Generation Zero

DLC Production

Since its release in 2019, "Generation Zero" has relied on "live service" DLCs. This means that new features are available for free to all players in their basic functionality, and further related content can be purchased via DLC packs.

My Tasks

During that year, I was able to deepen my knowledge in very different areas of game design.

My technical skills, ability to quickly learn new systems, and general enthusiasm for the product itself made it easier for me to handle the wide range of tasks.

including:

• Enemy, Companion & Combat Design

• DLC & Content Integration

• UI & UX

Soviet Rival "Firebird Reaper"

• • Boss/Encounter Design

  • Integrationplan

The game's storyline envisions the player having to contend with two factions over time: FNIX and the "Soviet Union." The "Soviet Union" faction lacked a definitive final boss to provide an additional challenge.

The idea arose to develop the "Firebird" mythologically, drawing from the Slavic legend of the "Firebird."

The complete game design document, encompassing user experience and gameplay diversity, various combat progression models, in-game mockups, spawning conditions, the AI ​​behavior tree, enemy skills and abilities, loot drops, department dependencies, and more, was finalized.

Due to political developments, the entire focus on continuing the "Soviet Union" faction's story in "Generation Zero" was abandoned, and the "Firebird Reaper" was never implemented.

Companion, Companion Workstation & Appearance DLC

• • Armor Design

  • Sound Design

  • UI/UX Design

The "Machine Companion" was a large-scale feature designed by multiple designers and disciplines. The goal was to provide players, who were largely playing alone, with a companion.

The "questline" required players to make an enemy machine friendly by replacing a "personality chip." Once this was accomplished, the "dog-like" machine could accompany the player.

Functionality ranged from various combat abilities, enemy reconnaissance, and an expanded inventory to tricks that could be taught to the "Machine Companion."

All of this could be configured by players via a user interface on a "Companion Workbench," a 3D world object.

Achieving this in the short development time of only 2.5 months required considerable coordination.

Quick Communication - "Ping Wheele"

• • Game Design

  • UI/UX Design

The goal of the "Ping Wheel" was to create a simple solution for players to communicate quickly and easily in combat and to set navigation points in the world without microphones. It was designed to be easy to use for both mouse and keyboard and controller players.

including:

• Context-sensitive 3D world markers, "QuickPing," which other players could react to.

• A flood protection design to prevent unwanted activity in the online game.

• An editable user interface that was similar to other UI elements in the game.

• Later, additional interaction options were added to assign tasks to the machine companion.

Unfortunately, due to its scope, the feature was repeatedly postponed and ultimately not implemented.

DLC & Content Integration

• Weapon Skins DLC - Advanced Intelligence Cosmetics Pack

The "Advanced Intelligence Cosmetics Pack" was a DLC bundle that players could purchase to give various popular weapons a different appearance.

My task was the complete integration of the supplied assets:

• • Creation of in-game assets (UI items, world items, application functions, etc.)

  • Lootable

  • Gridly namestrings & localization

  • Creation of the DLC package, skin library, etc.

• "Procedural Missions"

  • Three different types

  • Planning & Integration

Procedural Missions were an attempt to break up the game's very rigid quest structure and generate different paths for repeatable weekly quests based on random values.

Three different basic tasks allowed for a large amount of variation with small, varying details.

For example, for certain parts of a quest, the locations where players can find needed items, or the paths available to the player, change.

• fixing "World Bugs"

  • the JIRA Bug Backlog was overflowing

Since the project lacked a dedicated "World/Level" designer, the bug backlog in JIRA grew increasingly long.

During various downtimes, I took it upon myself to improve the world a little, continuously working through floating objects, terrain issues, loot containers, and AI navigation problems.