LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisauty/

 

Summary

Seasoned level design veteran with over 20 years of professional experience, I have worked on numerous AAA and high profile single and multiplayer games including Counter-Strike, FarCry, Crysis and HUNT: Showdown.

 

Level Design Director, Ubisoft Toronto Inc.

July 2019 – Present

FarCry 6 (Multi-platform)

 

Level Design Director, Crytek GmbH

April 2012 – May 2019

 

Hunt: Showdown (PC)

Forming part of the core team that transitioned HUNT from Crytek Austin and re-booted the project into a unique high tension PvPvE experience. I worked closely with the creative director, studio manager and leads group to develop the title from concept to launch as well as continuous content updates of this early access title.

 

• Worked with core team to re-boot HUNT: Showdown into a first person PvPvE title. Setup core pillars, created and evangelized game direction and created guidelines and pipelines for production.
• Produced and shipped an early vertical slice for E3 2017, publicizing the title at the show and generating hype for the game. Nominated for several best of show awards.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining level design direction for the title, breaking down requirements and ensuring the map development stayed on track.
• Created rules and guidelines for level creation, playtesting and evaluation as well as developing the high tension/player awareness concepts core to HUNT: Showdown.
• Worked closely with art and level design to ensure clearly readable and navigable multiplayer spaces.
• Ran and managed playtesting and feedback sessions.
• Worked with the public facing side of the community, active in forums, dev streams and on discord engaging with our users on a daily basis.
• Worked with marketing and community teams to produce trailers, video content and interviews for press and internal content teams.
• Working telemetry and data gathering teams to analyze the games KPI’s.
• Managed HUNT’s optimization group after EA launch and shipped several performance patches and updates.
• Worked with all departments to ship frequent content and technical deliveries to the community, providing 16 updates in the first year.

 

Crysis 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Responsible for the direction and execution of the Crysis 3 single player campaign, working with a team of 8 level designers with a development period of 18 months from concept to ship. Post Crysis 3, I was responsible for numerous internal projects and demos for full titles, VR as well as re-booting Hunt as an early access title.

• Responsible for design direction and execution of the Crysis 3 single player campaign during a short development cycle on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
• Working closely with the creative director to translate the 7 wonders theme into the single player campaign missions.
• Creating and pitching parts of the game internally and to publishing partners.
• Responsible for delivering various marketing materials, videos, demos and live press event hands on demos at various stages of the project.
• Processing and reacting to feedback from internal and external evaluation, playtests and reviews.
• Responsible for numerous internal pitches and owning new (unannounced) projects in development including VR, early access and existing IP sequels
• Formed part of the core internal team responsible for re-booting Hunt as an early access multiplayer title

 

Lead Level Designer, Crytek GmbH

January 2008 – April 2012

Crysis 2 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

One of four original team members kicking off the title at pre-production and on to production and finalization. Built and mentored a team of 18 level designers responsible for mission planning, building and maintaining missions during the development of Crysis 2 as Crytek’s first title to be shipped on consoles as well as PC.

• Mentoring and encouraging a large team of level designers from conception to production of a AAA title.
• Worked closely with lead designer, story writer and gameplay producer to ensure single player campaign shipped to quality including narrative design, game mechanics, objectives and pacing.
• Responsible for translating the open sandbox of Crysis 1 to urban, console friendly environments with the same feeling of freedom.
• Contributing to game design and primary owner of quality within the level design department.
• Responsible for managing and actively profiling technical performance on three platforms as well as documenting, educating and mentoring designers and others to achieve performance milestones.
• Working with story writers, creative director and game designers on planning and implementing game missions and improving them based on feedback, focus tests and internal reviews.
• Primary client to the art department, working closely with them to develop the lighting model, structuring architecture and polishing environments to achieve the desired mood and look of the game.
• Technical liaison to internal RnD and Code departments, ensuring technical guidelines are met and troubleshooting tech issues and transitioning CryEngine to a multi-platform development.
• Responsible for personal appraisals, interviews and other management tasks within the department.

 Lead multiplayer designer, Crytek GmbH
July 2004 – January 2008

 

Crysis (PC)

Responsible for providing the multiplayer content of Crysis with a small team working from scratch to design, produce and balance the game within 8 months. In addition, working on various parts of the single player campaign including the final carrier mission of Crysis and providing support to rest of the development team where necessary.

• Managed a small team to produce a AAA quality multiplayer experience in under 8 months.
• Adjusting game balance and rolling out new game features based on playtest feedback and group analysis.
• Working with a design team to create, iterate and balance multiplayer levels.
• Organized internal and external play-testing of the multiplayer component of Crysis.
• Designed and managed UI and interface deliverables for the game.
• Worked tightly with art to create clear, readable and structured enviroments.
• Worked closely with various departments to execute the needs within the multiplayer department.
• Responsible for personal appraisals, interviews and other management tasks within the department.

 

Level Designer/Associate Producer, Crytek GmbH
July 2003 – July 2004

FarCry (PC)

After joining Crytek, I worked closely with the lead designer to design and develop a simple multiplayer component to FarCry with a small team in less than 6 months. During my time I took on more production roles to help ship the full title and support other departments as well as working with Ubisoft to gather and implement feedback and close the title for shipping.

• Designed and developed a simple multiplayer component for FarCry.
• Ran playtests, created design documentation and implemented balancing.
• Organized the multiplayer design department and worked with the publisher in gathering and implementing feedback.
• Provided organizational support, feedback and additional management to the game team during the shipping process.
• Attended various press and launch events showcasing the tools, game and promoting the studio to potential partners.
• Working with production to triage issues and organize finalization
• Physically transported gold master discs to Ubisoft in Paris

 

Contractual Level designer for Valve software LLC
July 2000 – June 2003

Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat (PC)

• Produced and maintained a number of independently developed levels for Counter-Strike and Day of Defeat mods, published by Valve
• Highly active community member, participating in public play tests, interviews and other community activities
• Bug fixed and supported map balancing
• Produced several Day of Defeat maps including dod_chemille and dod_bunker

 

 Level designer at Gearbox software LLC
August 2001 – April 2002

Counter-Strike: Condition Zero (PC)

Produced several new maps for Counter-Strike that were designed to be played online or offline with single player bots. I was one of several community developers working with Gearbox to deliver new content for the game and later providing multiplayer missions for Bond 007: Nightfire.

• Worked with a team of 10 developers to create several missions for Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
• Play tested, provided feedback and collaborated on missions included in the releases
• Designed, built and maintained missions and collaborated with other designers on missions as well as playtesting and providing feedback and suggestions
• Worked independently off site to develop a several multiplayer missions for Bond 007: Nightfire on behalf of Gearbox and EA.

 

Level Designer at Counter-Strike Mod
May 1999 – June 2003

Counter-Strike (PC)

Working with the creators of Counter-Strike, I designed a built several official maps and various competitive maps for Half-Life: Counter-Strike. Active from Counter-Strike Beta 6 until retail release of version 1.6, I created 5 official maps for the game.

• Independently designed, created and maintained a number of poplar official levels for the worlds most popular online FPS title (de_aztec, de_inferno, cs_thunder, de_vertigo)
• Established rules and preferences for developing successful Counter-Strike missions
• Participated in online testing and feedback for missions tested publicly.
• Responsible for all art, design, balance and sound elements of levels.
• Created several of the most played missions released with the title
• Produced a number of official maps for one of the first large prize competitive tournaments – CPL (Cyber-Athlete Professional League) $250,000 tournament. These included: de_clan1_mill and de_clan2_fire.
• Active in the community, participating in interviews, sponsored events and community gatherings.

 

References available upon request