Hiring guide for Blitz3D Engineers

Blitz3D Developer Hiring Guide

Blitz3D is a programming language developed for the creation of 3D and 2D games. It was designed to be simple and intuitive, making it accessible for beginners while still powerful enough for more experienced programmers. Blitz3D provides a comprehensive set of commands for handling graphics, sound, input devices, files and more. It supports Direct3D as well as DirectDraw rendering, allowing developers to create both 2D and 3D applications. The language itself is BASIC-like with additional features specifically tailored towards game development like collision detection or physics simulations.

Ask the right questions secure the right Blitz3D talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General Blitz3D app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in Blitz3D application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

How would you initialize Blitz3D?
To initialize Blitz3D, you would first need to install the software and then use the command 'Graphics3D' to set the screen resolution and color depth.
What are the basic data types in Blitz3D?
The basic data types in Blitz3D are Integers, Floats, Strings, and Types (user-defined data types).
Describe the difference between a Type and an Array in Blitz3D.
A Type in Blitz3D is a user-defined data structure that can contain multiple fields of different data types. An Array, on the other hand, is a collection of elements of the same data type.
How would you handle errors in Blitz3D?
Blitz3D has a built-in error handling system. You can use the 'Try' and 'Catch' commands to handle errors.
What is the purpose of the 'Graphics3D' command in Blitz3D?
The 'Graphics3D' command in Blitz3D is used to set the screen resolution and color depth for 3D graphics.
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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a solid understanding of Blitz3D?
Has the candidate shown problem-solving abilities?
Is the candidate able to communicate effectively?
Does the candidate have experience with similar projects or tasks?

Next 20 minutes

Specific Blitz3D development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

How would you create a 3D object in Blitz3D?
To create a 3D object in Blitz3D, you would use the 'CreateMesh' command, followed by the 'AddMesh' command to add vertices to the mesh.
What are the key principles of game development in Blitz3D?
The key principles of game development in Blitz3D include understanding the Blitz3D language and syntax, mastering the use of 3D objects and animations, and knowing how to handle user input and game logic.
Describe the difference between the 'LoadMesh' and 'CreateMesh' commands in Blitz3D.
'LoadMesh' is used to load a pre-existing 3D model from a file, while 'CreateMesh' is used to create a new, empty 3D mesh.
How would you implement collision detection in Blitz3D?
In Blitz3D, collision detection can be implemented using the 'Collisions' command, which sets the collision type for an object, and the 'EntityCollided' command, which checks if a collision has occurred.
What are the steps to optimize a game's performance in Blitz3D?
To optimize a game's performance in Blitz3D, you can use techniques such as reducing the number of polygons in your 3D models, using lower resolution textures, and optimizing your code to reduce unnecessary calculations.
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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the Blitz3D engineer at this point.

At this point, a skilled Blitz3D engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in Blitz3D programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with Blitz3D.

What does the following Blitz3D code do?
Graphics3D 800,600,32,2
SetBuffer BackBuffer()
Color 255,0,0
Text 100,100,"Hello, World!"
Flip
WaitKey
This code creates a 3D graphics window with a resolution of 800x600 and a color depth of 32 bits. It then sets the back buffer as the current drawing buffer, sets the drawing color to red, and draws the text 'Hello, World!' at the coordinates (100,100). After that, it displays the back buffer on the screen and waits for a key press.
What will be the output of the following Blitz3D code?
Dim myArray(5)
For i = 0 To 5
myArray(i) = i * 2
Next
Print myArray(3)
The output of this code will be '6'. The code declares an array of size 6, fills it with multiples of 2, and then prints the fourth element of the array, which is 6.
What does the following Blitz3D code do?
Type Player
Field name$
Field score
End Type

p = New Player
p\name$ = "John"
p\score = 100
This code defines a new type called 'Player' with two fields: 'name$' and 'score'. It then creates a new instance of 'Player', assigns the name 'John' to the 'name$' field and the score '100' to the 'score' field.
What does the following Blitz3D code do?
Global counter = 0

Function IncreaseCounter()
For i = 1 To 100
counter = counter + 1
Next
End Function

CreateThread IncreaseCounter
CreateThread IncreaseCounter
Print counter
This code creates a global variable 'counter' and a function 'IncreaseCounter' that increases 'counter' by 1 a hundred times. It then creates two threads that run 'IncreaseCounter' concurrently. The final 'Print' statement prints the value of 'counter'. However, due to the nature of threading, the exact final value of 'counter' is not deterministic.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for Blitz3D Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle Blitz3D application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

Describe the difference between 'UpdateWorld' and 'RenderWorld' commands in Blitz3D.
'UpdateWorld' updates the state of all entities in the world, including their positions and animations, while 'RenderWorld' draws all visible entities to the screen.
How would you create a multiplayer game in Blitz3D?
To create a multiplayer game in Blitz3D, you would need to use the 'CreateServer' and 'CreateClient' commands to establish a network connection, and then use the 'SendNetMsg' and 'RecvNetMsg' commands to send and receive data between the server and clients.
What are the best practices for memory management in Blitz3D?
Best practices for memory management in Blitz3D include freeing up memory by using the 'FreeEntity' command when an object is no longer needed, and avoiding the creation of unnecessary objects.

Blitz3D application related

Product Perfect's Blitz3D development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your Blitz3D engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in Blitz3D projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.