How to structure the interview to assess skills and cultural fit for {role_name}

Work sample test (Home assignment)

Assess the candidate’s practical skills by assigning a real-world task similar to the work they would do if hired.

Title: Create a Basic 2D Platformer Game with Physics and AI Elements
Objective: Assess the candidate’s ability to build and optimize a simple 2D platformer game that includes core gameplay mechanics, basic physics, and simple AI for non-player characters (NPCs).
Requirements:
- Build a 2D platformer using either Unity (C#) or Unreal Engine (C++).
- Implement basic character movement (running, jumping).
- Add a simple enemy NPC with basic AI (patrolling and chasing the player when nearby).
- Include basic physics for gravity, collisions, and jumping mechanics.
- Ensure the game has at least two levels with increasing difficulty.
- Optimize the game to ensure smooth performance.
Time Frame: 5 days to complete the task.

Questions based on home assignment :

Once done with work sample test evaluate the candidate’s technical proficiency based on the work sample task.

Technical questions

Duration : 10 minutes/question

How did you implement the NPC’s AI behavior to patrol and chase the player?
- Expected Answer: The candidate should explain how they used a basic state machine or behavior tree to handle NPC patrolling and detection of the player’s presence.
- Sample Answer: "I used a state machine where the NPC is in the patrol state until the player enters its detection range, at which point it switches to the chase state. For detection, I used raycasting in Unity to track the player’s position."
How did you optimize the physics engine to prevent frame rate drops during gameplay?
- Expected Answer: The candidate should describe how they optimized physics calculations, reduced unnecessary updates, or managed object pooling.
- Sample Answer: "I optimized physics by using fixed time steps for physics updates and deactivating physics calculations for off-screen objects. This reduced the load on the engine and maintained a consistent frame rate."
What steps did you take to ensure smooth player movement, especially during jumps and collisions?
- Expected Answer: The candidate should explain how they handled jump mechanics, adjusted physics parameters like gravity, and optimized collision detection.
- Sample Answer: "I tweaked the gravity and jump velocity parameters to ensure responsive jumps. For collisions, I used Unity’s OnCollisionEnter method to detect ground and prevent the player from getting stuck in walls or platforms."

Behavioral questions

Duration : 10 minutes/question

Tell me about a time when you faced a major technical challenge in game development. How did you overcome it?
- Expected Answer: The candidate should demonstrate resilience and problem-solving skills, providing a clear example of how they tackled a difficult issue.
- Sample Answer: "In one project, I encountered performance issues with the game’s physics engine. I solved it by profiling the game to identify the bottlenecks and optimized the collision checks by reducing the frequency of updates for certain objects."
Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a designer or artist to bring a game feature to life. How did you ensure that the technical and creative visions aligned?
- Expected Answer: The candidate should discuss how they worked with cross-functional teams and maintained open communication to ensure the feature’s success.
- Sample Answer: "I worked with a designer on implementing a complex puzzle mechanic. We held frequent check-ins to align on how the mechanic would behave technically while maintaining the creative vision. I also provided feedback on what was feasible within the game engine."
How do you handle tight deadlines when developing a feature or debugging an issue?
- Expected Answer: The candidate should demonstrate good time management, prioritization, and an ability to work under pressure.
- Sample Answer: "When faced with tight deadlines, I prioritize the most critical features or bugs that affect gameplay the most. I communicate clearly with the team about what can be done in the time frame and focus on delivering quality for the most important tasks."

How to evaluate and compare candidates after interviews?

After interviews, it's important to evaluate and compare candidates based on a set of predefined criteria.Use scorecard to evaluate each candidate.

Sample scorecard based on pre-defined criteria. Here’s an example:

Criteria	Rating (1-5)	Comments
Technical Skills
Problem-Solving Ability
Game Physics Knowledge
Communication Skills
Cultural Fit

What criteria should be used to make the final hiring decision?

Final decisions should be based on the candidate's overall evaluation score, with a focus on important qualifications. Prioritize technical skills above everything else for a {role_name}, but do not forget about communication and cultural fit.

How to communicate the decision to candidates

Sample offer letter for {role_name}

Subject: Offer of Employment – Game Engineer

Dear [Candidate’s Name],

We are pleased to offer you the position of Game Engineer at [Company Name]. Your technical expertise in game development, problem-solving abilities, and passion for creating innovative gaming experiences make you an excellent fit for our team.

Here are the details of your offer:

Position: Game Engineer
Start Date: [Insert Date]
Base Salary: [Insert Salary]
Benefits: [Insert Benefits Information]

We are excited to have you join our team and look forward to working together to create groundbreaking games. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Position] [Company Name]

Sample rejection letter for {role_name}

Subject: Application Status – Game Engineer Position