Roles · Game Designer · Senior
9 core skills, 45 in total. Expectations per skill, and what changes at the next level.
This page lists what a Senior } 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 complex AI systems: utility-based AI for strategic decisions, GOAP for autonomous NPCs, director AI for dynamic difficulty. Creates AI characters with convincing behavior and emotional responses. Optimizes AI performance for hundreds of simultaneous agents.
Designs data-driven game design process: predictive models for retention, churn prediction, LTV segmentation. Builds custom dashboards for game health monitoring. Uses ML models for optimizing matchmaking, difficulty, personalized offers.
Designs complex economic systems: multi-currency economy, dynamic pricing, auction house, player-to-player trading. Builds economic models with Monte Carlo simulation. Prevents exploitation and inflation. Balances F2P economy for LTV optimization without harming player experience.
Designs systemic mechanics: emergent gameplay, dynamic difficulty, procedural content generation. Creates mechanics that teach — intuitive systems that educate through gameplay. Designs cross-system interactions for deep gaming experience. Evaluates novel mechanics through rapid prototyping.
Designs complex narrative systems: emergent storytelling, procedural narrative, systemic storytelling through gameplay. Creates narrative direction for the entire project. Manages narrative scope and pacing for 20+ hour experience. Ensures coherent world-building.
Designs complex physics systems: soft body physics, fluid simulation, custom physics for unique mechanics. Optimizes physics for production: deterministic physics for multiplayer, physics LOD, async physics. Creates physics design guidelines for the team.
Designs comprehensive QA strategy for the game project: automated testing framework, performance testing, compatibility testing. Creates playtesting methodology: participant recruitment, session design, data analysis. Implements continuous testing in the development pipeline.
Designs game UX strategy: UI framework, accessibility standards (WCAG for games), platform-specific UX. Creates design system for UI components. Implements data-driven UX optimization through analytics and A/B tests. Ensures seamless experience from first launch to endgame.
Designs level design methodology for the project: level art pipeline, world-building approach, metrics-driven layout. Creates open world structure: POI distribution, exploration rewards, seamless transitions. Applies psychological principles: flow state, curiosity loops, surprise/delight.
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 Senior to Lead. The biggest jumps first.
} in the open competency matrix: 45 skills across 5 levels. The matrix is free for individuals and stays free.