Halo Wars 2

Game: Halo Wars 2
Job Title: Level Designer
Studio Project at Creative Assembly
Engine: Proprietary Engine
Released: February 21, 2017
Halo Wars 2 is an RTS and sequel to Ensemble's 2007 Halo Wars. The player controls the human UNSC or the Alien Banished faction and fights in skirmishes using familiar units from Halo Wars 1 and the Halo FPS games.
 
On Halo Wars 2 I was responsible for developing multiple campaign levels at once by first completing levels from early production to completion, before taking on new levels from concept forwards. I also worked on one multiplayer level.
 
Through development I worked closely with my lead, the writer, artists and IGC team; negotiating spaces and trying to get the best possible content for our players. I also had the opportunity to train two level designers.
Promotional Material

Responsibilities included:

Level Design
  • Greyboxing
  • Encounter Design
  • Creating and maintaining communication maps
  • Optimisation
Mission Design
  • Collaborating with our writer
  • Prototyping new ideas and systems
  • Implementing dialogue/cutscenes
  • Designing a boss unit
  • Ensuring all script worked well on network
Multiplayer Level Design
  • Optimisation
  • Symmetry/Balance Passes

Recommendations:

Michael How
Lead Level Designer at Creative Assembly
Available for Reference
Lewis Macguire
Senior Tech Designer at Creative Assembly.
"It is rare to come across someone with the combination of the technical and creative skills, alongside the genuine care both for the craft and his colleagues that Michiel brought to our team. I was thoroughly impressed with the speed with which Michiel adapted to a non-standard tool set, and went on to create great levels and complex script systems with minimal assistance from the technical design team. His understanding and mastery of the tools developed so well and so quickly that he independently provided training and mentoring for new trainees in the tools when time amongst the technical design team was short. Michiel’s passion for the games he works on extends beyond the workplace - I for one will miss learning new board games and strategies with him over lunch time and out of work events, as well as missing my Elite wingmate!

Michiel would make a great asset to any team looking for a technically skilled and creatively gifted level designer, and any team that values passion for the craft, and comes with my strongest recommendations.,,
Alan Thomas
Senior Artist at Creative Assembly
"I had the pleasure of working directly with Michiel on several levels of Halo Wars 2. On a personal level he was a great guy to work with and I would love to be able to work with him again in the future. Some people just really understand that making games is a collaborative effort. Michiel is one of those. Hardworking, considerate to other disciplines, full of great ideas and able to implement them too. A great guy to have on any team!,,
Catherine Woolley
Senior Level Designer at Creative Assembly
"I was fortunate to interview Michiel for the Level Designer role he took up at Creative Assembly, from his interview we could tell he could be a great asset to the team.

Luckily we were not wrong, I sat next to Michiel for six months, where I helped keep an eye over him whilst he settled in. He took to the custom in-house toolset with minimal time and was able to start creating mission scripts very shortly after picking up the tools. He was always happy to take on additional work and would carry it out with a very critical eye, ensuring that every element of it was up to scratch.

While carrying out his work to a very high standard he was also managing to handle overseeing Lordbound outside of work, managing university students and the project. Which always felt like a great way to help out future game developers (students) while maintaining a project outside of work.

Michiel was never afraid to ask questions when there were answers needed, or to criticize his own, or others work. He was always willing to help others and was always willing to discuss and communicate with everyone when needed.

He was a great asset to the design team and I can see him being a great asset to whichever team he joins next!.,,