer game
Free Fall
and coauthored the original 3D space game
Elite which sold well enough to finance many years of hobbyist programming
and study of martial arts.
A project with Oxfam for a political/economic adventure game exposing the reality of US foreign policy
in Central America collapsed and i have since been working on a new, somewhat psychaedelic, computer game.
I currently work from home in rural East Anglia, UK.
Some of my hobbies and interests can be inferred from my homepage but
also include juggling , massage,
and Trance DJing.
Stereotypical Classification :
Vegetarian anarchist heterosexual artist programmer mathematician.
Favourite Films :
Aliens [Amazon UK],
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
,
Brazil [Amazon UK],
Chinese Ghost Story #1 [Amazon UK] and #2 [Amazon UK]
, The Insider,
, Local Hero
, Monty Python & the Holy Grail
[Amazon UK]
, Withnail & I.
.
Favourite Director :
Terry Gilliam.
Favourite Composers :
J S Bach, Carlo Gesualdo.
Favourite Books :
"Storming Heaven" by Jay Stevens;
"The Cosmic Serpent" by Jeremy Narby
[Amazon UK]
Notes :
I am not to be confused with
Ian Andrew Bell
who trades as "Ian Bell Consulting".
