About us:
NEXT EPISODE - a new AAA studio led by the director and visionary behind Dying Light and the creative director of Diablo 4 and The Witcher 3. We are starting out with a strong talent base, stable funding and a clear vision.
We are building a First-Person, Open World Action game set in an original universe that blends Science Fiction with Post-Apocalypse. A universe where the catastrophe is not just set dressing, but the foundation of the gameplay. We are working on mechanics that break the conventions of the genre. We will share the details during the interview.
We are looking for people who combine creativity and a willingness to experiment with solid craft and hands-on experience in AAA / AA+ production.
Compensation:
15 000 - 22 000 PLN / mo.
Location:
Wrocław office
Type of cooperation:
B2B
Requirements:
- Experience in combat design for FPP or TPS games
- Experience in working on at least one released PC or console title
- Hands-on experience with Unreal Engine
- Ability to prototype, configure, and tune gameplay using Blueprints, Data Assets, Behavior Trees, AI Perception, or similar tools
- Experience with designing, implementing, or tuning enemy AI behaviors
- Experience working with behavior, perception, movement, target selection, attack, cooldown, and difficulty parameter systems
- Very good understanding of enemy design, combat AI, encounter design, combat pacing, and combat readability
- Ability to diagnose combat issues based on playtests, player observations, and data
- Ability to create documentation that is clear and understandable for programmers, level designers, animators, audio, VFX, and production teams
- Ability to work independently and take ownership of the quality of assigned areas
Responsibilities:
- Designing enemies, combat archetypes, and AI roles for FPP combat
- Defining enemy behaviors, including perception, movement, target selection, aggression, retreat, flanking, pursuit, attacks, damage reactions, and group behaviors
- Prototyping, configuring, and tuning combat AI in Unreal Engine using Blueprints, Data Assets, Behavior Trees, AI Perception, or similar tools
- Designing encounters together with Level Design, including enemy composition, spaces, lines of sight, cover, flanking opportunities, pacing, and escalation
- Balancing combat: TTK, damage, enemy counts, attack frequency, cooldowns, survivability, engagement distances, and AI pressure
- Analyzing playtests to evaluate combat quality, including readability, dynamics, frustration, chaos, dominant strategies, lack of pressure, and unfair deaths
- Collaborating with AI / Gameplay Programmers on the implementation, debugging, and development of enemy behaviors
- Collaborating with animation, VFX, and audio teams on attack timing, hit reactions, telegraphing, and threat feedback
- Creating documentation such as enemy briefs, behavior specifications, encounter rules, diagrams, tuning sheets, test cases, and acceptance criteria
- Ensuring combat remains consistent with the FPP perspective, the game world, and the project's creative vision
Nice to Have:
- Experience working on AAA or AA productions
- Experience designing combat for open-world games
- Experience with action-adventure, survival, immersive sim, or shooter games
- Experience with State Trees, EQS, Gameplay Ability System, or advanced AI Perception configuration
- Experience developing or working with custom AI / combat tools
- Basic knowledge of C++ or a technical understanding of implementation constraints
- Experience working during the pre-production stage
- Experience analyzing telemetry or playtest data
What we offer:
- Clear, consistent vision for the project and a well-structured production process
- Real impact on the direction and shape of the title from an early stage of development
- On-site cooperation in Wrocław (working on-site is our preference, but we’re open to considering all options!)
- Relocation package
How to apply:
Applications are handled in our recruitment system. Click the link to apply: https://nextepisode.traffit.com/public/form/a/c72b09cd932624a0a32eebab1be2cb8d3071633d?source=career_page
Direct link to this position: https://nextepisodegames.com/jobs/index.html#traffit-44