AAA Survival Horror FPS

Role:
Technical Designer
Date:
March 2024

About

This is a internal IP I’ve been working on in the prototype teams as a technical designer that is still under development so I can’t talk about specific aspects due to NDA.

Role

As a Technical Designer, I collaborated with other designers to conceptualize and implement gameplay features within the design constraints of the game. This involved conducting in-depth research, iterative prototyping, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to ensure the features aligned with the project’s vision and technical framework.

Key Responsibilities and Process:

  1. Feature Conceptualization:
    • Collaborated with the design team to explore assigned features, breaking down the goals and constraints to create feasible design strategies.
    • Researched similar mechanics in other games, analyzing the design choices made by those projects to identify effective solutions that could be adapted to our game’s unique context.
    • Synthesized findings into actionable concepts tailored to the existing game design and technology stack.
  2. Prototyping and Development:
    • Transitioned concepts into engine prototypes, exploring requirements for implementation with existing tools and systems.
    • Conducted testing and refinement cycles to ensure the mechanics met player experience goals while remaining technically feasible.
    • Identified dependencies and coordinated with engineering, art, and other departments to secure the necessary support for full implementation.
  3. Iteration and Documentation:
    • Documented progress and insights from each iteration, presenting updates for weekly reviews by leads and senior leadership.
    • Incorporated feedback to refine the feature further, balancing design goals with technical and production considerations.
    • Once a feature was finalized and signed off, created comprehensive one-pagers detailing the design and technical specifications for integration into the mainline build.

Key Features Prototyped:

  • FPS Stealth Takedowns: Designed and iterated on stealth takedown mechanics, balancing animation, timing, and AI response to ensure a smooth and satisfying player experience.
  • AI Behavior Adjustments: Prototyped changes to AI behavior to enhance their responsiveness and tactical depth, aligning with both player expectations and game pacing.
  • Vehicle Mechanics: Explored and refined several complex vehicle mechanics, ensuring seamless control systems, physics integration, and player feedback loops.

Core Skills Demonstrated:

  • Systemic Thinking: Effectively balanced design creativity with the technical constraints of the game, ensuring features were innovative yet implementable.
  • Research and Analysis: Applied lessons learned from industry research to enhance our features and avoided common pitfalls, ensuring each feature felt polished and intentional.
  • Collaboration and Communication: Worked closely with cross-departmental teams, translating design needs into actionable technical requirements.
  • Iterative Problem-Solving: Led multiple refinement cycles, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in response to technical or design challenges.

This role allowed me to enhance my ability to distill complex gameplay concepts into viable, player-focused designs while ensuring technical feasibility. By combining creativity with a structured, iterative approach, I contributed to the delivery of compelling and technically robust gameplay features that elevated the overall player experience.