Roles · Game Designer · Junior
9 core skills, 45 in total. Expectations per skill, and what changes at the next level.
This page lists what a Junior } is expected to know and do, skill by skill. Core skills are the ones a manager and peers assess in a review cycle; the rest count only in self-assessment. Main areas: Game Development.
Grouped by area. The label on the right is the expected depth: Awareness, Working, Advanced or Expert.
Designs basic NPC behavior: patrolling, chasing, attacking. Uses finite state machines to describe AI logic in GDD. Tests AI behavior in Unity/Unreal prototypes and iterates parameters to improve player experience.
Understands basic game analytics metrics: DAU, MAU, retention D1/D7/D30, session length. Sets up simple analytics events in the game: level_start, level_complete, purchase. Reads basic reports and dashboards to evaluate player behavior.
Designs basic economic systems: currencies, resources, shop, level rewards. Creates simple balance tables in Google Sheets with progression formulas. Understands sink/source concepts, inflation, and resource deficit in game economies.
Designs basic game mechanics: movement systems, interactions, character progression. Creates game design documents (GDD) describing the core loop. Tests mechanics in Unity/Unreal prototypes and iterates based on playtest feedback.
Creates basic narrative elements: quest descriptions, NPC dialogues, lore entries, item descriptions. Understands game narrative structure: main story, side quests, environmental storytelling. Writes tutorial and onboarding text with player guidance in mind.
Understands basic physics systems in games: collision detection, rigidbody, triggers, raycasting. Configures physical parameters for proper game feel: gravity, friction, bounciness. Tests physics in prototypes and iterates for comfortable controls.
Conducts playtesting of basic mechanics: checks game feel, balance, found bugs. Creates bug reports with clear reproduction steps and expected/actual behavior. Participates in QA process: smoke testing new builds, regression testing after fixes.
Understands core game UX principles: player feedback loops, input responsiveness, and HUD readability. Creates basic UI mockups and wireframes following established design patterns. Follows team standards for menu flow, tutorial design, and accessibility considerations in game interfaces.
Creates basic levels: graybox blockouts, simple layouts considering player flow. Understands level design principles: leading lines, landmarks, pacing. Uses editor tools (Unity ProBuilder, Unreal BSP) for rapid prototyping. Tests levels and iterates.
Not assessed by the team, but part of the self-assessment and the development plan.
45 skills get a higher expectation or become core when moving from Junior to Mid-level. The biggest jumps first.
} in the open competency matrix: 45 skills across 5 levels. The matrix is free for individuals and stays free.