About the role
Job Details
- Position Type: Temporary engagement / 6-month contract through staffing partner Yoh Enterprise Solutions
- Company: Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)
- Role: Senior Combat Designer (Enemies/Bosses)
Role Overview
Accountable for the quality and on-time delivery of combat gameplay, specifically focused on enemies, mini-bosses, and bosses. Responsible for initial pitches, prototyping, implementation, iteration, polish, and balance for AI enemies, smaller-scale mini-bosses, and larger boss encounters, as needed. Work will be done in a highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary pod, under the direction and review of combat and design leads.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Hands-on implementation work on initial design, prototyping, iteration, balance, and polish of AI enemy combatants, mini-boss characters, and large-scale boss encounters.
- Directly implements and iterates on Enemy AI and bosses through proprietary internal tools and scripting systems.
- Works within a cross-disciplinary pod. Collaborates directly with Gameplay Programming, Animation, and other pod members to best leverage skills and creativity across all departments.
- Writes and regularly updates clear gameplay system documentation detailing functionality and best practices for using Enemy AI across missions and levels.
- Gathers and prioritizes feedback from multiple sources. Proactively implements changes and improvements in enemy / boss design to respond to issues around clarity, balance, and playability. Drives continual improvement on assigned combat work.
- Supports Mission Designers, as needed, through best practices, training, and model encounters. May also work on combat encounters directly within Missions.
- Coordinates with other combat design staff on game-wide combat issues, including difficulty, balance, enemy differentiation, enemy introductions, etc.
- Contributes to a safe, supportive, and creative work environment that exemplifies our studio values.
- Other creative duties as needed.
Experience and Education
- Five or more years of professional game design experience, with at least one shipped title as a Combat Designer.
- Expertise in the current state of combat design craft across the games industry.
- Experience in designing, prototyping, implementing, and polishing enemy AI combatants and boss characters.
- High proficiency with modern game engines, such as Unreal or proprietary engines. Proven experience in scripting, prototyping, and iterating gameplay systems directly.
- Strong skills in written, verbal, and visual communication across disciplines.
Mathematical Skills
- Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
- Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
Reasoning Ability
- Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
- Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Computer Skills
- Intermediate knowledge and experience with level editing tools and scripting (Unreal Engine, Unity, or similar editors).
- Intermediate knowledge of Maya or other major 3D modeling programs.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
Preferred / Plus Skills
- Experience in 3D layout.
- Adobe Illustrator experience.
- UE4 Blueprint scripting skills.
Other Skills
- Individual must have very good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with team members and other developers.
- Strong communication skills including verbal and written skills are required.
Compensation and Benefits
- Estimated Base Pay Range: $70 — $90 USD per hour (base pay range may vary based on job-related factors including knowledge, skills, experience, and location).
- Benefits: Eligible for benefit offerings that include medical, dental, and vision.
Additional Notes
Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and processes personal information to support these checks.