Vulcain666 - Level Designer/Prototyper (update: April 4th)

[Vulcain666]

Hey all. I'm starting my own portfolio thread in the hopes of getting feedback from the pros. I'm a fresh LD student soon out of Campus Ubisoft. I'm still a fairly new mapper so feel free to comment and give suggestions. I have to say, it's a little intimidating to see all these beautiful levels you guys are making. But it's quite inspiring! As you will shortly notice, I'm more of a designer/technical dude than an artist.

Name: Luis Valdivieso
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Age: 25
Short term goal: become a junior level designer (or a prototyper/gameplay core mechanics system designer, as it is becoming a specialty)
Mid term goal: become a senior or a lead level designer.
Long term goal: become one of the best game designers out there.

Education
2008-2009 Campus Ubisoft (AEC)
Intensive Level Design Program
Past: diploma in Fine Arts (DEC)

Skills

• Level Design, Rational Level Design
• Advanced scripting in Source Engine
• Prototyping
• Technical drawing, illustration, environment and character design
• Storyboarding, critical playtesting

Software

• Valve Source Engine & Hammer Editor (advanced)
• Electron Game Engine Neverwinter Nights 2 (intermediate)
• Unreal Editor (beginner)
• 3DS max (Intermediate)
• Photoshop (advanced)
• Flash (intermediate)
• Google SketchUp! (advanced)
• Power point (advanced)
• Word/Excel (advanced)

Demo Reel: (updated march 30th 09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3alrpDRi7c

First Portal map:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjSZcxv2 ... re=channel

Prefabs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmD71rY4kxc

Student Project:
This is a mod we are currently working on (in production). Here are some screenshots of one of my levels. The textures are temporary and some of the models, props and animations are still missing.








Neverwinter Nights 2: coming soon!
UnrealEd:
Little Big Planet:

Works (might add links and images in the near future)

• co-created Sigma Conspiracy’ GDD
• Core gameplay mechanics designer for Sigma's Conspiracy
• Prototyped a TPS camera system, an inventory system, a melee combat system with camera lock system within the Hammer Editor
• Designed the characters, enemies, maps and storyboard for Apocalypse Montreal and Time Cop (mini game projects)
• Created a Portal map pack
• Designed and build a level for the Prison Planet project
• Level Designer on Sunshine Circus (graduating project)
• Scripted entire boss fights (simulated AI on an npc and a prop dynamic)
• Made various scripting tutorials for the class

Languages

• English
• French
• Spanish

Contact:
PM or email:
suikoden_pesmerga@hotmail.com
luis_valdivieso_dawson@yahoo.com

[Penney]

Everything seems kind of bland....

but you sure have amazing sequences, some great ideas to work from, but you will need to refine them, still. It's a good start, just from a different angle.

[no00dylan]

Wow dude, you've got a lot of really cool work with logic and such, you seem like a great guy to map out the gameplay aspects of maps

[ThePain]

So I'm checking out the link to your Portal video right...

First Portal map:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjSZcxv2 ... re=channel

So first I see the post

omarsalem91 (2 days ago) 0 Reply | Spam
This is great! I don't see why your portfolio on interlopers has such a bad rating.

And THEN I see

EvilLuisito (2 days ago) Reply
Probably because 14 year old kids don't know the difference yet between a level designer and an environmental artist. They'll be surprised to know that it's actually the modelers' job to make the levels look pretty.

Nice one there buddy. You know if you comment in your own video your name/comment has yellow around it, right?

Just saying to be careful you know, when you call the people at this website children because we didn't give you 5 stars.



I also liked your scripting, the laser beam with the camera mounted on it was especially impressive.

[Penney]

don't say things that will burn bridges especially in this business, if you want to take it seriously as a career,

example, don't flip out on your boss and tell him hes a piece of shit and quit.
Don't talk trash about your peers

Why? the next time you need a reference, or these people already work for the person who might hire you, they may be asked "what do you think about so and so?", "well hes a bit of a douche, smart guy, but can say some real mean things sometimes that just don't fly with "i and I""

It's just not a good habit.

Also, it really wouldn't hurt to try and pick up modeling either since a lot of level designers are getting in touch with it. If you do have it, programs like Hammer- (I can really only speak for it since it's the only program I have a good amount of experience with) -are your oyster, especially since you can easily create props/models that you imagined yourself would fit perfectly with what you have in mind, perhaps you can't come up with everything, but particular crates that fit the theme rather then generic old wooden boxes

:win:

still, I like your radical scripting and new ideas.

[MrTwoVideoCards]

don't say things that will burn bridges especially in this business, if you want to take it seriously as a career,

example, don't flip out on your boss and tell him hes a piece of shit and quit.
Don't talk trash about your peers

Why? the next time you need a reference, or these people already work for the person who might hire you, they may be asked "what do you think about so and so?", "well hes a bit of a douche, smart guy, but can say some real mean things sometimes that just don't fly with "i and I""

It's just not a good habit.

Also, it really wouldn't hurt to try and pick up modeling either since a lot of level designers are getting in touch with it. If you do have it, programs like Hammer- (I can really only speak for it since it's the only program I have a good amount of experience with) -are your oyster, especially since you can easily create props/models that you imagined yourself would fit perfectly with what you have in mind, perhaps you can't come up with everything, but particular crates that fit the theme rather then generic old wooden boxes

:win:

still, I like your radical scripting and new ideas.

You are now the Dr.Phil of the Interlopers Forums, I hope your happy.

[Vulcain666]

Updated

Here's a new version if you guys care. I textured and lighted the map. Also tried to cut down (in vain). The statues, decals, buttons and cubes you will see are courtesy of my classmate Carlos.

