About Charlie

Hi! I'm Charlie Sanford, an enthusiastic game programmer that uses they/them pronouns. I specialize in gameplay, graphics, and audio programming. I am also a sound designer, and have created both music and sound effects for games. I am currently finishing up my senior year at Champlain College, where I will be receiving a BS in Game Programming with a minor in Mathematics. I am very passionate about diversity and inclusion both in the games that I make and within the game industry as a whole. If you have any questions please reach out!

Resume

Game Projects

Achromatic | Team Size: 19                                                                                                           Fall 2021 – Spring 2022

Graphics, Gameplay, & Audio Programmer, Lead Sound Designer

  • First person 3D psychological horror game set in a 1950’s carnival where the player must navigate a disorienting grayscale environment using the rare spot of color that appears in light and solve puzzles in order to escape the haunted creature following them.
  • Used the Unity Engine and C# to program the game’s mechanics, key features worked on include the lighting system and shaders, player movement/interaction, and implementation of the games dynamic audio using Wwise.
  • Used Ableton Live 10 to create and edit music, SFX, and voice lines that enhance the game’s feel. Managed a team of 2 other sound designers and a composer and worked with them to sculpt Achromatic’s soundscape.

Snailboarder | Team Size: 8                                                                                                                Spring 2021

Programmer, Sound Designer

  • Single player 3D skateboarding game where the player takes the role of a skateboarding snail trying to win a skateboarding competition by learning and mastering various tricks and skills in order to win. Using the differently styled skatepark around them, the player can score more points by pleasing certain judges.
  • Used the Unity Engine and C# to program the game’s mechanics. Key features worked on include skateboarding physics and interaction with different skatepark obstacles.
  • Used Ableton Live 10 to create a unique background track and sound effects to increase player immersion.

 

Education

Champlain College, Burlington, VT                                                                                          Class of May 2022

Bachelor of Science in Game Programming, Minor in Mathematics                               

  • Champlayers Drama Club, Member and Leadership Team                                   Fall 2018 – Present

 

Relevant Coursework

Capstone, Game Studio I, II, and III, Advanced Animation Programming, Game Physics, Graphics I and II, Advanced Seminar in Game Programming, Game AI, Game Architecture, Game Tech I, Sound Design for Games & Interactive Media, Fundamentals of Digital Music, Linear Algebra, Vector Calculus

 

Work Experience

Game Developer’s Conference, San Francisco, CA                                                              March 2022

Conference Associate

  • A variety of positions around the conference, helping scan badges, run or monitor sessions, and answer questions from the conference attendees to make their experience the best it can be

DigiPen Institute of Technology, Redmond, WA                                                               Summer of 2021

Teacher

  • Taught groups of children ages 12-17 different levels of game development, such as introductory programming and 2D game design
  • Taught lessons and worked on projects with students over a one-to-two week period

 

Skills

Technical Skills

  • C++, C#, Java, Microsoft Visual Studio 2019, Unity Engine, Unreal Engine 4, Wwise, Ableton Live 10, Pro Tools, Logic, OpenGL, GLSL/Shaders, Shader Graph, SVN, Git
  • 3D Matrix and Vector Math
  • Collision Detection Algorithms and Physics Programming

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional written, oral, and interpersonal communication
  • Works well in individual, collaborative, and leadership environments
  • Effective time management and customer service skills
  • Works efficiently and collaboratively in cross-disciplinary teams