Sr Combat Designer (Contract)

Santa Monica Studio is seeking a Sr Combat Designer to design and implement Enemy and Boss characters!

You will assist, collaborate with, and take direction from Lead Combat Designers and Directors as needed to take various characters from concept to implementation completion.

You will also work with multiple disciplines including Animation, Level Design, Character Art, Vis Dev, Encounters, etc. in ensuring that characters are cohesively executed in game.

Senior level applicants are expected to be able to drive features forward by representing them with confidence and knowledge, keep all feature stakeholders well informed, and bolster the team via process improvement, mentorship, and leading by example.

• Create high level character design intent & combat flow plans
• Character animation and behavior implementation via state machines, behavior trees, visual effects, sound effects and various other scripting systems
• Iteratively work within the set standard for all character asset design, creation, and in-game implementation within the production path as it relates to design, art and otherwise
• Attend and participate in combat-specific discussions concerning combat design and combat design issues
• Attend and participate in production-related discussions concerning relevant feature pipelines and roadmaps
• Represent complex design and character features to multiple departments as “the point person”
• Value the relationship between gameplay elements in a level (and in the overall game) and the ways the player can respond to each gameplay element
• Respond to and act on playtest and lead feedback to create the best experience for all player skill levels
• Drive and create opportunities for value addition within the team and studio

• Significant experience using text-based and visual scripting languages to set-up character logic, debug complex problems, and test work thoroughly
• Basic knowledge of vector math, scripting languages, and code (e.g., XML, C++, Lua) is required
• Must be able to grasp and work with code-based proprietary tools to implement and troubleshoot assigned characters
• Ability to think logically with a strong level of attention to detail - should be able to break down design concepts and analyze them with regards to purpose and intent
• Self-sufficient in getting to the root of a problem or issue and taking the necessary steps to find solutions
• Must have knowledge of competitive products and various gameplay genres, as well as a personal understanding of video game fun with regards to combat and enemy design
• Must possess quality written communication skills and the ability to convey abstract concepts
• Must be able to professionally communicate and work with other members of the game production team
• Must be able to speak to and discuss, in depth, combat systems, mechanics, and enemies in one or more 3rd person melee action RPGs
• 4+ years in game development, with at least two in a Character design capacity (creative and technical)

• Candidates who are fluent with the combat design choices, systems, mechanics, and enemies in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök (2022)
• Experience with the full development cycle of two or more published triple-A titles

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