Who is Zipper? Developers of the SOCOM:

U.S. Navy SEALs franchise on PlayStation 2

Created Crimson Skies and Mechwarrior 3 on PC (remember that old platform?)

Based in Redmond, Washington

150 Developers from around the world

Who am I? Creative Director at Zipper Interactive Lead Designer on SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo

I & II of PSP Prior to Zipper, worked on Tom Clancy’s

Splinter Cell and the Harry Potter series A level and game designer for over a

decade The only one not looking at the camera in a

group shot with 150 people.

“Old School” Level Design?

FINAL PRODUCT(APPLAUSE)

ART CODE DESIGN

LEVEL DESIGN

What is level design really?

FINAL PRODUCT(APPLAUSE)

ART CODE DESIGN

LEVEL DESIGN

CREATING THE TOOLS

CRAFTING THE EXPERIENCE

Modern Practices?

FINAL PRODUCT

ART

CODE

LEVEL DESIGN

LEVEL DESIGN

DESIGN

BRING ORDER TO CHAOS

Initi

al D

esig

n Polish

Why the change?

Arms race of “Spectacle”

Why the change?

Cost of development

Arms race of “Spectacle”

Why the change?

Cost of development

Increased team sizes

Arms race of “Spectacle”

Why the change?

Cost of development

Increased team sizes

Separation of specialities

Arms race of “Spectacle”

Why the change?

Cost of development

Increased team sizes

Separation of specialities

Arms race of “Spectacle”

WELCOME TO

HOLLYWOOD

Get me out of here!

Wait…it’s not all bad. Level designers may not be “Where the rubber hits the road” -- Tim Willits

as much, but they have several critical functions!

Level designers must:

•Be the player’s advocate in the development process

Level designers must:

•Be the player’s advocate in the development process

•Maintain that realism is not the end goal of a game (remember authantasy)

Level designers must:

•Be the player’s advocate in the development process

•Maintain that realism is not the end goal of a game (remember authantasy)

•Be the one to combine mundane ingredients in creative ways

Level designers must:

•Be the player’s advocate in the development process

•Maintain that realism is not the end goal of a game (remember authantasy)

•Be the one to combine mundane ingredients in creative ways

•Tell the story through interactivity – the heart of our medium

The “lunch special” paradigm:

My dad’s opening premise for new clients:

• Done well• Done fast• Done cheap

… but they can only pick two

As a level designer, everyone seems like a client