Level dESIGN portfolio
About Me / Level Design
Core Skills: Iterative Cycles, Low-Poly Asset Creation, Blockout Prototyping, Narrative Alignment, Branching Routes, Level Art Implementation, Tailored Visual Documentation, Version Tracking
Software: Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Figma, Miro, Google Docs & Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve
Language: Bahasa Indonesia (Native), English (Proficient)
With a multidisciplinary background, I build levels for end-to-end game production that ensure seamless implementation of game mechanics, narrative, and level art within production constraints. I won’t hesitate to “kill my darlings” if it makes the game better.
Experience: Product Designer (B.Des), 3D Environment Artist, Graphic Designer, Videographer, UNICEF Mentor
SOLO PROJECTS SHOWCASE
Concept: A survival detective game with fundamental moral conflict from layered psychological narratives, dark atmospheric exploration, and unexpected combats in two worlds
Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Mystery, Thriller, Psychological
Production Time: Dec 2025 - Jun 2026 (Developed in parallel with the project's Game Writing)
Output:
Narrative & Writing: 11-Page Character Bark Sheet, 30-Page Screenplay, Character Relationship Flowchart
Design Documentation: 17-Page GDD, 12-Page LDD, One-Pager, Level Design Matrix, Architectural & Asset Database (Miro), Level Flowcharts, Game Beats, Beat Charts, Mission Flows, Bubble Diagrams
Gameplay & Visuals: 31-Min Blockout Gameplay, 12-Min Level Art Walkthrough, Blockout & Art Pass Render Galleries
Key Features: Immersive atmosphere, diverse gameplay flow with rich worldbuilding, unpredictable transition into combat inside the nightmares, moral conflict against a kid’s innocence
Role: Level Designer
Software: Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Miro, Figma, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, DaVinci Resolve
Responsibilities:
Created an architectural database in Miro using an interior design journal, analysis of office tour videos, and Gemini data for reference
Established a size-accurate level design matrix with visualization and text-based formats to establish consistent scale across all levels
Designed a 3-story corporate interior level optimized for low-light TPS combat, exploration, and search objectives
Applied architectural principles to rapidly iterate diverse interior layouts and spatial flow during the early ideation process
Developed a complete corporate level from concept to final level art with distinct areas within limited free resource packs
Authored a comprehensive LDD including a level design matrix, area flowcharts, top-down layout with legends, narrative pacing, golden path, and scene breakdowns
Concept: A dark escape-exploration game with immersive narrative investigation through the eyes of a child escaping abduction revolves around a satanic cult and human trafficking loop
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Psychological, Drama
Production Time: Oct 2024 - Dec 2025 (Developed in parallel with the project's Game Writing and 3 other solo projects across Level Design & Game Writing)
Output:
Narrative & Writing: 3-Page Character Bark Sheet, 35-Page Screenplay, Worldbuilding Flowcharts, Character Relationship Flowchart, Narrative Timeline
Design Documentation: 13-Page GDD, 10-Page LDD, One-Pager, Level Flowcharts, Game Beats, Beat Charts, Mission Flows, Visual References
Gameplay & Visuals: 8-Min Blockout Gameplay (1.6x Speed), 9-Min Blockout Walkthrough, Blockout & Art Pass Render Galleries
Key Features: Tactical hide-and-fight gameplay, connecting clues to uncover stories, atmospheric storytelling, emotional and psychological explosion
Role: Level Designer
Software: Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Figma, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, DaVinci Resolve
Responsibilities:
Rapidly developed 6 blockouts in 6 days using Blender and Unreal Engine 5 for Blocktober 2024 on X (Twitter)
Constructed a massive gothic church featuring 28 distinct areas using an architectural modular asset pack
Established distinct navigation paths, sightline blocks, and layout variation to prevent visual repetition with limited assets
Researched and adapted real-world historical sites into an original church layout with grounded spatial flow and historical tone
Facilitated high-tension stealth gameplay through interconnected corridors, strategic hiding spots, and navigational blocking
Designed a 3-act mission structure that acts as a navigation guide to explore areas and discover hidden lore
Concept: A fan project spin-off of Control by Remedy Entertainment. A cinematic adventure with crime investigation flashbacks, delivered from the perspective of a grandfather with photographic memory and mental illness
Genre: Detective, Story-Rich, Suspense, Drama
Production Time: Apr 2024 - Dec 2025 (Developed in parallel with the project's Game Writing 3 other solo projects across Level Design & Game Writing)
Output:
Narrative & Writing: 2-Page Character Bark Sheet, 30-Page Screenplay, Game Deconstruction & Narrative Analysis, Worldbuilding Flowcharts, Character Backstories, Character Relationship Flowchart, Narrative Timeline
Design Documentation: 13-Page GDD, 10-Page LDD, One-Pager, Level Flowcharts, Game Beats, Beat Charts, Mission Flows, Visual References
Gameplay & Visuals: 5-Min Level Art Gameplay (1.6x Speed), 3-Min Blockout Walkthrough, Blockout & Art Pass Render Galleries
Key Features: Layered Dual-Timeline Investigation, atmospheric nostalgia in present time, re-living nightmares into madness, the illusion of safety
Role: Level Designer
Software: Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Figma, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, DaVinci Resolve
Responsibilities:
Implemented level art featuring dense foliage and cinematic lighting at a stable 120 FPS on high scalability settings in Unreal Engine 5
