FREELANCE

PEAKY BLINDERS : MASTERMIND

Developer: Futurlab
Publisher: Curve Digital
Platform: Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Steam
Role: Level Design
Duration: 4 months

Freelance level designer on this puzzle game for Futurlab and Curve Digital. Time manipulation being the central mechanic in this game made level design very complicated and a bit of a specialist job, for which - based on my previous work on similar games - Futurlab sought me out for contract remote work.

SLIDERS

Developer: Slipstream Labs
Platform: Snapchat
Role: Consultant Designer
Duration: 1 Month

Consultant designer on this project for Snapchat Games, I helped to steer the high level game concept, adding a ‘mcguffin’ that served as a characterful framing of the game narrative, a content delivery device and a connection to the metagame required for this free-to-play multiplayer puzzle game. I designed the basis for the meta-game and economy.

YOYO GAMES

GAMEMAKER PUBLISHING

Role: Creative Lead
Duration: 13 months

Creative Lead of YoYo Games’ publishing business, reporting directly to the Studio Head. This role focused on building biz dev opportunities with indie developers and established studios alike. It requires presence, face-to-face interaction with developers, platform holders, outsourcers and the press.
I scouted games and steered developers diplomatically to help improve their games before launch.
I had to spin many plates in this role - current and future - working with a high level of organisation and transparency, and was trusted trusted with impactful business decisions.

UNANNOUNCED F2P MOBILE PROJECT

Publisher: Yoyo Games/ Playtech
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: iOS, Android
Team Size: 10
Duration: 10 months

Sole designer for an interesting and 'different' venture from Yoyo Games/ Playtech, juggling cross-continent work across 3 time zones.
Reporting directly to the Studio Head, I was the authority on F2P games systems in the studio, directing cross-discipline - with a focus on business case and UX - to shape the product and lead the team as close to success as possible.
This role extends beyond game design to requiring an awareness of GAAS and parallel markets, with flexibility to emerging opportunities.

OUTPLAY ENTERTAINMENT

CASTLE CREEPS BATTLE

Publisher: Outplay Entertainment
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: iOS, Android
Team Size: 10
Duration: 8 months

I led this project from the initial pitch stage, through prototypes to Alpha.
We tried to do our own take on the PvP mobile scene, with some '+1' key differences in both gameplay and metagame structure, meshing together several distinct successful mobile game models.

CASTLE CREEPS TD

Publisher: Outplay Entertainment
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: iOS, Android
Team Size: 10
Duration: 8 months

After being hired for another project, I led this project, mentoring a more junior designer into a position where they were ready to take over the project, allowing me to return to my initial game.
My work consisted of factoring in a smart way to include new content solving a content-treadmill problem in a previous game, events, and an upgrade system with more depth, but with a minimum of asset creation, and UX/ UI direction.
- TIGA Awards 2017 : Best Strategy Game.
- #1 Strategy Game in over 60 countries

BOSS ALIEN / NATURAL MOTION / ZYNGA

UNRELEASED NEW IP

Publisher: Natural Motion/ Zynga
Role: Snr Designer (lead)
Platform: iOS, Android
Team Size: 12
Duration: 2 years

I headed up Boss Alien's follow-up to the CSR series. A really ambitious project; we were aiming at this game landing and staying in the top 10. We had a massive amount of insight into what worked and didn't work in CSR, and used that information to design something that hand a longer-tail, better pipelines and a more 'socially alive' metagame.
We were subject to a Zynga buy-out and several changes of CEO and portfolio focus, and ultimately this project was shelved.

CSR RACING

Publisher: Boss Alien/ NM/ Zynga
Role: Design Support
Platform: iOS, Android
Team Size: 12
Duration: 1 Month

I helped the Senior Producer on the project with some Design work at a point when the core CSR product had no senior design resource. This was a limited amount of work, admittedly - I did a bit of conceptual work around multiplayer design structure, and some feedback on iterations, and on-boarding - But CSR's a big deal (200 million downloads), so I'll count it ;)

FUTURLAB

SURGE DELUXE

Publisher: Sony
Role: Puzzle Design
Platform: PS Vita
Team Size: Freelance
Duration: 1 Month

I did some freelance design work creating levels for the Vita version of Surge Deluxe.
This was a quick turnaround of learning the game fast, making a load of puzzle levels quickly, in time for submission.

ECHO PEAK

WAY OF THE DOGG

Publisher: 505 Games
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: iOS, Android, PS3, Xbox 360
Team Size: 10
Duration: 1 Year

Rhythm Action Blaxploitation Beat-Em-Up in collaboration with Snoop Dogg.
This was a start-up studio project. I was hired by the former MD, Dev Director and Creative Director of Zoe Mode to lead the design of the game.
Nearing submission, I handled publisher negotiation, platform submission and studio duties during the unexpected prolonged illness of the MD (full recovery though, phew!)

CLIMAX GAMES

LEGACY OF KAIN: DEAD SUN

Publisher: Square Enix
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Team Size: 85
Duration: 1.5 Years

Reboot of the Legacy Of Kain series for Square Enix.
I worked under acclaimed Game Director Sam Barlow (Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Her Story) on this truly AAA action-adventure game. I joined the game in pre-production, leading a troubled 'Core Gameplay' sub-team (Designers, Programmers, Animators, Outsource) to success before moving on to troubleshoot and streamline development on the Environments (Level Design, Environment Art, Concept, Outsource).

ZOE MODE

HAUNT

Publisher: Microsoft
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: Xbox 360 (Kinect)
Team Size: 12
Duration: 1 Year

Worked with Tokyo ideas-house Nana-On-Sha (Parappa The Rapper, Vib Ribbon, Um Jammer Lammy) to lead the design of this Microsoft commissioned XBLA Game.
A critically lauded application of Kinect UI.
The script (initial draft by me) was Voice Acted by Tim Schafer.

GREASE

Publisher: 505 Games
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: Wii
Team Size: 12
Duration: 1 Year

Rhythm Action game based on the classic film license for 505.
Designed a clever system that used song data on different UIs to create different 'mini games' from the same level data.
On-time, on-budget, a model development, which won continued business for the studio.

PS3 EYE RHYTHM VISION GAME

Publisher: Sony / Warner Bros Records
Role: Lead Designer
Platform: iOS, Android, PS3, Xbox 360
Team Size: 30
Duration: 1 Year

Headed up design of a first-party signed camera-based rhythm action game in conjunction with Warner Brothers Records and Virtual Air Guitar Company.
Guided the product to satisfy multiple studios and stakeholders pulling in several directions.
Co-created story boards for Live-Action prototype filming.

ROCK REVOLUTION

Publisher: Konami
Role: Senior Designer
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Team Size: 40
Duration: 1.5 Years

Senior Designer on this Konami (Guitar Freaks, Drum Master) effort to reclaim rhythm-action territory back from Guitar Hero, Rock Band.
I handled a subteam, and mostly did UI work and Level Design.

DANCING WITH THE STARS

Publisher: Activision
Role: Designer
Platform: PS2
Team Size: 10
Duration: 5 months

Level Design and UI work on this Rhythm Action game for Activision, which was developed from start to master candidate in 5 months.

CRUSH

Publisher: Sega
Role: Designer
Platform: PSP, 3DS
Team Size: 12
Duration: 1 Year

A career highlight. This excellent puzzle platformer from Sega benefited from my level design, which Games TM claimed "worthy of display in modern art galleries".
Saw me being hired permanently after initial 4-month contract.
Crush paved the way for games like Echochrome, Fez and Monument Valley.
- Develop Award: Best New Handheld