Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Timeline
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Kyle Umbenhower

Bend,OR

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Lead Open World Designer

Free Range Games
04.2024 - Current
  • Lead and Product Owner of a large working group of 16 people (designers, programmers, and artists) responsible for all open world content.
  • Worked as an individual contributor designing the world, quests, and first pass level art.
  • Presented creative solutions to budget and scope constraints to ensure milestones were met.

Senior Level Designer

Free Range Games
04.2023 - 03.2024
  • Working with a small team in pre-production on a new open world IP using UE5.
  • Owned the open world map layout, taking things to a first-pass art, and mentoring Junior Level Designers to improve their craft.
  • Over-delivered polished layouts and gameplay experiences on time by managing tight deadlines under pressure.
  • Collaborated with artists and programmers to optimize level performance and aesthetics.

Lead Level Designer

Team Kaiju (Studio Closure)
11.2021 - 04.2023
  • Worked with other leads and principal developers during the Proof of Concept development phase using UE5.
  • The project was a new open world extraction shooter within the AAA multiplayer live service space.
  • Designed gameplay systems, mission and level tools, best practices, and the Proof of Concept map for the project using the new UE5 engine.

Lead Level Designer

Gearbox Software
06.2020 - 10.2021
  • Worked with a team of other leads in the pre-production development phase using UE5 on an open world IP.
  • Designed gameplay systems, mission and level tools, best practices, and the first playable map for the project.
  • Assisted in hiring for the level design department and improving the onboarding process for new level designers.
  • Mentored junior designers, providing guidance on best practices and helped them improve their craft.

Senior Level Designer, Mission Designer, Level Artist

Gearbox Software
07.2016 - 07.2020
  • Map Lead on two levels from paper design to completion, ensuring a high level of quality and alignment with project vision.
  • Worked on a total of five maps and five missions.
  • Only person to do level design, mission design, and level art on the project.
  • Gearbox and 2K chose the Jacobs Estate map for the gameplay trailer at E3 2019 and part of the Live team that won the best ongoing game award at Gamescom 2020.

Level Designer, Mission Designer

Gearbox Software
03.2012 - 07.2016
  • Worked on Battleborn using UE3 from concept to completion on both campaign and multiplayer as a Level Designer and Mission Designer.
  • Worked on the E3 demo for 2015, a playable demo that was well-received and nominated for several media awards.
  • Collaborated with artists and programmers to optimize level performance and aesthetics.

Game Designer

Barking Lizards Technologies
05.2011 - 08.2011
  • Did a summer internship as a game designer, taking an unfinished PSP/DS game and helping redesign it to run on the iPhone and iPad.
  • Scripted in LUA to create cinematics and other scripting tasks.
  • Programmed in C++ to extend the functionality of LUA.

Team Lead / Level Designer / World Builder

Microcomputer Resources, Inc.
02.2008 - 06.2009
  • Worked as a private contractor on a canceled (no funding) episodic PC game.
  • Lead a small team of 4 student interns, giving direction and feedback when needed.
  • Designed levels for the game using Torque Constructor and Maya.
  • Scripted levels using Torque Script.

Education

Professional Certificate in Digital Game Development, Specialization in Level Design -

The Guildhall At Southern Methodist University
Plano, TX
12.2011

Bachelor of Science in Political Science -

Southern Oregon University
Ashland, OR
06.2008

Skills

  • Level Design - Paper Design and Documentation, Block Out, Prototyping, Level Flow, Gameplay and Mission Scripting, AI and Combat Scripting, Visual Design and Level Art, Lighting, Environmental Storytelling, Proxy Mesh Creation, Performance Optimization, and Scheduling
  • Editors - Unreal 5, Unreal 4, Unreal 3, Unreal Development KIT (UDK), Half-Life Alyx Workshop Tools, Unity, Radiant, Hammer, GECK, and CryENGINE 3
  • Applications - MODO, Blender 28, Maya, 3ds Max, Photoshop, JIRA, Perforce
  • Programming & Scripting - Blueprint (UE4 and UE5), Sequencer (UE5), LUA, C, C#, C, and Java

Timeline

Lead Open World Designer

Free Range Games
04.2024 - Current

Senior Level Designer

Free Range Games
04.2023 - 03.2024

Lead Level Designer

Team Kaiju (Studio Closure)
11.2021 - 04.2023

Lead Level Designer

Gearbox Software
06.2020 - 10.2021

Senior Level Designer, Mission Designer, Level Artist

Gearbox Software
07.2016 - 07.2020

Level Designer, Mission Designer

Gearbox Software
03.2012 - 07.2016

Game Designer

Barking Lizards Technologies
05.2011 - 08.2011

Team Lead / Level Designer / World Builder

Microcomputer Resources, Inc.
02.2008 - 06.2009

Professional Certificate in Digital Game Development, Specialization in Level Design -

The Guildhall At Southern Methodist University

Bachelor of Science in Political Science -

Southern Oregon University

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Kyle Umbenhower