Iterated, analyzed, and refined three blockouts and rendered art phases with different environment themes
Facilitated a dual narrative timeline through designated areas that transition the player between past and present eras
Implemented conflicting themes of mundane vs. anomaly through environmental blockouts, encounter areas, and atmospheric design
Sculpted multi-layered mountain terrain with clear sightlines and navigation paths to facilitate emotional narrative cutscenes
Translated complex narrative data into applicable beat charts, game beats, and mission flows to streamline level implementation
Concept: A branching survival game entwined with supernatural powers, fast-paced combat, and dark psychological depth of Indonesian culture, designed for memorable replayability
Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Mystery, Action, Choice Matters
Production Time: Mar 2024 - Nov 2025 (Developed in parallel with the project's Game Writing and 3 other solo projects across Level Design & Game Writing)
Output:
Narrative & Writing: 4-Page Character Bark Sheet, 42-Page Screenplay, Character Backstories, Character Relationship Flowchart, Narrative Timeline
Design Documentation: 14-Page GDD, 10-Page LDD, One-Pager, Branching Level Flowcharts, Game Beats, Branching Beat Charts, Branching Mission Flows, Visual References
Gameplay & Visuals: 8-Min Level Art Gameplay (1.6x Speed), 4-Min Blockout Walkthrough, Blockout & Art Pass Render Galleries
Key Features: Interconnected gameplay & story, mysterious voice manipulating monsters, burden of leadership, powerful yet powerless combat
Role: Level Designer
Software: Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Figma, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, DaVinci Resolve
Responsibilities:
Designed three branching routes with distinct POIs, explorable areas, mechanic utilization, combat approaches, and varied difficulty scaling
Tailored spaces for telekinesis and TPS combat with destructible props, varied combat cover, and navigation paths across all level areas
Documented branching layouts and gameplay through custom level flowcharts, game beats, mission flows, and beat charts in Figma
Utilized pre-made modular building assets to construct an outdoor city level with multiple entry points and spatial choke points
Optimized blockout performance by creating custom low-poly blockmeshes, reducing total vertex count by 99% across 55 assets
Created a level connecting full nature areas and dense urban city spaces within one cohesive visual theme
Concept: A survival detective game interwoven with deep depth of Indonesian culture, wrapped in layered narratives, eerie combat, and dark-psychological atmospheric gameplay
Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Mystery, Thriller, Psychological
Production Time: Jan 2024 - Oct 2025 (Developed in parallel with the project's Game Writing and 3 other solo projects across Level Design & Game Writing)
Output:
Narrative & Writing: 3-Page Character Bark Sheet, 30-Page Screenplay, Worldbuilding Flowcharts, Creature Life Cycles, Character Backstories, Character Relationship Flowchart
Design Documentation: 14-Page GDD, 10-Page LDD, One-Pager, Level Flowcharts, Game Beats, Beat Charts, Mission Flows, Visual References
Gameplay & Visuals: 6-Min Level Art Gameplay (1.6x Speed), 4-Min Blockout Walkthrough, Blockout & Art Pass Render Galleries
Key Features: Immersive atmospheric terror, intense combat under hallucination, digging information from the past, descent into madness
Role: Level Designer
Software: Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Figma, Google Slides, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, DaVinci Resolve
Responsibilities:
Translated narrative into ready-to-use visualized game beats, mission diagrams, and technical beat charts in Figma
Executed level art in accordance with the visual theme to seamlessly shift the mood between bright exploration and low-light gameplay
Built a 2-story police station blockout with clear distinctions between two visual themes for seamless level art polish
Designed backtracking missions that recontextualize existing spaces with a new gameplay focus and thriller encounters
Established an iterative end-to-end level design pipeline within limited resources that allows implementation up to level art and gameplay
Produced complete gameplay proof-of-concept videos with synced audio, narrative, and level art inside DaVinci Resolve
Agate academy: Blacksad under the skin (fan remake)
Concept: Adapted a choice-based video game into an illustrated physical book and Twine prototype as a final project for a Game Development 101 course at Agate Academy
Genre: Exploration, Puzzle, Point & Click, Comic Book, Noir
Production Time: Sep 2023 - Oct 2023
Output: Interactive Twine Prototype, 24-Page Illustrated A5 Booklet (with Numbered Borders), Physical Bookmark / Choice Tracker
Key Features: Branching narrative in printed book, illustrated Twine adaptation, noir black-and-white artwork, instant choice and consequences
Role: Game Writer, Game Designer
Software: Notion, Twine, Clip Studio Paint, Adobe Illustrator, DaVinci Resolve
Responsibilities:
Managed an end-to-end 8-day production timeline from initial ideation to physical playtesting and documentation
Adapted 53 minutes of 3D video game gameplay into an illustrated 24-page A5 booklet facilitating branching choices and replayability
Authored novel-like narrative descriptions for both print and Twine formats while preserving the original game’s noir tone
Illustrated key gameplay scenes using Clip Studio Paint and Adobe Illustrator to enhance the game experience
Designed a physical choice-tracking system using a custom bookmark and numbered border references on the booklet
Conducted playtests and collected user feedback for post-mortem analysis and future refinement of the project
© 2025 Nurhasanah Umar. All rights reserved.