Developer Spotlight: Mehmet Kardaş
At Clay Token, our software development engineer Mehmet Kardaş shares the challenges he faced while developing Steel Swarm: Apocalypse, the best advice he received in software engineering, and how he stepped out of his comfort zone during the project.
🔹Can you briefly introduce yourself?
I am a Software Engineer at Clay Token. I love making games as much as playing them. I also write sci-fi short fiction.
🔹What music genres and bands do you listen to while developing?
I usually listen to soundtracks, epic, or electronic music. Anything atmospheric with minimal vocals is my vibe. Less distractions, the better.
🔹What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about software development?
I had so much good advice, but nothing comes to mind as the best. Still looking for one.
🔹What was the most challenging bug you encountered in this project, and how did you solve it? What was your last "developer panic moment," and how did you handle it?
There was a particular bug with Sphinx. When its plasma charge exploded and multiple minions were killed, sometimes unrelated minions elsewhere (in another lane, or just spawned) would die.
It took a full workday to solve. The issue was that damage was being applied to entities that would die that frame, causing a chain reaction of unintended deaths in the next frame.
🔹What’s something you did in this project that pushed you out of your comfort zone, and you’re glad you did?
Probably the first time I contributed something substantial to the project. Understanding the structure and how things worked was tough at first—but once it clicked, it made so much sense.
🔹What are you currently learning? How do you prioritize your "next things to learn" list?
I’m interested in all things game development. Currently, I’m working on improving my sound design skills and learning some shader magic.
🔹How many cups of coffee do you drink per day?
I don’t drink much coffee or tea, actually. Water is the way to go!
🔹What advice would you give to a newly graduated developer?
Find what you're genuinely interested in. Think about how you could improve or innovate in that space. Build things—create solutions—and learn along the way.
🔹Among the features you developed in this project, which one makes you the proudest and why?
The mission system. It was incredibly fun to build. While it’s not heavily used in the current game, it’s very modular and can be adapted for other purposes.
We could probably make a full RPG with complex quests using it.
https://steelswarm.net/news/developer-spotlight-mehmet.html SSA TEAM
🔹Can you briefly introduce yourself?
I am a Software Engineer at Clay Token. I love making games as much as playing them. I also write sci-fi short fiction.
🔹What music genres and bands do you listen to while developing?
I usually listen to soundtracks, epic, or electronic music. Anything atmospheric with minimal vocals is my vibe. Less distractions, the better.
🔹What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about software development?
I had so much good advice, but nothing comes to mind as the best. Still looking for one.
🔹What was the most challenging bug you encountered in this project, and how did you solve it? What was your last "developer panic moment," and how did you handle it?
There was a particular bug with Sphinx. When its plasma charge exploded and multiple minions were killed, sometimes unrelated minions elsewhere (in another lane, or just spawned) would die.
It took a full workday to solve. The issue was that damage was being applied to entities that would die that frame, causing a chain reaction of unintended deaths in the next frame.
🔹What’s something you did in this project that pushed you out of your comfort zone, and you’re glad you did?
Probably the first time I contributed something substantial to the project. Understanding the structure and how things worked was tough at first—but once it clicked, it made so much sense.
🔹What are you currently learning? How do you prioritize your "next things to learn" list?
I’m interested in all things game development. Currently, I’m working on improving my sound design skills and learning some shader magic.
🔹How many cups of coffee do you drink per day?
I don’t drink much coffee or tea, actually. Water is the way to go!
🔹What advice would you give to a newly graduated developer?
Find what you're genuinely interested in. Think about how you could improve or innovate in that space. Build things—create solutions—and learn along the way.
🔹Among the features you developed in this project, which one makes you the proudest and why?
The mission system. It was incredibly fun to build. While it’s not heavily used in the current game, it’s very modular and can be adapted for other purposes.
We could probably make a full RPG with complex quests using it.
https://steelswarm.net/news/developer-spotlight-mehmet.html SSA TEAM