Thomas Häuser

Profile

Senior game developer and software engineer: programmer, game designer, project lead and studio co-founder on more than 50 shipped titles — from 68000 assembler on the Amiga to Go backends on Kubernetes.

• 38 years in game development
• 50+ shipped titles
• Amiga → PS5 from home computers to today’s consoles
• Floppy → cloud from games shipped on disks to live servers

Experience

1. 2019 – today

   Backends, consoles and AI-assisted development

   Funatics

   I worked on an MMO backend engine in Go on Kubernetes and set up the whole backend infrastructure. Today I contribute as a senior developer to PC and console titles — and use AI as a multiplier in my daily work. Right now I am building a new backend in Go for a title that is not announced yet.

   Titles FunSports, Asterix & Obelix: Heroes, Sacred 2 Remaster, Ed & Edda Grand Prix Racing Champions

   Also Dropping Rocks – Building Blocks (backend server, based on the FunSports backend).

   Tech Go, Kubernetes, C++, AI-assisted

2. 2009 – 2017

   Online games, live operations and Valhalla Hills

   Funatics

   I developed FunNetX, a server technology in C++ that ran five browser MMO games, connected them to the user and payment systems of partners and licensees, and took responsibility for hosting and monitoring — for Cultures Online first at a hosting partner, later on AWS. In the same years we made Valhalla Hills, a building strategy game for PC and consoles: I was its creative director and project manager, worked on the game design and programmed the game logic in C++.

   Titles Cultures Online, Panzer General Online, Valhalla Hills

   Also Patrizier Online, UFO Online and Wickie Online, all three on FunNetX.

   Tech C++ servers, Flash / ActionScript, Payment systems, AWS, Unreal Engine

3. 1998 – 2008

   A studio of our own

   Funatics

   In 1998 I founded Funatics together with my longtime friends Thorsten Kneisel and Thomas Friedmann. I worked as programmer and game designer, and took on technical management and consulting for games on PC and handhelds.

   Titles Cultures, The Settlers: Heritage of Kings, Tom Clancy’s EndWar

   Also Catan: The First Island, three more Cultures games (Cultures 2, Northland, 8th Wonder of the World), ParaWorld (consulting and management of programming on site in Berlin) and The Settlers: Awakening of Cultures (game design).

   Tech C++, Multiplayer

4. 1988 – 1998

   From the Amiga to The Settlers II

   Blue Byte

   I came on board at the newly founded Blue Byte at the end of 1988, while still at school, and became one of its first permanent employees after my Abitur and military service. Back then it was a two-person company working out of a small backyard office; by the time I moved on, it had grown to over 50 employees with offices in the UK and the US. I wrote games in assembler for Amiga, Atari ST and Super Nintendo, later in C++ for the PC — and moved from programming into project and development management, in the end as head of development.

   Titles Twin World, Battle Isle, The Settlers II

   Also Five more Battle Isle titles up to Battle Isle 3 (AI programming and development management), the Great Courts games, Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour (Super Nintendo), and development management for Schleichfahrt, Incubation and Extreme Assault.

   Tech 68000 assembler, 65816 assembler, C++