NEO ZHANG
— GAME DESIGNER —
Rediscover Game Night with the magic of Sunderfolk, a shared turn-based tactical RPG adventure where your mobile device becomes the controller. Built with a couch co-op experience in mind, up to four players adventure through the magical and dangerous Sunderlands.
Sunderfolk + DLC (2023 - 2026)
Summarized Responsibilities:
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Owned end-to-end design of 10 characters (1 playable hero, 4 bosses, 5 enemies), translating each one's fantasy and role into distinct ability kit, passive, and AI behavior, from concept through ship on PC, Xbox, PS5, and Switch.
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Designed and shipped 10+ levels from paper design and blockout through final polish, anchoring each on a distinct mechanic (puzzle, combat, exploration) that promote players toward cooperative strategy.
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Wrote and maintained design documentation for every shipped character and level (intended player experience, encounter flow, anchoring mechanic) keeping Engineering, Art, and QA aligned through iteration.
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Collaborated with the Animation Lead to drive narrative and visual direction for 30+ cinematic cutscenes; translated gameplay moments into story beats, storyboards, and art briefs that delivered cohesive storytelling on tight release schedules.
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Led 3+ internal playtests weekly, turning qualitative feedback and edge-case findings into concrete design changes.
JUMP TO...
CHARACTER DESIGN
VANGUARD
Hero
Born for battle, the Vanguard pushes deep into enemy lines where their abilities burn brightest. Small yet mighty, they stand as a fierce contender to the Berserker.
For each Grit, the Vanguard takes 1 less damage when attacked and deals 2 damage to the attacker, reinforcing their role as both a frontliner and a DPS.
As the first spell available to the player, Into the Fray teaches the Vanguard’s unique keyword and the Grit mechanic.
Bladefall is an early spell that reinforces the Vanguard’s frontliner role by granting a damage bonus when positioned next to multiple monsters.
Ideation
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Understand the intended product goal for the new playable hero.
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Brainstorm the hero’s core mechanic and fantasy.
Passive Ability
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Based on the core mechanic, ideate and present multiple options for the Vanguard's passive ability.
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Collaborate with the lead designer and game director to refine designs until final design is selected.
Spell Cards
Design cards that synergize with the passive ability. Cards include:
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Starting cards that teach the hero's passive ability and core mechanic during tutorial.
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Cards that offer unique strategies aligned with the hero's fantasy and product goal.
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Ultimate card that addresses a key problem space (team collaboration and Vanguard identity).
Implementation, Playtest, and Iteration
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Implement the first pass of the design in-engine and create a playable prototype.
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Conduct multiple playtests, gather feedback, and iterate on the Vanguard's passive and spell cards.
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Debug code, support animation/VFX hookups, and write description while ensuring all implementation is bug-free.
WURM
Monster
CHAMPION
Boss
MISSION & ENCOUNTER DESIGN
Align on level requirements and conduct research to gather reference materials.
Tavern Trouble (Tutorial)
Learn about the game's basic controls, lovely characters, and your role in the Sunderland.
Sacred Thrown (Boss Battle)
Reclaim the Sacred Bug's throne from the first multi-hex Boss in the game!
Rubble Maze (Puzzle & Battle)
Face the toughest Wurm in a dynamic maze that forces new tactics every moment!
Brightstone Cleanup (Exploration)
Take down the Brightstone lamp and fight against the strongest Monsters in the game!
AND MORE!
Example: Visitor from Afar (Defense & Extraction)
Kick off the new DLC mini-campaign with its first mission, featuring the debut of a new Ally and a fearsome new Monster!
Defend against the horde of incoming monster, and extract the injured ally.
With the Sandstone wall in place, Monsters are forced to travel around it, exhausting their movement.
Leverage the Mummy’s ability to turn into a Sandstone obstacle, forming a wall that protects your team from the advancing horde.
Ideation
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Design Goal:
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Set up the premise of the narrative to the DLC campaign.
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Introduce the design of the new Ally and Monster.
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Offer a new experience or gameplay strategy uncommon to the main game.
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Define the map shape of the encounter.
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Interesting quest and objective.
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Create the enemy line up and each starting position.
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Craft the narrative that support and enrich the encounter.
Paper Playtest and Implementation
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Conduct two small playtests using paper prototypes on Miro to assess how the encounter functions.
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Gather feedback and refine all elements, from the Ally and Monster to objectives and starting positions.
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Build the first in-engine version of the design and produce a playable prototype for full team playtests.
Iteration and Debugging
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Debug code, support animation/VFX hookups, and write narrative and necessary tutorials.
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Continue to gather feedback and iterate as more team-wide playtests are conducted.
CINEMATICS AND CUTSCENE
Low Budget
100% gameplay assets
Medium Budget
50% gameplay assets
50% custom animation
High Budget
100% custom animation
Storyboard Samples
After identifying the narrative beats to each cinematic cutscenes, I would go into the game space to scout possible locations and draw storyboards with notes and iterations before executing the development of the cinematic.
Ideation
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Analyze the narrative and gameplay elements of the encounter to identify key story beats.
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Emphasize the stakes and give players a glimpse of the challenges ahead.
Research and Storyboard
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Identify the available assets and develop a narrative pitch that covers all key story beats.
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Ensure the storyboard is designed to provide a smooth and natural transition from cutscene to gameplay.
Prototype
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Develop an initial draft or prototype from the storyboard.
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Work hand-in-hand with animation, 3D, VFX, and writing teams to continuously refine and iterate during production.
Result
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A low budget cinematic using 100% gameplay assets.
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Low-cost implementation.
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Effectively communicate the narrative.