Julian Abela | Game Programmer

Helped release Rubber Bandits on multiple platforms, and was the main gameplay programmer on each of its updates since then. Among many features, this included the creation of new game modes, modifiers, weapons, level mechanics, and a customisation and shop system, and plenty of refactoring to ensure the longevity of the codebase.

I was the programming part of redesigning and releasing Headland, an originally shelved project as a finished game. Apart from adding more content, it was transformed from a completely linear game to one with more interesting progression and gameplay loops, as well as ported to the Nintendo Switch.

3 years after the release of Conduct THIS!, I was in charge of improving it in every way I saw fit. Among many quality of life changes, I created an endless level game mode with leaderboards, designed countless levels, added cosmetic unlocks, and balanced the difficulty curve using data.

About

I am a game programmer with a great interest and experience in game development. I am originally from Malta, and currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

My current full-time position is with Flashbulb Games, a growing company of around 40-50 people, as part of the Rubber games team. Previously, I worked for a small company called Northplay of around 10 people, where I worked on a lot of different games. I have graduated with an M.Sc in Games Technology at the IT University of Copenhagen, as well as a B.Sc in IT - Artificial Intelligence from the University of Malta.

I am most knowledgeable in gameplay programming with Unity, having worked with it for the past 10 years. This has been accumulated through my work experiences, creating university projects, and attending various game jams, such as Global Game Jam and Nordic Game Jam.

Apart from the programming aspect, I am also passionate about the design of whatever I'm working on. The scope of the projects I've worked on have ranged from a few days to a few years, with each one being very different from the others. I take pride in my work as well as leading some of these projects, and my love for game development only grows with each new one.

Naturally, working within small teams has meant that there have been times that I take over tasks which are not what I specialise in. However, I am quick to learn and adjust based on the needs at hand. As a self-motivated and organised person, it comes naturally to me to balance game development with such tasks without needing to be actively managed.