After Irrational Games released BioShock Infinite, they officially closed the doors to their studio. Apparently, BioShock creator Ken Levine and his team took too long to develop BioShock games, thus causing Irrational Games' parent company Take-Two to lose money.
While Irrational Games closed, Ken Levine and some of his original team remained at Take-Two to work on an unannounced title. Not much about the game is known, except that the game is "something sci-fi. Or sci-fi ish" and set in a new universe.
A new job listing for the unannounced project has appeared, revealing new details with it. According to the listing, Levine and his team are looking for someone with "Experience in a semi-open (e.g. Borderlands/Shadows of Mordor) or open world game," has a "Passion for narrative First Person Shooters" and is an "expert at balance."
The post details the 'expert at balance' section as someone that understands the systems behind "damage tuning, loot tables, cool downs, resources, upgrade systems, etc." Your typical First-Person Shooter like Call of Duty doesn't have loot tables, cool downs or resources, however First-Person Shooters like Borderlands and Destiny do.
Check out the job post below:
Summary
The studio formally known as Irrational Games is looking for a Systems Designer to work closely with the Creative Director and Lead Designer, to create tightly balanced systems and gameplay features for our unannounced next project.
Responsibilities:
- Work closely with the Lead Designer and Creative Director to define and implement the tightly-integrated, ground-breaking, mutually-reinforcing features in our game—player abilities, enemies and obstacles to be overcome, plus the systems that tie everything together.
- EXPERT AT BALANCE: Extensive understanding of the systems design process including damage tuning, loot tables, cool downs, resources, upgrade systems, etc.
- Provide clear communication and direction for all the functional disciplines you’re collaborating with.
- Provide direct feedback in order to quickly iterate on concepts, proposing solutions as well as criticisms.
- Contribute to the overall game design. We’re a collaborative group, and we expect every member of the team to have an impact on the overall player experience.
What We’re Looking For:
- Have shipped at least 3 titles as a game designer.
- Demonstrated ability to thrive in a cross-disciplinary team. Must be a clear communicator, and proficient in multi-tasking.
- Must have Unreal scripting experience. Plus if that experience includes UE4.
- Must be eligible to work in the US and willing to relocate to Boston.
- Experience in a semi-open (e.g. Borderlands/Shadows of Mordor) or open world game.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to work well under pressure and with deadlines.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
- Passion for narrative First Person Shooters a plus.
- Excellent collaboration skills.
Excellent organizational skills; self-motivated, ability to work well independently.
So to recap, Levine is looking for someone that has experience with an open world similar to Borderlands, someone who can design cool downs and loot tables, and someone who has a passion for RPG FPS games.
