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 eight years of experience in developing titles from prototypes to released productions.


Professional Experience


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.

 

Enlisted Armed Forces Member [March 2006 – July 2010]

United States Air Force

  • Created comprehensive documentation for security and movement within a highly classified zone.

  • Developed the working schedule for multiple security members and civilian contractors.

  • Worked with various military and civilian officials to control movement for many high security areas.

  • Communicated with civilian organizations in the maintenance and repair of high value, high security military assets.

Competitive Gamer [May 2001 – July 2005]

Counter-Strike

  • Worked within a small team to maintain performance by organizing practice, develop strategies and research opponents.

  • Created and maintained a server for practice and scrimmages.

  • Learned various systems of game design to better integrate game play skills within the team.

  • Recruited individuals to fit within specific roles on the team to enhance performance of the team dynamic.

  • Unique experience and dedication to a game to better understand how the core loop of game play can create a lasting product.


PROFICIENCIES:


Proficiency in Unity, Unreal Engine (UE4), Game Maker Studio, Construct 2, Game Salad and Source Engine.

- Layouts for both Singleplayer and Multiplayer levels, terrain generation, level art, lighting, project management, import/export of assets.

Mastery of 3ds Max, Microsoft tools and Photoshop.

-Development, communication and iteration tools for development.

Mastery of 3ds Max and Photoshop.

- Basic texturing, atlas splitting for texture sheets, UVs, retopology, 3D pre-vis model creation.

Knowledge of tools such as the Quixel Suite, 3D-Coat, Marmoset Toolbag, World Machine, XNormals, Substance Designer/Painter, zBrush, Maya and many others.

- Adjust and edit any texture authoring project using external tools, normals generation, basic sculpting, advanced terrain generation and vista creation. Maintain understanding of cutting edge development tools in a production environment.


Education


Savannah College of Art and Design

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