Skull & Bones
Senior Product Designer & Team Lead (Associate Lead Level Designer)
Transitioning out of the Assassin's Creed franchise, I had an opportunity in designing immersive and dynamic naval environments that balanced exploration and combat challenges across different ship sizes in this open-world pirate adventure; the first AAA title led by a studio in Singapore.
Here are some key highlights:
In Summary
Key Contributions:
- Led a team of designers in conceptualizing and executing mixed-use in-game environments to balance exploratory and combat-focused challenges and player engagement across different ship sizes in a pirate-themed open-world environment.
- Took the team through the final approval process for the 'World Lock' milestone, ensuring timely completion of key deliverables while maintaining high product quality and ensuring alignment with product vision and user expectations.
- Co-developed and presented scalable workflows for level design that accommodated a globally distributed live-service production pipeline.
- Coordinated with global teams to develop and iterate on core gameplay features and set the benchmark for expected levels of quality.
- Provided mentorship and technical guidance to junior designers, ensuring adherence to game design principles.
Designing Naval Levels • Leadership and Management • Additional Contributions
Designing Naval Levels - East Indies
I started my journey on Skull & Bones as a Level Designer, crafting key locations in the East Indies region. Growing up in the real-world places that inspired this setting, I had the unique opportunity to bring a personal and creative touch to the in-game adaptation. Over time, I was promoted to Associate Lead Level Designer, where I took on a broader role, overseeing the team's work in shaping the East Indies region and ensuring a cohesive, immersive player experience.
Mixed-Use Environment Design
Key Contributions:
- Led a team in conceptualizing and executing levels that supported both exploration and naval combat; supporting the demands of the game loop.
- Designed environments to cater to various ship sizes, ensuring balanced encounters across different gameplay styles.
- Focused on player engagement by creating dynamic spaces that encouraged strategic play.
Leadership and Management
Skull & Bones marked my first official leadership role, where I was entrusted with leading a team and guiding them through the project's development. This experience allowed me to refine my management skills, foster collaboration, and drive the team toward delivering high-quality content.
Milestone & Workflow Management
Key Contributions:
- Guided the team through the final approval process for the 'World Lock' milestone, ensuring timely completion of high-quality deliverables.
- Developed scalable workflows to accommodate a globally distributed live-service pipeline.
- Coordinated with global teams to iterate on core gameplay features and set quality benchmarks.
Mentorship & Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
Key Contributions:
- Provided mentorship and technical guidance to junior designers, strengthening the team's design capabilities.
- Worked closely with other disciplines, including engineering and art, to ensure seamless integration of design elements.
Additional Contributions:
- Conducted level design reviews, offering feedback to improve quality and cohesion.
- Assisted in refining gameplay mechanics based on playtest feedback.
- Maintained documentation to ensure consistency in design approach across the team.
Skull and Bones is a 2024 action-adventure game that revolves around piracy and naval warfare with a fantastical setting centred around the Indian Ocean during the late 17th century, the peak of the historical Golden Age of Piracy. It was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on February 16, 2024.