Video Game Work
This section showcases the work I have done on various games and projects outside of the Game Jam format. I have worked on a variety of video games by myself or alongside small or AAA companies. The work presented here comes from all stages of development and might have involved cooperation with team-members in order to realize it.
My time at Ubisoft Bucharest got me used to working in a massive company with complex long term pipelines, interdependent teams on multiple hierarchical levels and involving multiple stakeholders.
Having experienced several instances in which people acting as facilitators made a positive impact on the workflow and productivity, motivated me to try and become one myself. It became really important to me to not just do my work but to help others learn and do theirs.
I think working in such big teams is like living in a large family. Being kind but straightforward is important. There should be a natural inclination for pitching in, not because it is part of one’s job description or their explicit task but because it keeps the “household” running and creates mutual trust and respect.
Watch Dogs Legion
Role: UI Artist, UX Designer, 2D Artist
Company: Ubisoft Bucharest
Date: August 2017-January 2019
Watch Dogs: Legion is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Toronto and published by Ubisoft. It is the third installment in the Watch Dogs series and the sequel to 2016's Watch Dogs 2. Set within a fictionalized representation of a futuristic, dystopian London, the game's story follows the hacker syndicate DedSec as they seek to clear their names after being framed for a series of terrorist bombings.
Working on Watch Dogs Legion, I fulfilled the role of a 2D Generalist more than that of an UI Artist. I worked on style proposals, process documentation, 2D animation and textures but also on UI wireframes, mockups and art assets.
I was also part of the Narrative team where we brainstormed ideas, handled low-level writing needed for specific locations and decided on how different gameplay elements integrated with the narrative.
UI / UX
Interactive Art
Puzzle Pirates
Role: 2D Game Artist (Community Art Competition)
Company: Three Rings Design
Date: 2012-2013
Puzzle Pirates is a massively multiplayer online puzzle game developed by Three Rings Design.
At its peak, Puzzle Pirates frequently added community created content in the form of 2D art or island design. Themed contests were organized on game’s forum and the winners got their work published in the game.
I have created several portrait backgrounds that function as a backdrop for the in-game profile pictures and an assortment of seasonal trinkets that players can collect and display.
Below, you will find the ones that made it into the final game.
Roam the World
Role: 2D Game Artist, Game Design Trainer, Project Management
Company: Gravity Pixels SRL-D
Date: June 2017 – September 2017
Roam the world is a physics-based 2D side-scroller where you need to drive and balance your car carefully over difficult terrain in order to gather coins and break distance records.
I was in charge of texturing some of the game assets, including the main character and some of the car skins. I also participated in creating icons and illustrations/promotional material for the game.
Besides these responsibilities, I helped the company with some management and training.
I’ve set up a task management system for them to better keep track of their tasks, task dependencies, and bottlenecks. I also organized a Game Design 101 lecture for their Game Designers that were just starting up in the Game Development world.
Arachnymph
Role: 2D Artist, Game Designer, Programmer
Date: December 2013
Arachnymph was an experimental game that, through allegories and symbols, simulates foreplay and sex in heterosexual pairings. This proof of concept was created for the Experimental Interaction course at the IT University of Copenhagen. Coding was done in Flash using the Flixel library while the animations were done using the alpha version of Spriter.
The game stemmed from the following idea: In mainstream culture and media, intercourse is most often portrayed as the most important bit of sex. Foreplay is often forgotten, thought of as an optional step leading to the “real thing”. Considering the fact that, according to studies, a vast majority of women do not experience pleasure from intercourse alone, I set out to create a game that puts foreplay in the spotlight.
In this interpretation, in order to engage in sexual intercourse with a female, the male must first invest energy into properly approaching her. The allegory of a female spider waiting in the middle of the web for her mate to approach seemed perfect for this purpose. In the case of spider copulation, a male rushing too fast might trigger a “fight or flight” response in the female. Feeling threatened, she might run away or act in self-defense. Having one’s head viciously ripped off as a result of a rushed approach is not preferable.
In the game, players control the small male spider. The male spider has to thread his way carefully around the web, picking the right web chords in order to get closer to the female. This dance is also a way for the male to get excited and increase anticipation for what will follow. The female spider releases pheromone baubles enticing the male as he plays the right chords.
The game was originally designed for tablets or PC with an analog stick controller. The inherently physical aspect of tablets would enhance the mood of the game, the circular motions of the fingertips on the tablet’s surface successfully simulating a sensual caress. In the case of the PC version, the movement of the analog stick is sleek and still somehow sensual. It retains much of the physicality a tablet has. The game offers feedback to players through its diegetic interface. Highlighted web chords and blooming flowers define in game goals and track the performance of the player.
Many thanks to Andrei Livadariu and Anders Lystad Brevik for the much needed coding help and bug fixing.
We Bounce
Role: 2D Artist, Game Designer
Company: Witchclub.ro
Date: July 2013
We Bounce is an infinite vertical climber game made for the non-profit site Witchclub.ro by Nina Croitoru and Andrei Livadariu.
It features We, a W.I.T.C.H. Disney character, rising up into an endless night sky by jumping on elemental bubbles.
Every elemental bubble you bounce on gives you points. Double your points for every “Heart of the Kandrakar” you pop.
Other contributions
This section contains an assortment of work on several old projects that never saw the light of day.
