Senior Gameplay Designer

Mundo Gamer Network; Brighton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Hangar 13 is seeking an experienced Gameplay Designer to own large portions of player character systems, driving core combat and moment-to-moment gameplay from ideation to final implementation.

You will work in cross-discipline pods to ensure features are fun, balanced, and seamlessly integrated into the overall experience, collaborating with programming, animation, and AI teams across locations.

Qualifications

• Own and iterate on gameplay mechanics for player characters.
• Balance and tune systems to hit target feel.
• Collaborate with programming, animation, and ai across locations.
• Prototyping, implementing and polishing moment-to-moment gameplay.

Responsibilities

• Own player character systems, mechanics and features from ideation to implementation.
• Pitch, prototype, implement and polish gameplay mechanics.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to align feature direction and dependencies.
• Identify and mitigate risks before they impact the team.
• Communicate effectively to ensure features are used in-game.
• Analyse feedback from team and user testing; incorporate it.
• Author and maintain high-quality design docs.

Skills

Ownership of mechanics

Cross-discipline collaboration

Prototyping

Scripting ability

Tools

Unreal Engine

Wiki/Confluence

Job description

Hangar 13 is an internal 2K development studio that creates influential AAA video game experiences across all major platforms. The studio has three locations around the world: Brighton (UK), Brno & Prague (Czech Republic), working collaboratively as one team. Each of our locations provides the opportunity to work with some of the most talented developers in the industry, on creatively challenging and exciting projects, in a diverse and welcoming environment.

Our focus is on making the highest quality games with sustainable, healthy development plans; to tell stories that engage players through worlds and experiences that keep them hooked from start to finish.

We strive to be a studio where our team members know they can make a difference and grow professionally alongside creating games they are proud of.

What We Need

Hangar 13 is in search of an experienced and highly skilled Gameplay Designer who has a passion for creating compelling gameplay features and mechanics. You will take ownership of large portions of the player character, driving core combat and moment-to-moment gameplay from initial ideation to final implementation. Working closely in cross-discipline pods, you will ensure these features are fun, balanced, and seamlessly integrated into the overall player experience.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Owning player character systems, mechanics and features. You are expected to continuously shepherd, develop, progress and iterate the gameplay topics that you are responsible for.
• Pitching, prototyping, implementing and polishing moment-to-moment and minute-to-minute gameplay mechanics
• Continuously collaborating with stakeholders to ensure feature direction and development is aligned and on-track, and dependencies consistently accounted for.
• Proactively identifying and mitigating potential issues or risks with your features before they impact the team.
• Continually ensuring the effective utilization of your features in the game through proactive evangelism and skillful communication with studio team members
• Thoughtfully analysing, validating and incorporating feedback from the team and external user testing
• Authoring and maintaining well-written, quality design documentation

What We’re Looking For:

• Passion for owning and iterating on mechanics that meet the project vision and deliver the highest quality gameplay experience.
• Possesses a first-principles approach to design, with the ability to break down complex problems and prioritize requirements to achieve the desired gameplay feel within the project’s vision and scope.
• Self-sufficient and a proactive problem-solver who persistently and consistently resolves blockers and finds solutions independently - but not at the expense of collaboration
• Highly capable of communicating with and being mindful of the needs of and effects to other stakeholders (e.g. programming, animation, tech anim, AI) across multiple locations
• Strong understanding of balancing and tuning systems to achieve the target feel of a feature
• High level of technical expertise with strong provable scripting ability
• Shipped one or more AAA game titles in a Gameplay / 3Cs Design role or similar

You Might Also Have: (desirable skills - 5 bullet points max.)

• Experience working with Unreal Engine
• Previous programming experience or familiarity with text-based scripting
• Strong documentation skills, proficiency with Wiki systems or Confluence is a plus

Hangar 13 prides itself on the diversity of its team members, partners, and communities. For this reason, we remain committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all aspects of the employment relationship, from recruitment and hiring through compensation, benefits, discipline and termination.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are also committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the job application and/or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need to request reasonable accommodation.