Patrick Childers

Zimmdot, LLC

CTO

October 2009 – Present

Lead a small team of programmers providing software engineering consultation and contracting services to select clients.

Emphasis on the following industries:
Video Game and Entertainment
TV Broadcast and Film
Online Gambling and Casinos

The Weather Channel

Software Engineer

December 2007 – January 2011

Was instrumental in launching The Weather Channel App for the iPad in a compressed timeframe. Took ownership of The Weather Channel App for the iPad through multiple release cycles.

Previously worked on the high definition version of the IntelliStar product line which is used to display current, local weather conditions on The Weather Channel.

Added forward error correction (FEC) to the satellite transmission protocol. The protocol also allows for multiple FEC algorithms and parameters so that it can be customized as requirements change.

Designed and implemented an embedded website so that the cable head-end device can be remotely monitored and administered.

Worked on the integration with the Viz real-time rendering engine to support advanced 3d graphics.

Created a software-monitoring application that monitors the required applications restarting failed processes as well as allowing the entire product to degrade in a predictable manner, if only a few applications are unresponsive.

Investigated and fixed performance and stability issues.

Contracting

Software Engineer

July 2008 – October 2009

Provided software engineering consultation and contracting.

Clients included a post production studio in need of custom software to automate post production tasks as-well as Red Camera workflow and Apple QMaster research.

Other clients included an independent video game studio and publisher with tasks such as:
Unreal Engine 2 in-game video advertisements integration, Unreal Engine 3 in-game HUD
customization and Rendering / Pixel Shader Debugging.

Rainbow Studios / THQ

Software Engineer

November 2005 – November 2007

Worked on MX vs ATV: Untamed for the Xbox 360 and PS3. This was the first next-generation title for THQ’s award-winning ‘MX’ racing franchise.

Designed and implemented a data management framework to manage the large amounts of data needed to drive both the game’s User Interface as well as Gameplay elements.

The data management framework included a custom written C++ embedded in-game relational database allowing the game to be as data-driven as possible. This RDBMS supported:
Queries with multiple where clause operations, inner joins, and multiple column sorting.
Enforcing referential integrity through primary and foreign keys.
Single column unique & non-unique indexes.

Combined many of the existing rendering components into a complete object oriented UI solution. This solution supported multiple texture formats, bitmap fonts, vector graphics, flash animations, full screen video effects and XML layouts to allow for a feature rich design.

Created tools using C# on an as needed basis to support development.

RealTime Gaming

Lead Software Services Architect

January 2005 – November 2005

Designed and implemented new features using C++, C#, T-SQL and scripting languages that required knowledge of all the software products as well as taking into account long term design, performance, external system integration, and implementation time.

Advised developers on current process methodology and development standards as well as researched more efficient technologies and methods.

Participated in the entire software development life cycle from requirements gathering and analysis through testing, deployment, and ongoing support.

RealTime Gaming

Software Architect

January 2004 – December 2004

Designed and implemented many of the changes essential for internationalization of the casino product.

Designed and implemented a framework where new languages can be localized easily without additional software development.

Designed and implemented front-end skinning so that one set of servers can serve many different “skinned/themed” clients.

RealTime Gaming

Software Engineer

June 2002 – December 2003

Implemented four new client-server games each with unique game play and style.

Implemented a dynamic game lobby system that allowed artists to create different looks for each client while maintaining one code path.

Improved the player’s experience by creating a multi-channel audio system for the client software using DirectX.

Created many automated tools to simplify the process of software development and rollout.

Media Brokers International

Linux Administrator

May 2001 – August 2001

Created a customized Linux server for x-terminal thin clients.

Employed a company-wide LDAP server to synchronize login/password and directory information between offices. Integrated the LDAP server with samba to create an open source alternative to Active Directory replacing the Windows 2000 Domain Controller.

Remotely managed servers located throughout the east coast.