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Release Date: October 2nd, 2025
Platform: Playstation 5
Role: Technical Level Designer (Jan 2025 - Oct 2025)

Ghost of Yōtei is a large-scale open-world action experience focused on traversal, exploration, environmental storytelling, and fluid gameplay navigation. As a Technical Level Designer, I supported gameplay implementation across architectural spaces, traversal-heavy environments, challenge locations, and mission gameplay systems. My work focused on traversal readability, collision and navigation support, gameplay metrics, environmental rigging, and technical gameplay integration throughout the singleplayer experience.

Responsibilities

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Gameplay Systems

  • Traversal & parkour implementation

  • Collision modeling

  • Navigation/Pathing support

  • Gameplay metrics implementation and validation

  • Environmental gameplay rigging

  • Technical bug fixing

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Gameplay Systems

  • Architectural gameplay implementation

  • Modular building support

  • Traversal and readability reviews

  • Gameplay support volumes

  • Mission-state compatitbility​

Tools:

• Proprietary Sucker Punch Engine • Custom Tools • Maya • Jira • Perforce​

TECHNICAL DESIGN GOALS

Core Focus Areas​

  • Maintain readable traversal and navigation flow across architectural and challenge spaces

  • Support gameplay functionality within complex architectural spaces

  • Ensure gameplay metrics remained consistent across traversal-heavy content

Technical Responsibilities​

  • Traversal and parkour systems and implementation

  • Collision and Navigation implementation

  • Gameplay support systems

  • Environmental interaction support

  • Architectural gameplay functionality

  • Technical reviews and gameplay  debugging

Gameplay Integration and Architecture Support

Gameplay spaces and environmental systems were continuously iterated on throughout development to improve readability, traversal flow, technical stability, and gameplay consistency.

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Areas of Focus

  • Collision setup and gameplay navigation

  • Traversal and parkour support

  • Navigation readability

  • Gameplay metrics consistency

  • Modular architectural systems

  • Mission-state compatibility

Modular Building Support

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I reviewed and corrected modular building setups across gameplay spaces and mission content

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Responsibilities

  • Supported mod functionality and implementation for varying building themes and layouts

  • Implementing and maintaining rigging & collision set ups

  • Supporting and debugging mission state functionality across architecture assets

Traversal and Navigation reviews

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I conducted gameplay and technical reviews across challenge spaces, traversal routes, and mission-critical gameplay locations. I reviewed things like ascender/grapple placement, traversal flow, collision conflicts, navigation readability, etc.

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Design Intent

  • Traversal remains intuitive

  • Navigation paths stayed readable

  • Gameplay spaces supported smooth player movement

  • environmental complexity did not negatively impact gameplay clarity

SYSTEM INTEGRATION

Systems implementation​

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As part of my architecture rigging work I implemented systems such as:

  • Camera zones

  • Lighting probes

  • Horse restriction volumes

  • Traversal support volumes

  • Gameplay interaction volumes

  • Interior gameplay behaviors​​

Cultural Sensitivity ​

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Part of my work involved supporting gameplay restrictions and environmental systems surrounding culturally sensitive architectural and religious assets.​

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Responsibilities

  • Preventing inappropriate gameplay interactions (climbing on shrines, damaging religious figures, etc)

  • Implementing fire restrictions near sensitive assets

  • Balancing gameplay support with performance constraints

Reflections and Takeaways

Working on Ghost of Yōtei strengthened my understanding of how gameplay systems, traversal implementation, and environmental design must work together to support readable and immersive player experiences across large-scale open-world environments.

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The project reinforced the importance of gameplay metrics, technical consistency, and cross-discipline collaboration when supporting gameplay functionality within highly detailed production environments.

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