Rafeal Underwood Jr. - Designer/Scripter

Professional Portfolio

Resume

Browse Projects:

Eagle-Eye: IED Detection Trainer
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Wildstar
Assassin's Creed Nexus VR
The Division Heartland
All

Overview
As a Technical Designer on The Division Heartlands, I was tasked with creating both combat and ambient behaviors in NPCs as well as creating new enemy NPC types. Once the game transitioned from its PvPvE focus to a purely survival PvE mode, I repurposed NPC behavior to be more in line with the new survival focus.

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Siege of Boston Playthrough
Courtesy of Assassin's Creed Series

Daring Rescue Playthrough
Courtesy of Assassin's Creed Series

Overview
As a Level Designer on Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, I had the rare and exciting opportunity to contribute in the early stages on one of Ubisoft’s first VR projects. With Nexus VR being my first experience working in VR, the project posed many design challenges along the way. My responsibilities included creating new layouts and overseeing all Level Design in the Siege of Boston, as well as taking over Level Design in Daring Rescue midway through the project.

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Fragment Zero Playthrough

Courtesy of WildStar Arkship

Overview

While working on WildStar, I was originally charged with polishing spawning and spacing of numerous zones and instanced content as part of the Encounter Team. I was responsible for Auroria, Crimson Isle Pocket Cap, Northern Wilds Pocket Cap, the Shiphands, Algoroc Tract 3 and the Drusera instances. My responsibilities while working on these zones consisted of ensuring all encounters adhered to standards, creating new creatures, creating ambient AI behaviors, and collaborating with the Content Team to bring fresh ideas to already existing content.

Once WildStar shipped, I joined the Content department to work on post game content. My first piece of post game content was Fragment Zero: A Shiphand melding the aesthetics of 70s sci-fi with the empowering gameplay of Dynasty Warriors. My responsibilities while working on Fragment Zero included spawning the entire central area from scratch plus spawning and creating all quest content in the Incubation Complex. Major challenges I encountered during spawning Fragment Zero was avoiding both visual fatigue, from having too many mobs on screen at once, and combat fatigue from the large number of mobs. One way I conquered these pitfalls was by breaking up large groups of mobs into smaller, more spread out pockets. This adjustment in pacing still provided players with a constant stream of mobs without completely boring them. Another thing I enjoyed doing was setting up ambushes to surprise the player, evoking feelings of fear, panic, and the sense of being overwhelmed while taking care not to frustrate them. These elements along with a creative, positive team, made Fragment Zero a favorite amongst WildStar fans.

Screenshots

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Combat Gameplay

Spawn Team Reponsibilities

Worked with the Writing and Scripting teams to spawn ambient/combat NPCs

Scripted NPC behaviors to ensure that environments felt alive

Created and maintained extensive spawning documentation

Combat Team Reponsibilities

Conceptualized and implemented numerous NPC combat abilities

Used proprietary tools to balance combat abilities

Implemented and balanced over a dozen boss battles

Worked closely in a four-man team to implement and balance combat

Created and maintained extensive combat documentation

Overview

STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC is a massively multiplayer role-playing game based on the Star Wars Universe. Players can choose to be apart of either the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire as they journey across an expansive universe filled with rich story telling, beautiful worlds, and exciting combat. As a World Designer, I was apart of two different teams tasked with spawning NPCs and implementing combat.

Screenshots

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Overview

Eagle-EYE IED Detection Trainer is a simulator designed to help U.S. Soldiers quickly recognize and detect improvised explosive devices using four different gametypes. I designed and implemented 6 out of 12 levels, each level containing three different variations.

Design Team Reponsibilities

Created and maintained extensive documentation for 6 out of 12 levels

Implemented and scripted 6 out of 12 levels using LUA

Scripted various A.I. pathing behaviors

Collaborated closely with Art, Design, and Production department to ensure a high level of quality and polish

Screenshots

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Resume

Portfolio

Skills

Level Design: Scripting (both entity-based and visual), BSP construction, static placement, AI pathing, texturing, lighting, trigger systems, single player and multiplayer flow design, gameplay and visual polish, 3D modeling (low poly with texture/unwrap)
Level Editors: Unity, Snowdrop, UE5, Hero Engine
Scripting Languages: C#, LUA, Blueprints (Unreal Engine), Snowdrop Scripting Editor
Applications: Maya, Adobe Photoshop, TortoiseSVN,Perforce, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, Visio, Project, One Note)

Professional Game Design Experience

Red Storm Entertainment - Cary, NC

Technical Designer, The Division Heartlands, Unannounced Projects

January 2023 - July2025

Designed and implemented numerous NPC AI combat and stealth behaviors in Snowdrop Behavior Tree Editor
Prototyped and implemented new AI stealth behaviors and stealth player abilities
Prototyped various new game mechanics for unannounced projects using UE5

Level Designer, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR

December 2019 - January 2023

Design, implement, and iterate on new custom layouts
Support Mission Designers for any level needs
Collaborate across various disciplines to solve problems and create an unprecedented VR experience
Created and maintained extensive level design documentation

Carbine Studios - Aliso Viejo, CA

Content Designer, WildStar

June 2013 - October 2014

Spawning and spacing for all zones across game
Conceptualizing and scripting Non-Combat AI for NPCs
Collaborated with Artists, Designers, Programmers, and Producers to ensure high level of polish across game

Bioware Austin, LLC - Austin, TX

Contract World Designer, Star Wars: The Old Republic

May 2011 - 2012

Worked in conjunction with artists, programmers, cinematic designers, and combat designers to create entertaining and memorable gameplay
Scripted numerous combat abilities for various enemy NPCs including bosses
Placed and spawned NPCs across all planets

Total Immersion Software, Inc (Intific). - Austin, TX

Contract Associate Designer, Eagle-i IED Trainer

January 2011 - March 2011

Worked in conjunction with DARPA to create IED Training software for U.S. Soldiers
Created and managed extensive level and game design documentation for 6 of 12 levels
Implemented LUA scripting in 6 of 12 levels
Worked in multi-disciplined team to ensure polished and detailed levels are produced in a timely manner

Graduate Experience

The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University

Level Designer/Scripter

Created and managed extensive level and game design documentation
Created several mod levels on very tight deadlines
Worked with teams in order to complete three short deadline driven game projects

Education

The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University - Plano, TX

Professional Certificate in Digital Game Development, Specialization in Level Design

January 2009 - May 2010

The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH

Bachelor's of Arts in Film Studies

Professional Portfolio

Overview

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Siege of Boston Playthrough

Daring Rescue Playthrough

Overview

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Fragment Zero Playthrough

Overview

Screenshots

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Combat Gameplay

Spawn Team Reponsibilities

Combat Team Reponsibilities

Overview

Screenshots

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Overview

Design Team Reponsibilities

Screenshots

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Resume

Skills

Professional Game Design Experience

Red Storm Entertainment - Cary, NC

Technical Designer, The Division Heartlands, Unannounced Projects

January 2023 - July2025

Level Designer, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR

December 2019 - January 2023

Carbine Studios - Aliso Viejo, CA

Content Designer, WildStar

June 2013 - October 2014

Bioware Austin, LLC - Austin, TX

Contract World Designer, Star Wars: The Old Republic

May 2011 - 2012

Total Immersion Software, Inc (Intific). - Austin, TX

Contract Associate Designer, Eagle-i IED Trainer

January 2011 - March 2011

Graduate Experience

The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University

Level Designer/Scripter

Education

The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University - Plano, TX

January 2009 - May 2010

The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH

September 2003 - June 2008

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