Roles: Game Designer, Level Designer, Lead Artist
OUTFOX GAMES - Internship (August 2022 - May 2023), Full Time (June 2023 - Present)
Ritual Night is an online 4-6 multiplayer party game with social deduction, deception, and cooperative rituals! Players must gather ingredients throughout the party and perform a ritual to summon Cthulhu, meanwhile pesky humans roam in disguise, plotting to disrupt the ritual party!
My Responsibilities
Game Design
Assisted in designing and iterating on the project’s core social deduction gameplay loop.
Led playtesting sessions and documented playtest feedback data.
Provided solutions to ensure gameplay quality with reference to the project’s gameplay direction.
Level Design
I worked on two of the game’s levels leading 2D layout design and environment art direction. One of the other levels I led its design from start to completion.
Designed and implemented interactable mechanics for the unique to a map for gameplay variety and narrative beats.
Art
Led the team’s art production process, establishing art style direction and ensured that art assets are to the quality and style standards that we have set.
Designed and created over 200+ assets for the game’s characters, environment art and UI.
Work included sprite animation, environmental setpieces and props as well as UI icons and logos.
I was tasked with authoring Ritual Night’s 2nd map from start to completion. This gave me the opportunity to learn the full process of game level production, which included work on:
Pre-production research and concept. Establishing visual references and narrative connections to Ritual Night’s core plot and themes.
Layout design and iteration, ideating new spaces and unique mechanics to pitch and prototype in engine.
Conducting playtest sessions to find correlation between intended strategies and adjusting based on player feedback.
Creating the Carnival Map
Latest iteration of the Spook Fest Carnival map.
Level Design Process
With creating the 2nd map for Ritual Night, it was important that I maintained consistency to the game’s core feel while also offering fresh spaces for players to explore and use for strategy. The Carnival map was chosen to emphasize Ritual Night’s casual party theme and use the unique carnival rides to offer players interesting ways to navigate space and create new chokepoints for its hide-and-seek gameplay beats.
I contributed towards the production of the Cthulhu’s Mansion level after prior first pass work of another designer. I ensured that the map met the design goals of being an introductory map for players while honing in on the game’s visual and narrative direction.
My work on Cthulhu’s Mansion included
Designing layout and theming of unique rooms with respect to narrative and facilitate hide-and-seek gameplay.
Implement gameplay mechanics such as the Jail, objective encounter locations and design vision blockers.
Lead the environment art direction to create a consistent atmosphere and mood for Cthulhu’s Mansion.
I iterated on the design throughout stages of development while looking to these pillars.
Working on Cthulhu’s Mansion
Initial layout that we had for Cthulhu’s Mansion prior to my involvement in layout adjustments and environment art direction.
Eventually I was given the responsibility of the map’s environmental deails and art. This is when I fully pushed to hone in on the Mansion’s interior space and build a sense of character with each unique room and corner of the map, emphasizing the mysterious yet playful tone of Ritual Night. Being in charge of both layout and environment art, I was able to connect layout and visual design to have more compelling spaces. One of my favorite areas in the map is the lower left wing, establishing a sense of depth and verticality while creating unique visuals for the Observatory and Dungeon.
Latest mansion layout, work included layout iteration, objective encounter placements and environment art direction.
Layout and Environment Art
When I started work on Cthulhu’s Mansion, I was given the task to make changes to its layout based on playtest feedback while fulfilling the goals of creating an introductory level that honed in on the game’s thematics and core gameplay loop. When I started in August 2022, I mostly began work on creating unique rooms for the mansion, designing specific layout and thematics for each one.
My early work on the mansion was to create unique rooms, designing smaller spaces that emphasizes hide and seek elements and atmosphere.
I was also given the task to design a lobby space for when players queued into the game. Acting as a mini-hub space players waiting for the game could:
Practice Ritual Night’s various partygames.
Purchase and equip cosmetics from a physical in-game shop.
Walk around and interact with other players
See announcements or player stats on an in-game prop.
Lobby Hub Design
Visual Direction
I was also in charge of Ritual Night’s visual direction. As a visual artist, I led the production of over 200+ environment and character assets found in the game.
I also designed the game’s Playable and NPC character, establishing style and quality guidelines for the team.
As the lead artist, it was important for me to fully communicate the Creative Director’s intent for the game’s overall mood and tone through the game’s art assets. This involved pitching visual design concepts and creating art guideline documents to unite the team under a strong visual direction that delivered Ritual Night’s playful, cartoony yet mysterious horror feel.
From references to classic Cartoon Network shows and 80’s scifi cover illustrations, Ritual Night’s visuals aim to deliver a unique blend of aesthetics that oozes fun and mystery for players.
Character design notes and guidelines for both Player and NPC characters.
