Benjamin Barker
Salinas,CA
Summary
Narrative and level designer with nine years experience working with environment, combat, economy systems, and quest teams on AAA open world RPG games. Experienced in Unreal Engine 4 & 5, Blueprints, Perforce, Confluence, Jira, Twine, and Unity.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
UnGodly | Senior Quest Designer
Azra Games
05.2026 - 07.2026
- Implemented quests with multiple combat encounter beats, search radius objectives, and Scriptable Objects in Unity.
- Wrote Confluence and Miro documentation for prototypes.
- Set dynamic character dialogue choices in Quest dialogues. Prototyped combat mechanics .
New World - Nighthaven | Quest Designer
Amazon Games Studios
01.2022 - 01.2026
- As a senior designer I led development of faction, town board, housing, and mount systems while working on our latest expansion Nighthaven in 2025, a Castlevania inspired zone.
- Built many Points of Interest, encounters, planned level flow, and puzzle setups.
- Mentored junior designers and led teams of out-sourcing studios on implementation of faction missions, mount race, and quest systems.
- Created confluence and Jira documentation for key gameplay systems. Regularly addressed live bugs and kept a close eye on community feedback of the IP.
Hogwarts Legacy | Level Designer
WB Avalanche
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Led the level design of a third of the Overland map including terrain sculpting, Merlin puzzle setup, enemy encounter design, bothies, hamlets, and treasure vaults.
- Prototyped a semi-random encounter system that became the 'World Events'. These included everything from seasonal interactions such as a magical snowman, fireflies, and student pranks. This structure was also leaned on to create dynamic enemy encounters. Over 600 of these are implemented in the Overland and 200 in Hogwarts Castle.
Education
Masters of Entertainment Arts and Engineering -
University of Utah
Bachelor of Arts - English
University of Utah
Books
- Game Design Snacks, textbook, https://press.etc.cmu.edu/student/game-design-snacks
- The Wizard in Indigo, fantasy novel, https://www.amazon.com/stores/RavencroftBlR/author
- The Witch in Lavender, fantasy novel, https://www.amazon.com/stores/RavencroftBlR/author
Other Credits
- New World: Aeternum (2025)
- New World: Rise of the Angry Earth (2023)
- New World: Brimstone Sands (2022)
- New World (2021)
- Hard Light Vector (2019)
- Hocus Potions (2019)
- Kudzu: The Wilds (2018)
- Kugelblitz (2018)
- Lucha Li-Bros (2017)
Timeline
UnGodly | Senior Quest Designer
Azra Games
05.2026 - 07.2026
New World - Nighthaven | Quest Designer
Amazon Games Studios
01.2022 - 01.2026
Hogwarts Legacy | Level Designer
WB Avalanche
01.2019 - 01.2022
Masters of Entertainment Arts and Engineering -
University of Utah
Bachelor of Arts - English
University of Utah