XDefiant
Technical Designer II (2022 - 2024)
About XDefiant
XDefiant is/was Ubisoft's free-to-play, first-person arena shooter, combining fast-paced combat with unique faction-based abilities. Players choose from different factions, each with its own playstyle and skills, and battle in objective-based game modes. The game emphasizes skill-based gameplay, offering a dynamic, competitive experience with customizable characters and tactical team play.
Main Responsibilities
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Developed and maintained faction systems through iterative prototyping.
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Worked with designers and engineers to implement and refine features (aka Skills, Ultras, Game modes etc.).
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Created and updated Technical Design, balancing, and "how-to" documents for the team.
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Identified and resolved bugs to ensure system stability and quality.
Software & Tools
Achievements
Here are some of my proudest achievements that I’d like to highlight for this game.
Wolves
My main achievement in this project was being part of the team that developed the Wolves Faction.
I began by taking on the responsibility of creating the Stolas skill, and from there, I contributed to the development of Legion, prototyped Wolves Blood, and later worked on the Drone Swarm prototype.
+ Stolas (Click for more info)
+ Legion (Click for more info)
+ Drone Swarm (Click for more info)
+ Wolf Blood (Click for more info)
Defuse: Power Ups
Defuse is an objective-based game mode where players attack or defend a bombsite. To enhance gameplay, I designed and implemented Power-Ups, a feature that adds an extra layer of strategy by providing players with temporary advantages throughout the match.
+ Power Ups (Click for more info)
Factions
During my time on XDefiant, I contributed to the development of two major factions: GSK and Omega Force. These were exciting opportunities to collaborate with multiple teams and refine gameplay features in a live production environment.
+ GSK (Click for more info)
+ Omega Force (Click for more info)
Mentorship Program
As part of my professional journey, I had the privilege of being a mentor in Ubisoft's mentorship program, where I guided and supported interns and recent graduates in their career development. This opportunity allowed me to share my knowledge and experiences while also learning from fresh perspectives. Working closely with talented individuals, I helped them navigate their roles, develop their skills, and gain insights into the industry. It was a rewarding experience that not only allowed me to contribute to the growth of others but also helped me further develop my leadership and communication skills in a collaborative environment.
Other Highlgihts
Lastly, here are some other areas I contributed to during my time on the project:
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Factions: In addition to working on factions like Wolves, Omega Force, and GSK, I also had the opportunity to assist with bug fixing the Assassins Faction and spent six months working on an unreleased Faction that I unfortunately can never talk to anyone about.😞
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Gadgets: When the Sydney team took over the gadgets work from Annecy, I focused on polishing and bug fixing both released and unreleased gadgets. Later this got handed off to SFO.
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Tilt: I helped with the initial stages of the Tilt game mode, though I want to give full credit to Gabriella for the final work! ❤️
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Bots: I assisted with setting up bots for several game modes, working with systems designed by other technical designers.
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Documentation: I created technical design documents for each of the Wolves abilities, along with a history and variable page. I used Confluence macros (including Table Transform SQL) to ensure these pages synced when updated. I also created a system for organizing and documenting playtests, allowing designers and TDs to track playtest goals and outcomes. As a bit of an OCD enthusiast when it comes to documentation, I made sure everything I referenced and maintained was up-to-date.
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Onboarding: As the first technical designer in Sydney, I helped onboard new team members by creating a Miro board filled with useful notes and "how-to" documentation for both Snowdrop and XDefiant.