Environment Gameplay Designer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Colorado.

📋 Description

• Create and prototype expansive open-world environments from initial blockout to fully playable spaces.

• Achieve a balance between visual appeal and real-time playability.

• Establish layouts and flow for large areas, covering sightlines, landmarks, traversal paths, choke points, and pacing elements.

• Design and execute essential paths, alternative routes, shortcuts, and traversal options accommodating various playstyles.

• Envision, position, and refine Points of Interest, considering their purpose, encounter design, rewards, and their significance in the player's overall journey.

• Develop interactive environmental gameplay elements, including traversal mechanics, destructibles, hazards, puzzles, and systemic interactions.

• Quickly prototype in-engine using scripting, visual scripting, or programming, focusing on playable builds rather than extensive documentation.

• Present design concepts and prototypes to leads, stakeholders, and cross-disciplinary teams.

• Accept and integrate constructive feedback.

• Produce content through an iterative, feedback-oriented production process, evolving from rough concepts to refined, playable content.

⛳️ Requirements

• Mid-to-lead level experience.

• Proven capability in designing large-scale, non-linear environments, supported by a portfolio showcasing layout and gameplay work.

• Strong grasp of player navigation, visual communication, and guiding players with minimal UI or explicit instructions.

• Practical experience in prototyping using Unreal Engine or Unity, including familiarity with blockout tools, terrain and landscape features, and gameplay scripting.

• Proficiency in visual scripting (e.g., Blueprints) and/or programming languages such as C#, C++, Lua, or Python.

• Background in designing Points of Interest, encounters, or activities and seamlessly integrating them into a unified world.

• Solid understanding of gameplay systems design, encompassing traversal, combat, AI, and exploration interactions.

• Ability to harmonize creative ambitions with technical limitations like memory, streaming, draw distance, and content budgets.

• Excellent communication abilities and experience in cross-disciplinary collaboration.

• Comfort with iterative, feedback-driven development, transforming prototypes from rough ideas to polished, playable content.

• Enthusiasm for exploration-driven games, with a distinct perspective on what renders a world engaging to explore.

• Bonus: Experience shipping at least one open-world or large-scale exploration title.

• Bonus: Familiarity with procedural or semi-procedural tools such as Houdini, PCG, or world-building utilities.

• Bonus: Background in systemic or emergent design.

• Bonus: Skills in technical art or environment art.

• Bonus: Experience in traversal-focused design.

• Bonus: Knowledge of analytics and telemetry tools.

• Bonus: Experience with world streaming, World Partition, or level-of-detail strategies.

• Bonus: Contributions to game jams, mods, or personal projects.

• Bonus: Experience mentoring designers or leading small cross-discipline teams.

🏝️ Benefits

• Initial contract lasting 3–6 months, with possibilities for extension or permanent hire depending on project progress and compatibility.

• Contract role offering approximately 30 hours per week; position may require 30–40 hours most weeks.