Game Designer & Level Designer

Gnuts

A 2D movement platformer about building momentum one jump at a time.

  • Dynamic Movement Design

  • Level design that teaches without telling

  • Visual and audible feedback

Group Projects

Postage Hostage

A simulation game about "working" for the shadow goverment in their postal facility.

Game jams

Speedrunners (2013) Curated workshop maps

Designing levels for speed, competition & replayability

I designed two community maps for SpeedRunners:
Citadel and Aztec, which were selected for the game's curated Workshop pool and made available in ranked play.Designing for SpeedRunners taught me to think about level design through player flow, routing, momentum, risk/reward and competitive balance, while iterating based on how real players approached and raced through my levels.

other levels

Gnuts is a 2D movement platformer where you play as a hopping gnome who builds speed through consecutive jumps. Inspired by movement systems such as bunny-hopping in Counter-Strike and Quake, the game turns momentum into a core part of both movement and level traversal.As Gnuts gains speed, his movement options become more powerful. Higher speeds allow for stronger wall jumps, while precise timing lets players chain different jump techniques together to maintain momentum and navigate increasingly demanding platforming challenges.

Designing Movement Around Momentum

The Core MovementGnuts is built around responsive controls and momentum-based movement.Direct horizontal movement keeps controls immediate and predictable, while consecutive jumps allow players to build and maintain speed.Momentum also affects other mechanics, such as wall jumps. The faster Gnuts moves, the more powerful his wall jumps become, rewarding players who preserve their speed.

Visual & Sound effects to communicate jump states

Gnuts' movement system is built from several different jump states and techniques.I use sound and visual effects to communicate what is happening, allowing players to understand their movement through feedback.

Bunny hopping

  • Core mechanic to build up momentum

  • Jumping while holding a direction gives a slight speed boost

  • Sparks particle plays from Gnuts' feet

Feedback: Higher jump SFX pitch layered with another ground sound

Fight the friction

  • Decelerate on ground when the player is above the base speed

  • Provides a small time frame to gain or maintain speed when B-hopping

  • Encourages the player to keep jumping adding challenge and skill expression

Buffer jump inputs

  • Helps with precise platforming challenges

  • No extra speed when b-hopping or extra height when wall jumping

  • Doesn't push Gnuts away from the wall making it easier to climb up

Feedback: Normal jump SFX & VFX

Coyote Jump

  • Forgive slightly late jump inputs to feel more fair

  • No extra speed or height when wall jumping

  • Able to perform a pseudo double jump to clear difficult gaps

Feedback: Normal jump SFX layered with a distinct swish sound

Frog leap

  • Trade speed for vertical reach

  • Holding down charges a super jump but forces Gnuts to stand stationary

  • Sacrifices momentum for greater jump height

Feedback: Low pitch jump SFX, charge animation that freezes when max jump is ready

Wall Jumps

  • Pushes Gnuts away from the wall

  • Converts horizontal movement into jump height

Feedback: Different SFX & VFX depending in Gnuts movespeed into the wall jump

Designing Levels Around Movement

Because movement is the foundation of Gnuts, level design becomes an extension of the movement system.My goal is to create spaces where players can experiment with speed, discover alternative routes, and gradually understand how different movement techniques interact.The levels are designed not only around where the player needs to go, but around how the player gets there.This makes Gnuts an ongoing exploration of the relationship between movement mechanics and level design.

Safe introduction

  • let the player try new mechanics in a safe environment first

  • Reiterate the same obsticle with more stakes or difficulty

Teaching with the layout

I tried to make the level teach each mechanic intrinsically, here for example I placed larger platforms going into smaller ones making the timing for the bunny hop faster naturally

shortcuts under the surface

I usually make simple layouts with difficult shortcuts that reward mastery. Here I added a difficult hill leading up to a large gap requiring mastery of bunny hopping and double jumping

Future plans

Building upon the foundation.
The reason I've been designing a dynamic movement system is because it works directly into a combat system that directly scales your damage with your speed.

