DigiPen Europe-Bilbao turns game developers into game makers. But what about our instructors? They’re already seasoned developers. And what do game developers do best? They make games!
Jon Lopez de Dicastillo, a faculty member from our Computer Science and Interactive Media Departments, has been a part of the Indie Team about to release “Abathor”. He has been balancing his work on the project while teaching students the fundamentals of programming and game development.
About Abathor and the Indie Team
Abathor is a 2D arcade action platformer for up to 4 players. You are the last hope in defense of Atlantis, you’ll face hordes of enemies and countless challenges. Enjoy its pixel art and epic music. A cooperative and competitive game to achieve glory or death.
Abathor is an indie game developed by Pow Pixel Games, led by David Garay and his brother Javier Garay. Jon shares their vision of the game: ‘Abathor is the kind of game we played in the nineties; developing it is like creating a game for the children we once were. For us, it is the kind of game we played for years, and being able to develop a game like this connects us with our childhood.’
It is immensely rewarding to put into practice what we teach our students, participate in a project, and watch it progress to its final stages. The ability to develop something based on the knowledge we share at DigiPen provides us with numerous real experiences that we can, in turn, share with our students.”
The Atlantean civilization has angered the gods. They have sent hordes of monsters to punish Atlantis by destroying the continent. Players must cooperate and compete to save Atlantis, going through a series of challenges of increasing difficulty. In their progress, our heroes will fight against ferocious demons and primordial gods, against the living and against the dead, against flying beasts and crawling horrors. They will dodge dangers and traps and descend into chilling abysses. But they will also compete against each other for the loot and the spoils, plundering treasures and offering them to the gods to receive their favor.
Jon’s Contributions to Abathor
Jon developed numerous game mechanics, including the intricate management of the in-game store, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience. He designed and programmed the lianas gameplay, adding dynamic and interactive elements that enhance the overall adventure. Additionally, he was responsible for controllers’ management, providing players with smooth and responsive controls.
“Teaching is a continuous learning process. They say true understanding comes when you can explain something simply. Through teaching, I’ve learned new things, and DigiPen Europe-Bilbao’s emphasis on real-world experiences and hands-on learning is evident in Abathor.”, says Jon Lopez de Dicastillo.
Furthermore, Jon played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth release through quality assurance (QA). His work ensured that the game was polished and free of critical bugs, delivering a high-quality product to players. Jon’s focus in code optimization and thorough reviews also ensured that the game ran efficiently, with optimal performance across various platforms.
Having this background of knowledge helped me make good decisions about the solutions to take in order to efficiently develop the mechanics needed in the game and to detect and correct inefficiencies.”
At DigiPen, Jon instructs courses in computer science, currently teaching CS 120: High-Level Programming in C, CS 170: High-Level Programming in C++, and CS 280 Data Structures in the Computer Science Department, as well as GAM 100 and GAM 150, first-year project introduction classes, in the Interactive Media Department.
We encourage you to explore “Abathor” on Steam and dive into its captivating world of myth, mystery, and adventure. Discover the thrilling battles and intricate challenges that lie ahead in the defense of Atlantis, and enjoy the stunning pixel art, epic soundtrack, and dynamic gameplay unique to this indie gem.
We’ll also be enjoying it in our on-campus library!
What I like most about teaching at DigiPen is helping students achieve their goals. Seeing how they go down the road and seeing how they grow personally and professionally.”
About Jon Lopez de Dicastillo
Jon Lopez de Dicastillo has developed his professional career in the field of software engineering, working on various information management projects and performing tasks as a software engineer and software architect. As a video game lover, he tries to get involved in student projects when possible.
