Kevin Chandler
Game Designer and Programmer
Kevin Chandler Portfolio
"A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
Greetings!
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I have been a game developer for 14 years, starting first as a game and level designer and gradually transitioning more technical design roles. I love to learn and try out strange game ideas. I have developed games for PC and mobile and VR, though I am currently working in the session based multiplayer space for consoles and PC.
I am an Unreal expert with 12 years working in the engine. I specialize in blueprinting and dabble in C++ when I don't have the tools I need to make something work well. I also have experience in Unity and other associated game design software
I work at Disruptive Games as Senior Technical Game Designer on an unannounced title with a group of seasoned developers. My primary duties surround prototyping and documentation and I am sort of a free agent in the company circulating between different strike teams to handle problems that fall through the cracks. I also work to manage the team's Unreal Education efforts for other designers and create tools to make everyone's lives easier.
Before that I worked at Level-Ex, a company that makes high fidelity medical simulations playable on web and mobile platforms. On any given day I would be translating game mechanics to work with simulated cataract surgery or implementing an interface to drag catheters around a recreation of the kidneys.
Before that I worked at the nonPareil Institute teaching adults on the autism spectrum how to make games and software while at the same time serving as game designer, programmer and project manager on several simultaneous projects that allowed my students to use their skills.
Current Role
Disruptive Games: Senior Technical Game Designer
Disruptive Games is currently working on an unannounced project for PC and Consoles that looks to be amazing. It's the team's first IP and it's been a thrill to work on something so innovative. As the Senior Technical Game Designer I am called in as a subject matter expert in all things Unreal and work with the engineering department to develop features for the upcoming vertical slice.
My current duties are
- Game Design Documentation
- Rapid Prototyping using Unreal Blueprinting
- Tools development using C++ and Blueprinting
- Code review and education
Current Accomplishments
• Created a performant vehicle damage system that works over multiplayer and reacts to damage applied by players by showing burn marks and particle effects at the point where the projectiles collided with geometry
• Designed and created a type of health system that uses repair points that return the vehicle back to health
• Used the Unreal Gameplay Ability System to create effects and abilities for players and vehicles in the project
• Designed a performant destructibles system that allowed for forests in a multiplayer map that could be mowed down by weapons fire and impacts
• Created tools for designers to use for a number of systems
• Helped train designers in best practices for Blueprint scripting for the project
Programming/Scripting
I worked as the lead programmer on many projects, often working as sole developer on a proof of concept which I can show a team to get them on board. Nothing makes me happier than creating something fun and unique. Seeing a player's eyes light up with understanding as they figure out the fun underneath their fingers means the world to me. Along the way I worked as a scripter working on AAA gameplay sequences, cinematics and player combat.
Programming Knowledge (In Order of experience): Blueprinting(Unreal), C#, Javascript, C++ Lua
Game Design
I have held the role as game designer and level designer on eight different titles, three of which are on steam and on mobile stores right now. While I enjoy trying to think of new and innovative gameplay, I try to be as practical as possible and create designs that can be applied to as many platforms as possible.
Environment Art
Part of my level design roles throughout the years involved making quality environments to go along with the gameplay. I have gotten very familiar with shaders and modeling to over the years and I especially like using custom shaders to turn a simple set of textures into a beautiful materials that can be optimized for any platform.
Technical Software
Game Development
Unreal Engine Editor, Unreal Engine Blueprint Editor, Unreal Engine Material Editor, Unreal Engine Widget Editor, Unreal Engine 4 Animation Blueprint Editor, Unreal Engine 4 Sequencer, Unity 3D Editor, Unity 3D Animation Controller, Unity 3D, Skyrim Creation Kit, Stencyl
Software Development
C#, C++, Visual Studio, Monodevelop, XCode, Android Build Tools, Photoshop, Blender, Mixamo, Adobe XD, Adobe Premiere, Microsoft Office, Jira, Trello, Perforce, TortoiseSVN, Sharepoint, Sketchup, Twinmotion, Crazybump, Quixel Mixer, Quixel Megascans