ABOUT ME

Hi, my name's Ethan. I'm a game designer that specializes in level and encounter design, which is accentuated by a background in film and narrative. I have experience in Unity and Unreal Engine.
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My skill set includes environment research, level sketching, blockmesh, with experience modeling 3D environments in Maya and Unreal BSP, narrative design, and creating level mechanics and gameplay sequences, including in-game cinematics.
Feel free to look around my site to see more of my work.
MY LEVEL DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
I believe that Level Design is storytelling. Whether it is an action-packed combat encounter, a slow walk through an abandoned mansion, an exploration puzzle, or the myriad of other activities and interactions players might experience in a level, enhancing those spaces with storytelling fundamentals like a clear purpose, defined motivation, and a structured beginning, middle, and end has allowed me to leverage my background in narrative into more engaging and compelling gameplay sequences.
OTHER LORE DROPS
Before getting into games, I earned a bachelor's degree in screenwriting, which has proven beneficial in pacing and structuring levels and level sequences. When I'm not working on games (or playing them), I love to cook, I've played guitar for most of my life, and I have a really cool t-shirt with Nick Offerman on it.
SKILLS
LEVEL DESIGN
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Research
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Sketching
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C# Scripting
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Blueprint Visual
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Encounter Design
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Scripting
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Playtesting and Rapid Iteration
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3D Modeling
NARRATIVE DESIGN
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Environmental Storytelling
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Screenwriting
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Traditional Storytelling
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Dialogue
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Character Barks
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In-Game Cutscenes
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TOOLS
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Unity Engine
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Unreal Engine
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Maya
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Confluence/Jira
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Perforce
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GitHub
EDUCATION
DigiPen Institute of Technology
BA Game Design, 2023
Redmond, WA, USA
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Webster University
BA Screenwriting, 2013
Webster Groves, MO, USA
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