New demo reel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kUb_OWG3bY

Prefabs I made for fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmD71rY4kxc

That's actually a debug tool I created as a prefab.

Nice one there buddy. You know if you comment in your own video your name/comment has yellow around it, right?

Just saying to be careful you know, when you call the people at this website children because we didn't give you 5 stars.

I also liked your scripting, the laser beam with the camera mounted on it was especially impressive.

haha, don't worry man. I was hoping some of you see that comment. I didn't mean to offend anyone. Actually, it was a debate or discussion I was hoping to have. I had the idea to create a thread about lever designers vs environmental artists. A thread were we would discuss what was a level designer's job, what currently is a level designer's job, and what will our job be in the future. It's actually a discussion we've had in class many times before. What I understood from my year at school is that the level designer job is currently not 100% defined (unlike animators and programmers for example). I learned that there are many different types of level designers. Some are more balanced, others are more specialized. Either in the artistic side or the technical side.

Anyway, like I said I'm still a student so I need feedback for my reel. :] Usually demo reels are around 1 to 2 minutes long. So I have to cut a lot! Thank you all for your comments. Especially dr.Phil there. I really appreciate it. Any suggestions on what else I should show and what I should cut?

I can't stand the sephirot music anymore. :/ I'll probably have to change that as well...

[Penney]

naw dr phill would be like "YOU! Have a problem, you have demons you need to face, all this hate towards these people only shows your envy..."

[YokaI]

EvilLuisito (2 days ago) Reply
Probably because 14 year old kids don't know the difference yet between a level designer and an environmental artist. They'll be surprised to know that it's actually the modelers' job to make the levels look pretty.

Clearly you are misinformed. The point of having a portfolio is to get a job. You won't get a job as a level designer or environmental artist unless you can do both. People at companies don't look for one trick ponies, you need to get your feet wet in a bit of everything. At least, I've been told this by a few friends at Gamedev when I was discussing the matter. And clearly, with a comment like this, you really AREN'T up for feedback.

There's a difference, yes, but you will really need to prove yourself in both fields to show that, while you may prefer one over the other, you understand both aspects of level design in aesthetics and gameplay. That is key when designing your own portfolio pieces imo. Often times you have to design the gameplay based on the visuals. Visual indications are necessary for the player to understand the objective. Things as simple as having fire marks on crates in bombsites (CS:S) or slightly opened doors to distinguish that door from the rest (HL2 / Single Player) can make a huge difference in game fluidity. From the video, you really need to work on your use of signs and symbols. In no way could a player indicate the goal of your map instantly, and would need to toy around far much more than the puzzle should require. My 2 cents.


Edit: By the way, a 3 out of 5 isn't a poor rating at all. It's all the schools system's fault for this, people automatically assume that ~50 percent, or in this case 60 percent, isn't "passing", while speaking artistically it means you are half way to your goal, which is GOOD.

I had the idea to create a thread about lever designers vs environmental artists. A thread were we would discuss what was a level designer's job, what currently is a level designer's job, and what will our job be in the future. It's actually a discussion we've had in class many times before. What I understood from my year at school is that the level designer job is currently not 100% defined (unlike animators and programmers for example). I learned that there are many different types of level designers. Some are more balanced, others are more specialized. Either in the artistic side or the technical side.

I do like the way you are trying to assess what type of level designer you are. Hell, I will admit right now that balancing and aesthetics are both important to me, but aesthetics are much easier for me to achieve. We've had this discussion about the difference between level designers / environment artists many times on this forum. A thread about what type of designer you personally are, however, is a much better idea since I haven't seen it done here before.

Again though, people who are only good at 1 thing are extremely expendable. It's better that you focus on one thing, yes, but make sure you get your feet on many different steps of level production so you can prove to your employees that you can help smooth the development process with an understand of how the two relate. You understand what I am getting at?


I hope I am not coming off as being too hostile, but I am disappointed by your response to the rating system. I hope I helped more than flamed, because that's what I want to do.

[no00dylan]

like the new demo reel, you've got the gameplay aspect down, now all you have to do is get the visuals.

[Vulcain666]

Wow, thanks yokaI! That's exactly what I wanted to hear, your opinions! And if it needed a little bit of controversy to get there then I'm glad I made such a stupid comment. :]

That's very interesting to hear because we were told almost the opposite.Well, from what I understand, the smaller the company, the more balanced the level designers should be. The bigger the company, the more specialized they want people to be. I know the level designer job is currently changing. It is becoming something else. In some companies, they have texturers and lighting artists that are extremely good at what they do. I also know for a fact that EA has a whole team of prototypers that do nothing but scripting, testing and tweaking gameplay.

I will agree with you, however, on the fact that it is to our advantage to get our feet wet in a little bit of everything. That's pretty much what we did. I may not show it on the demoreel, but I do know how to draw, model and animate. We didn't study too much architecture however. I think that's a bit unfortunate. We didn't touch too much on the artistic side either. Our teachers always made it clear that in the industry, the artists take care of the aesthetics. The designer's job is to plan, communicate, create space and gameplay. And that's what we've been told all a long from every single teacher. 2 of our teachers are well experienced LDs and one of them works at Ubisoft. So I believe what they say.

However, I do think it depends on the territory and on the company you apply for.

From the video, you really need to work on your use of signs and symbols. In no way could a player indicate the goal of your map instantly, and would need to toy around far much more than the puzzle should require

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm taking notes. :) Yes, I've discovered that one of the hardest things for level designers is to guide the player and to measure difficulty.

I will post pictures tomorrow.