Design Director

Game: Directive 8020​

Role: Design Director​

Genre: Survival Horror & Interactive Drama

Release​: 12th May 2026​

Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC​

Engine: Unreal Engine 5

​​

​

Description

​​

​Directive 8020 is a Survival Horror and Interactive Drama game in which players switch between five protagonists as they navigate the crashed and decaying colony ship in search of a way off Tau Ceti f. Blending tense survival horror gameplay and dramatic cinematic cutscenes, the game places the player at the centre of a branching story.

 

​​As Design Director, I was responsible for championing the player experience across gameplay, systems and level design, maintaining alignment with the Creative Director’s vision whilst leading a team of roughly 20 designers. 

​​​

​

Responsibilities​

​​

• Mechanics and Systems

  • Designed and drove new gameplay mechanics, systems and features such as the Utility Strap, Wedge Tool, Dolls and Threat AI.

  • Overhauled the series' 3Cs and Interactions and Secrets systems.

  • Worked with the Writers, Narrative Designers and Creative Director on the Messenger and Turning Point system.

  • Established and developed the gameplay loops.

  • Ensured strong game feel especially with the new and overhauled mechanics and systems.

  • Helped establish and enshrine the player fantasy and project pillars. 

• Level Design​​

  • Established level design pipelines, processes and principles - current proposal to roll out company-wide.

  • Drove gameplay and level quality through regular design reviews, playtesting and iteration.

  • Developed the stealth encounter framework for the Threat AI.

  • Worked with designers to both directly and indirectly design puzzles, level layouts and encounters.

  • Supported and upskilled designers in developing levels from initial concept through to final quality.

  • Established a Supermassive 'Level Design Huddle' process within personal development time that hyper-focused on specific elements of level design such as Functional Spaces to upskill designers.

• Visual Scripting and Implementation

  • Provided​ hands-on implementation of high-level and/or complex scripting when the team require additional support.

  • Supported designers in solving complex technical and implementation challenges across Unreal, Blueprint and a propriety visual scripting language.

  • Supported the Principal UI/UX Designer by picking up lower priority UI work.

• Design Leadership

  • Led​ and mentored a large team of designers, supporting individual personal development and progression.

  • Fostered strong collaboration and communication, ensured good team morale and feature ownership across the team.

  • Maintained alignment across disciplines and ensured the wider team were aware of design requirements and vice versa.

  • Worked with various outsourcers ensuring they were aligned on project goals and design requirements.

• Project Planning and Scoping

  • ​​​Contributed to project planning, feature scoping/rescoping and prioritisation.

  • Helped pivot project production framework from a Waterfall methodology towards a Scrum model.

  • Developed content understanding the balance between creative ambition and practicality.

• Mocap and VO

  • Directed numerous internal mocap sessions ensuring performances and content met the design requirements.

  • Attended external VO shoots in a support role to advise performers and performance director, again ensuring performances and content met the design requirements.

​