Jerryn Goodwin

Game and Level Design

jerryngoodwin@outlook.com


Profile


Seeking full-time position in Level and Game Design

  • Ability to work within a team to develop documentation, schedules, and delegate responsibilities to make exciting games.

  • Excellent communication skills from time as a member of the Armed Forces, as well as a Level and Game Designer at a game development studio.

  • Experienced in senior development roles leading small teams and as a collaborative team member to produce content for games.

  • Unique experience as a competitive gamer, coach and streamer.

  • Over ten years of experience in developing titles from prototypes to released productions.


Professional Experience


Principle Designer [August 2023 – Present]

System Era Softworks

  • Led the team in planning, constructing and maintaining massive, fully explorable and fully deformable voxel-based planets.

  • Created templates for gameplay encounters and dynamic events with randomized experiences.

  • Assisted in the hiring, training and professional development of an Associate Designer to develop gameplay content.

  • Wrote and maintained documentation on the development of area themes, biomes, visual identity, story content and gameplay scenarios in coordination with the Art Director.

  • Developed hub areas to support up to 100 players and worked with the Creative Director, Narrative Director and Design Director to iterate on the play space to accommodate the needs of the gameplay, visual and narrative goals.

  • Designed tutorial spaces with a focus on introducing players to the core mechanics of the game and maintaining the tutorial as systems and mechanics were being iterated.

Senior Designer [March 2020 - August 2023]

Polyarc Games

  • Designed levels with considerable technical limitations and performance concerns to work with various computer hardware and console specifications.

  • Developed and planned boss fight encounters and combat experiences, working with engineers, artists and other designers to facilitate an enjoyable experience.

  • Assisted in implementation of animated and fully voiced narrative sequences to accompany puzzles, combat and other gameplay scenarios.

  • Worked with artists to take designs from block-out to production ready levels.

  • Developed puzzle designs and led playtesting in gathering feedback to improve player experience.

  • Awarded ‘VR Game of the Year’ at the 6th International VR Awards (2022).

  • Won ‘VR Game of the Year’ at The Game Awards for the category of ‘Best VR/AR’ (2022).

Senior Designer I [October 2017 - January 2020]

Playful Studios

  • Developed level layouts and pre-visualization for 3D VR cinematic sidescroller, Starchild

  • Designed level first pass and scripted gameplay scenarios for a VR-focused title.

  • Worked within a team to design levels that encompass a narrative focus and diverse gameplay elements on a strict
    timeline.

  • Created pre-visualization assets for levels to assist environment art team in modular building kits.

  • Designed and led playtesting on multiple arenas for competitive arena style game.

  • Drove development on materials, metrics, and design standards across multiple titles.

  • Helped lead level design and art efforts on unique horror title that showed at Tribeca Film Festival.

 

Freelance Level Designer [April 2016 - October 2017]

Self

  • Created and populated game worlds using assets, materials, and textures from pre-made and self-made sources.

  • Designed and oversaw production of all aspects of environments; from initial top layouts through final production.

  • Consulted and coordinated with experienced artists and designers to achieve lighting, composition and environment layouts relevant to high level design.

  • Produced demonstration materials highlighting level design and execution for presentation.

 

Entertainer [February 2015 - March 2016]

Zeet On Twitch

  • Developed a unique branding with a focus on positive and instructive interactions in online gaming networks.

  • Interacted with viewers to develop relationships with audience and collaborators.

  • Created and managed schedule to deliver consistent content to viewers.

  • Developed a social media presence to inform community members and engage new viewers.

  • Lead level design and game play discussions, breakdowns and best practices to share unique perspective and professional knowledge with consumer audience on games

     

Esports Coach [August 2014 – December 2014]

Nagpur Esports

  • Developed strategies through level design experience by teaching team core concepts of level structure.

  • Assisted in breaking down and organizing pivotal locations in various maps by utilizing level design tools.

  • Created practice maps to assist team in developing key skills to improve their performance.

  • Utilized level knowledge and map flow to enhance team dynamic.

 

Lead Level Designer/Game Designer [August 2012 – July 2013]

Trendy Entertainment

  • Created level layouts, modular environment props, lighting and asset integration for the game Stay'n Alive.

  • Developed a structured asset list and worked within the team to assist in the production of assets and environments.

  • Assisted and coordinated with Project Manager in developing structured game documentation.

  • Communicated needs and technical considerations to art team, animation team, and programming team.

  • Provided final voice over audio for several game characters in Dungeon Defenders 2, including main character, The Apprentice

 

Cinematic Technical Production Assistant and Level Designer

Trendy Entertainment

  • Assisted team in understanding game engine constraints, prop and lighting placement.

  • Incorporated assets, characters and environment props into the engine.

  • Created materials for external video editing.

  • Handled UDK prop and light placement; exported video rendering for Dungeon Defenders 2 cinematic.


SKILLS


  • Proficiency in Unity, Unreal Engine (UE4/5) and third party development tools such as Logic Driver.

  • Mastery of 3ds Max, Microsoft tools, Adobe software suite, documentation and tracking tools such as JIRA and Confluence.

  • Knowledge of tools such as 3D-Coat, Adobe Substance 3D, zBrush, Maya and many others.


Education


Savannah College of Art and Design

Interactive Design and Game Development- BFA Program
Savannah, Ga and Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong