MELANIE SCHNEIDER
Senior Level Designer
With over 10 years of experience in the gaming industry, my experiences range from designing levels, blocking out the layout in-engine, to scripting complex level flows all the way to shipping. Scripting well-rounded, immersive levels and events with a passionate team is what I enjoy the most.
First person action shooter, co-op, singleplayer
Unreal Engine 4
Robbing banks with friends! After the ending of PAYDAY 2, the Payday gang returns to their criminal lives in New York City.
I was the main Level Designer for 3 out of 8 levels for the base game, and worked on 3 DLC levels after release. Responsibilities included:
- Paper design of level flows and layouts
- Blocking out layouts in Unreal Engine
- Writing basic narrative scripts for the Narrative department & scripting VO
- Scripting objective flows from start to finish
- Mentoring the Level Design team of outsourcing studio
- Creating and maintaining level template and confluence guides
- Continuous collaboration with various departments such as Art, Gameplay Designers, Gameplay Programmers, Narrative & QA
- Testing, bugfixing and polish
Replayability and randomization makes up the core pillars of each PAYDAY level. Most can be completed in stealth and guns blazing, both requiring a different objective flow. The layouts are a mix of sandbox and linear experience, offering different paths and freedom of movement. Overall there are a lot of elements to take into consideration, which makes designing the levels complex and difficult.
Jewelry Store
“Dirty Ice”
The PAYDAY gang is tasked to steal illegal diamonds from a small family-owned jewelry store.
Focuses on smash & grab, replayability and discovery. The layout contains “public” and “VIP” sections with varying amounts of jewelry, a small vault in the back and a basement containing a “dirty secret”.
Armored Transport
“Road Rage”
The PAYDAY gang ambushes a high-tech reinforced armored transport located on the Queensboro Bridge.
Escort the vehicle to the end of the bridge to access the loot within. Designing this heist with all stakeholders was a great challenge due to the linearity of the bridge, retaining the “Hollywood feel” and balancing resources within the team.
Grand Bank
“Gold and Sharke”
The heisters tie loose ends from their troubled past, targeting a grand bank in lower Manhattan.
This heist emphasizes on the “grand, golden feel”. The objectives are an accumulation of all the player has learned so far, reaching the highly secure vault and extracting the loot either stealthy in the garage or guns blazing on the roof.
DLC: Data Center
“Syntax Error”
The first DLC added as part of the live-service. The players are after unique drone system stored inside a Data Center facility.
I co-designed and co-scripted this mission with another Level Designer. Features a broad crossroad, an enormous park, ground- & upper floor and a basement. I was responsible for everything layout- and script related above ground.
DLC: Diamond District
The PAYDAY gang is hitting the infamous Diamond District to steal diamonds from a competitor.
I designed the heist’s theme, objective draft and paper layout, first blockout and objective flow in-engine before handing it to an outsourcing studio. Features intuitive and simple objectives wrapped in sandbox-esque playstyle.
First person action shooter, co-op, singleplayer
Diesel Engine
Having joined Starbreeze shortly after the release of PAYDAY 2, I quickly learned the Diesel Engine and over the course of many years created 13 DLC levels in total.
Responsibilities included:
- Paper design of objectives and layout
- Blocking out layout in Diesel Engine
- Writing basic narrative scripts for the Narrative department & scripting VO
- Scripting objective flows from start to finish, as well as adding combat and stealth elements
- Adding first pass of the “Living World” (NPCs idling/walking)
- Continuous collaboration with various departments such as Art, Gameplay Designers, Gameplay Programmers, Narrative & QA
- Testing, bugfixing and polish
DLC: Hotline Miami
Shortly after being onboarded, I had the opportunity to create a DLC based on the popular game Hotline Miami. We decided on creating 2 levels, which I had the main ownership of.
The PAYDAY gang is targeting a criminal boss dubbed “The Commissar”. Starts in a motel-themed level to destroy his operations, to then hunt him down in his own apartment complex, featuring a bossfight.
The level was well received by the community due to the emphasis on the environmental destruction and the attention to voice overs.
DLC: The White House Heist
The heisters are tasked do steal presidential pardons, wrapping up PAYDAY 2 story-wise. The player starts flying in with a helicopter to infiltrate a hidden operations center.
I shared the design and script with another Level Designer. I was responsible for parts of the main building and created the giant, gloomy secret underground and scripted all its events.
This level generally has more story-heavy events, which I greatly enjoyed scripting.
DLC: Remakes
I was also tasked to create numerous remakes (originating from PAYDAY 2’s predecessor “Payday: The Heist”).
The goals were to add a twist to objectives and layout, to adapt to PAYDAY 2’s game mechanics and new player abilities while staying true to the original. Remakes included:
- No Mercy Heist
- Undercover Heist
- First World Bank Heist
