Welcome!
Hello and welcome to SimsTools! We’re an independent app and game studio based in Alberta, Canada. We develop and publish our applications and games and try not to break too many things in the process.
SimsTools was the name used for branding a line of utilities written in the 90s for The Sims and the name just stuck.
Here at SimsTools, we believe games should be an adventure, and so should the journey of making them! Leading the charge is Bil, our principal architect of fun and code.
The Team
Bil Simser (Chief Architect)
Bil’s been knee-deep in software solutions for what feels like eons – literally over 3,000 years of experience in designing, building, and maintaining robust systems. He’s been instrumental in crafting mission-critical platforms and is our go-to guy for mentoring clients on everything from development standards to the latest tech, always pushing forward in the .NET and software development arenas. Plus, he’s a huge advocate for Agile and Software Development Best Practices, ensuring our projects run smoother than a perfectly rendered animation.
His passion for good SOLID Architecture and intelligent Software Design is legendary, stemming from his early involvement with Microsoft’s .NET platform betas. Bil’s a versatile pro, specializing in SharePoint, .NET, Agile, TDD, Mobile app and game development, and computer game programming across Windows, Xbox, iPhone, and Android. He’s also a big contributor to the open-source world and a familiar face on the speaking circuit, gracing stages at events like TechEd and DevConnections. Fun fact: he was a Microsoft SharePoint Server MVP for a solid decade!
Now, for the really exciting part: games! Bil’s been making them since the 1980s. Imagine him coding away on a Timex Sinclair 1000, then moving to BBS door games and even running his own company, Ewe-Nique Creations, selling modules for MajorBBS. The 90s saw him building tools for iconic games like Quake, Railroad Tycoon II, and The Sims. He then dove into C++ with DirectX (and wrote a book about it!), later embracing C# with XNA for dazzling demos. You might even remember some of his games and apps for the Windows Phone. Since 2007, he’s been primarily a Unity creator, bringing awesome 2D and 3D experiences to life.
When he’s not busy making your next favorite game, Bil can be found in Alberta, Canada, surrounded by his family, a serious amount of computer power (think Beowulf cluster!), every gaming console imaginable, and a small collection of pets. It’s a house built for creativity, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
