Lex Steffens
Lex Steffens
Hello!
I am Lex Steffens
Ever since I was a young child, I have had a keen interest in video games. Since then, it has been my life's goal to study video games extensively, and to enter the video game industry. This website serves to illustrate my diverse skillset and experience so far.
As a designer
As a programmer
Video games (and interactive experiences in general) are my main interest. While everyone has good ideas occasionally, I believe only a good designer is capable of accurately conveying these ideas to others. Designing for games is no different, and because of this, I have studied game design extensively my whole life, including the 'Game Design' minor program I finished at the HKU in the Netherlands.
I am confident in designing for a variety of interactive experiences, as I have built up skills in:
software development methods, software planning, requirements engineering, design patterns, refactoring, agile development, testing and playtesting, user modeling and use-cases, lo-fi and hi-fi prototyping, game design theory, player motivation, user retention, UI/UX design, audio design, level design, interactive storytelling, applied game design, and gamification.
Check out my design portfolio
Solid programming provides the foundation for any successful software project. While game design has always been my main interest, I believe the greatest concepts can only be realized with an efficient understanding of the underlying technology. For this reason, I finished both the 'Computer Science and Game Technology' bachelor program and the 'Game and Media Technology' master program at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
This has provided me a wide skillset in software and game development, including experience with: object oriented programming, complex algorithms, concurrent development, high and low level optimizations, databases, network development, webtechnology, mobile game development, AR, VR, 2D graphics, 3D graphics rendering, 3D modelling, 3D animation, game physics, sound programming, embedded systems, NLP, computer vision, and machine learning.
I have experience with the following programming languages: C#, C++, C, Python, Ruby, Scala, Swift, Kotlin, Java, JavaScript, Haskell, SQL, and MATLAB.
And experience with game engines like Unity, Unreal, and Monogame, as well as graphics APIs like OpenGL and Vulkan.
Check out my programming portfolio
As a machine learning scientist
As a video game enthousiast
During my studies, I grew especially interested in machine learning techniques and their many applications. Machine learning has had a big influence on the tech industry, the game industry now following suit. With this in mind, I dedicated my master's thesis to the creation of a 'Machine Learning Selection Model', which provides a list of virtually all machine learning methods and categorizes them based on their properties and functionality.
I have a deep understanding of the applicability and utility of all main machine learning types, including: supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and deep learning.
Check out my machine learning portfolio
It should come as no surprise that I am a huge video game lover, with a deep appreciation for games, old and new, from both Western and Eastern markets. I always keep up to date with game industry developments and trends, so as to never fall behind. I am knowledgeable on all fields of game development, as I feel this is essential to function within a team of designers, programmers, artists, testers, etc. I hone and improve my skillset every day, with the ambition to someday fulfill producer and director roles.
I play many games, and also compete in video game tournaments. I am an active competitor in the fighting game genre, and am among the top level in both Super Smash Bros. and Street Fighter competitions. Besides the accomplishments, this provides me with insider experience on what makes competitive gaming so compelling to players.
As a person
I am a confident and hard worker, and I am at my strongest when I do not hesitate. Within a team, I am the first to involve group members and energize discussions. I believe communication is the key to success in any project, so I put effort in listening to others while maintaining focus in the conversation. I tend to pick up new topics slowly, as I want to fully grasp a concept at its surface level before diving in deeper. Nevertheless, I work thoroughly and see things through to their conclusion.
I often have unique perspectives on problems due to my diverse background, and show initiative wherever necessary. With the heart of a champion, but the mind of a humble beginner, I feel I can make any team stronger.
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Thank you for reading all the way through!
Feel free to contact me:
