UNANNOUNCED PROJECT
//2+ YRS AAA GAME - SENIOR GAME DESIGNER/LEAD AI DESIGNER
OVERVIEW
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An unannounced AAA project in Unreal Engine 5.
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I currently work as a Senior Gameplay Designer & lead the AI design team.
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Developed core combat, AI and gameplay philosophies to guide both the project & other designers.
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I plan, pitch, prototype and develop much of the AI for the game in coordination with programming, designing the behaviour states, relationships and abilities of all AI.
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I design signature content such as bosses & peripheral AI systems such as aggression states, perception and targeting.
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I have developed a deep understanding of AI gameplay loops at varying complexity levels.
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My other contributions include, system design, ecosystem balance, team management, design team mentorship & cross-discipline production flow.
MINECRAFT DUNGEONS
//2 YEAR AA GAME DOUBLE ELEVEN X MOJANG STUDIOS - GAME DESIGNER
OVERVIEW
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I worked with Mojang Studios as a Game Designer on Minecraft Dungeons in Unreal Engine.
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I worked as a generalist designer on many areas across level, gameplay, system, encounter and AI design on the base game, expansions & seasonal content.
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I led the design effort for all three signature missions for the Echoing Void Expansion that explores the End dimension of Minecraft and wraps up the narrative for the base game.
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I designed and implemented some key elements of the game such as:
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The Elytra (A multiplayer and co-op movement flight mechanic
- Void & wind pillar objectives (King of the hill wave spawners)
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The Broken heart of Ender boss encounter
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The Hovering Inferno boss
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LEARNINGS
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Take large scale missions and features from concept to completion.
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Script levels, encounters, and sequences.
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Design multiplayer systems, for both online and cooperative play across platforms.
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Balance advanced ecosystems of items and enemies
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Create complex bosses and key content.
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Review work and mentor Junior designers, report upwards to directors and lead designers.
PROCESS
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Start with the Brief
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Ask questions, get the best understanding of the goals as possible
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Discipline alignment
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Work with art and code to ensure shared understanding of objective, work collaboratively towards building the visual & technical experience.
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Paper Prototype
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Levels, ideas and structure are all quickest on paper. Tiles and levels are written on sticky-notes for easy re-ordering and to support an iterative work-flow. Minecraft dungeons is a procedurally crafted experience, stickynotes allowed me to track scope, probability and quickly compare potential level generations.
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Blockout
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Wireframe the level, script the mission structure and the triggers. Base pass on the combat sequences and understand the level duration, the highlights and the lowlights
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Review with leadership and playtest
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With the base flow in place, playtesting and feedback sessions will reveal the majority of issues and guide the process from here on out.
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Iterate
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Reduce, improve and recontextualise with feedback and clear communication loops between disciplines.
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RUST: CONSOLE
//8 MONTH AAA GAME DOUBLE ELEVEN X FACEPUNCH STUDIOS - GAMEPLAY & AI DESIGNER
OVERVIEW
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I worked with Facepunch Studios as a Gameplay Designer on RUST: Console.
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I developed most of the weapon, combat and gunplay systems oriented for console as well as design, refactor and document several major updates such as 'Offshore Blowout' & 'Power Surge'.
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I prototyped and implemented several new accessibility and UX options such as new sensitivity settings, input axis curves and controller remap options.
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I designed and implemented much of the console friendly gun systems such as aim assist types, hit detection and recoil systems.
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I worked on much of the enemy and AI design of the game.
LEARNINGS
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Develop multiplayer gunplay systems and short game loops.
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Design and implement console friendly and translated input to gamepad.
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Understand multiplayer balance ecosystems.
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Introduce major meta-changing updates.
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Work with community and client feedback to make iterative, granular changes to a live service product.
ESPRESSOUL
//1 MONTH GAME DEMO - CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ ARTIST
OVERVIEW
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Espressoul is a Indie demo created in Unreal engine 5 over 4 weeks with a technical designer.
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I wrote the initial game pitch, core system design, framework and created all of the art for the project over 150 hours.
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I wanted to create a game about making drinks in the afterlife, explore themes such as disassociation, journey after death and the passion I have for coffee shops.
DESIGN GOALS
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Espressoul is a game with the intention to explore serious themes of disassociation, the philosophy of death and the ambience of coffee shops.
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I wanted to capture the authored feeling of creating high quality coffee and distil that into a video game
LEARNINGS
PROJECT DREADNAUGHT
//6 MONTH UNRELEASED DEMO - DESIGNER & DIRECTOR
OVERVIEW
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Project Dreadnaught is my latest Unreal engine 5 personal property I work on in my spare time, set deep underwater players control an abyssal submarine in this Adventure/Puzzle Horror style game.
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This project's goal was to be a design oriented game to showcase Gameplay x Narrative systems working together.
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The videos showcase much of the gameplay systems such as the player movement & Lidar systems.
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Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
ARACEAE
//8 HOUR JAM - DESIGNER/ARTIST
OVERVIEW
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Araceae was an 8 Hour jam project to create a small form game in Unreal engine 5.
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I wanted to create a project that combines my love for plants with games.
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My goal was to create a short experience with two core interactions; watering them and arranging them in a pleasing way.
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Everything within the project was created from beginning to end within 8 hours to gauge a standard workday productivity/creativity.
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All code, assets, textures & SFX where made over the course of the 8 hours.
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GEORGE RICKARD
ABOUT ME
I see games as tiny fragments of our souls, they require our passion, dedication and love to make something truly special.
I am currently a Senior Gameplay Designer at Double Eleven working on an Unannounced title. I'm a member of the BAFTA and have been making games for over 10 years. My passion lies in solving complex problems, pioneering creative boundaries and innovating our relatively young medium through collaboration.
I hail from Indie game projects and have a design theory background from graduating in Game Design at the University of Southampton. I consider myself a generalist although I currently specialise in complex AI state design within games.
Outside of games I study botany, collect rare plants from all over the world, travel and paint!
If you are interested in discussing projects, private work or talks, reach out to g.epticx@gmail.com