Concept levels

  • Icy cave with slippery surfaces making you lose control and go super fast

  • The Pale forest, overgrown with vines and fallen leaves hiding traps and enemies

Postage Hostage

A simulation game about "working" for the shadow goverment in their postal facility.

Endings & Achievements

A lot of the fun in this game comes from interacting with the limited space and discover secrets and gags
That curiosity feeds into replayability: players are encouraged to explore, find new interactions, and ultimately discover all the different endings and achievements.

Curiosity → Explore → New Interactions

Building a level with perspective

Framing

  • Framing in the most important things with the conveyor belt

  • High saturated colors on the railings to draw in attention

  • Important game related items in view

  • Illuminating upcoming packages

  • Clutter against the walls pulls attention away

Modular conveyor belt kit

Theme: Death is an opportunity

Dive down into the Trench of Theseus, and face the unknown lurking in the radioactive water. In a world where only the survival of the fittest matters, every life you take is an opportunity to keep your own.Grow stronger by defeating mutated creatures, unlock new, unique skills, and progress by diving deeper into the dark abyss.

What I did:

  • UI Design

  • Skilltree powerups

  • Boss level design

Gameplay Loop: Defeat Enemies → Gain DNA + HP → Upgrade Skill → Evolve

  • Yellow = Mobility

  • Red = Offensive

  • Blue = Utility

  • Green = Defensive

Boss Design:Avoid Theseus' moving radioactive spotlights! Pitch dark with only the edges of the spotlight to illuminate the player challenges the player to keep track of where they are whilst avoiding the center of the spotlight.

This game was made in 4 days for the Jamsepticeye game jam with a team of 10 people. The game placed number 19 out of 1100+ entries!

Theme: Growth

An intense showdown of who can become the largest snowman, but there's something hidden in these snowballs...What I did:

  • Game Design

  • Level Design

  • Graphics

Negative Feedback loop:Score → Grow → Easier target → Get hit → Shrink

  • Get hit = opponent grows

  • Hit opponent = you grow

  • Hit yourself = shrink

Level Design:
Methodically placed geometry for predictable trajectory with a clear background with highlighted skidmarks where the players should aim.

Fight and Race against your friends to escape this ever-changing mazeWhat I did:

  • Game Design

  • Level Design

  • BoardGame prototype

Gameplay loop:
Memorize → Navigate → fight → rotate

Problems:
-Players in front would have an unfair advantage
-Players rotating pieces could soft-lock others
Solutions:
-Shuffle the maze to reduce a lucky spawn
-First to three wins to reinforce skill over luck
-Added a cooldown to the rotating mechanic

The Fox arrives with the wind

The Rooster Weather Vane on top of the chicken coop protects the chickens by pointing towards where the Fox will appear from, giving the player time to react and prepare to scare it away.

Theme: Chaos

Collect all your chickens before the fox gets to them!What I did:

  • Game Design

  • 3D assets

  • Voice actor

  • SFX design

GameplayLoop: Pick up → throw → save/scareGame Mechanics:

  • Pick up Chickens

  • Throw Chickens

  • Scare away the Fox

  • Scare the Fox by throwing a chicken

  • Play football with the tumbling chicken

Speedrunners (2013) Curated workshop maps

Hi, I'm Erik. I specialize in Game design and Level design, but I also know how to make the assets to support my wild ideas.I like designing through experimentation - building something, playing it, figuring out what doesn't work, and iterating until it feels right. My interests include player movement, level flow, visual communication, and designing spaces that make players curious.While my main focus is Game design, I also enjoy getting hands-on with other areas of game development when it supports the design, including 3D, UI/UX, QA and other disciplines.I'm a big believer in having fun while making games. I'm always up for a joke, a pun, or taking a conversation in a completely unexpected direction. I enjoy bouncing ideas around with other people, building on their ideas as much as my own, and seeing where a conversation can take us.I want to make games that are fun to play, interesting to explore, and memorable for the player.