Codename: Kingdoms (Ryse)
Ruffian Games
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Lead Level Designer
Project Overview
Following my work on Crackdown 2, I joined the development of Codename: Kingdoms, a first-person action game set in ancient Rome. The project was being developed by Crytek Budapest and published by Microsoft, with Ruffian Games contracted to prototype and explore multiplayer gameplay.
As Lead Level Designer, I led a small team responsible for producing multiplayer arenas across several game modes. One of our main constraints was to reuse approximately 90% of the existing single-player assets, whilst ensuring that each map maintained its own visual identity.
This was my first leadership role, giving me the opportunity to establish level design standards, mentor other designers and help guide the team through development.
Lead Level Designer
Ruffian Games (now Rockstar Dundee)
CryEngine 3 and Flowgraph Visual Scripting Tools
Xbox 360
Prototype / cancelled iteration
Multiplayer Concept
Responsibilities
As Lead Level Designer, I was responsible for coordinating the team’s multiplayer level design work, establishing quality standards and providing technical support throughout development.
I also contributed directly to level production, working alongside environment artists on scripted sequences and developing a single-player campaign prototype.
Towards the end of the project, we were also tasked with adapting our gameplay prototypes for Microsoft’s Kinect device. I provided additional level design support during this exploration.
- Led and mentored a small team of level designers
- Established level design metrics and quality standards through prototyping
- Designed and developed multiplayer arenas supporting multiple game modes
- Collaborated with artists on scripted in-engine sequences and set pieces
- Designed and scripted a single-player campaign prototype
- Provided technical support and troubleshooting for the engine and development tools
Design Work
Multiplayer: Establishing the Quality Bar
With this being my first leadership role, I chose to lead by example. I began by building a prototype multiplayer arena to establish the desired quality bar, define level metrics and demonstrate how we could work within the project’s asset-reuse constraints.
Once the prototype was complete, I moved into a more supportive role, coaching and mentoring the other level designers as they developed their own arenas. We worked in staggered development phases, allowing me to provide feedback and help each designer reach or exceed the standard established by the initial prototype.
Alongside leading the team, I continued developing several multiplayer levels myself, including Roma, a duel arena built using assets from the single-player campaign.
Single-Player: Egypt Campaign Prototype
Alongside the multiplayer work, I collaborated with several artists on a campaign pitch for a proposed expansion or downloadable content pack.
Set in Egypt, the prototype explored an alternative environment and new enemies to fight. I was responsible for designing and implementing a small playable level, working with the artists to establish its presentation and scripted sequences.
The prototype was developed over approximately six weeks and was one of the last pieces of content I worked on before Ruffian’s involvement in the project ended.
Egypt Concept
Aftermath
Codename: Kingdoms underwent several changes in direction and development teams following Ruffian’s involvement.
The project eventually evolved into Ryse: Son of Rome, released for Xbox One in 2013. By that point, the original first-person concept had become a third-person action game, and was substantially different from the version I’d worked on.
Several years later, I revisited the Roma multiplayer arena as the basis for a Doom level, reinterpreting some of the original design in a completely different game.
You can read more about that project in Enclave of Dis.