Ever wondered what it’s like to work at a simulation company, blending cutting-edge tech with game-like experiences? We sat down with Bas and Jeroen, two developers in their first year at Tree C, to discuss their journey so far, and what makes simulation software such an exciting field for engineers – especially those with a background in gaming or robotics.

What did you study, and how did it lead you to Tree C?

Bas: I studied robotics and computer vision during my bachelor’s, and then went on to do a master’s in game and media technology. I was initially aiming for a game development job, but Tree C turned out to be a great fit: it had the same technical foundations, but applied in a different, more impactful way.

Jeroen: Pretty similar story here! I also did a computer science bachelor’s degree, followed by the same game and media technology master’s. I was looking for something game-related, and when I came across Tree C, I saw the overlap straight away. It matched the kind of problems I enjoy solving.

Were you actively seeking roles in sim development?

Bas: Not at all. I didn’t even know this kind of job existed! I came across it on LinkedIn and immediately thought, “This is a perfect fit.”

Jeroen: Same. I was looking for game dev roles, and it just happened to pop up – maybe on Indeed or LinkedIn. Sim development wasn’t on my radar, but it made total sense once I saw the role at Tree C.

What are the similarities between simulators and games?

Bas: From a programming perspective, the similarities are huge. You’re building environments, systems, and interactions – just like in games. The key difference is in the goal: we’re simulating real-world machinery and environments, not creating fantasy worlds. This also means that we need to achieve a high level of realism to meet the training goals.

Jeroen: Exactly. You’re still building interactive virtual environments. Whether it’s a ship simulator or a video game, and you’re often using the same logic – just applied differently.

What kind of technologies do you work with at Tree C?

Jeroen: When I started, most of the tools were new to me. The languages we use aren’t standard in game dev, so there was definitely a learning curve.

Bas: Yeah, same here. We don’t use game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine, but we use our own customized software – our Tree C Simulator Framework provides a standardized way for simulator development and gives us more control, especially when simulating things like hydrodynamics. 

What’s it like working for Tree C?

Bas: It’s really welcoming and flexible. I’ve always felt supported and encouraged to work on things I find interesting. There’s a lot of autonomy, but also help whenever you need it.

Jeroen: I felt trusted from day one. They gave me real projects and just let me get on with it, which is refreshing. Plus, there’s always support if you run into something tricky.

What aspects of sim development do you enjoy most?

Bas: I really like working on the visual side – things users can see and interact with. One of my favorite projects was designing fire and explosion effects for emergency training scenarios. So far, I haven’t worked directly on physics-heavy elements like vessel behavior. My focus has been more on asset implementation.

Jeroen: Same here! We try to build reusable assets that can be easily adapted for different clients, whether they’re generic or specific. I’ve spent a lot of time improving our user interfaces and refactoring code to make it cleaner and more reusable. I enjoy both – seeing the impact of your work and making things better behind the scenes. 

What’s been your most interesting project so far?

Bas: The effects’ system I mentioned was really rewarding. You can place effect points in a scene and trigger different kinds of visual effects – fire, smoke, explosions. It’s all part of making the training experience more immersive and realistic.

Jeroen: I did a big overhaul of our 2D image display system. That involved reworking how we show top-down and side views, making it easier to manage and more flexible. It was a great mix of creativity and technical refactoring.

Any advice for devs interested in simulation?

Bas: Build stuff! That’s always the best advice. For me, making games during my studies gave me a solid foundation in physics and interactivity – even though I wasn’t working on real-world simulations back then.

Jeroen: I’d say focus on understanding how real-world systems work. In simulation, accuracy is key. If you’re modeling something, make sure your code reflects how it behaves in reality.

Start your career in simulator development today!

Whether you’re into robotics, game development, or even solving real-world problems through software, simulation is a field worth exploring. As Bas and Jeroen testify, it’s a space where creativity meets engineering – backed by teams who trust you to learn, grow, and make an impact. 

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