Matt Hulse

VESSYL is a 3rd person action roguelite built around verticality and freeflow movement. I designed layered hubs and encounter spaces where players navigate between progression gates, with combat areas that reward both careful positioning and aggressive engagement. The project emphasized how scale, pacing, and traversal loops create a cohesive experience—each space builds on the last, reinforcing the game's core movement and combat identity.

I handled full level design from paper through final implementation, working within a professional sprint-based workflow with regular design reviews and formal handoffs. This meant maintaining clear documentation, communicating with art and narrative teams, and iterating based on both internal feedback and external playtests. The result is a set of production-ready spaces that feel intentional and cohesive across the full roguelite loop.

STILL is a 2D roguelite designed around mobile constraints. I structured the game with modular dungeon segments that could be quickly understood at a glance, using color and silhouette hierarchy to communicate gameplay information without overwhelming the screen. The progression curves were tuned to encourage multiple runs while maintaining engaging difficulty pacing.

The design emphasized readability on mobile screens while keeping strategic depth through unlock systems, crafting, and per-run upgrades. Each design decision was validated through playtesting to ensure the experience felt rewarding on both short casual sessions and longer engaged playthroughs.

Mobile level design requires a different approach than larger projects. Dungeon segments needed to be legible at small screen sizes, which meant prioritizing contrast, simplified layouts, and clear visual hierarchies. I designed modular room templates that supported quick iteration and easy reuse while maintaining variety through systematic variation.

The progression curve was tuned to make each run feel distinct. With upgrades, unlocks, and scaling difficulty, the game rewarded player mastery over time while keeping early runs accessible. This balance ensured replayability without creating skill walls that would frustrate casual players.

Herd-Spun Harvest is a farming simulation where layout strategy directly impacts farm efficiency. I designed progressive farm layouts that introduce new mechanics while encouraging thoughtful spatial planning. Each level presents new constraints and opportunities, teaching players deeper systems without overwhelming complexity.

The economy loop was tuned to feel rewarding at every stage of progression. Early levels focus on simple resource gathering while later levels introduce breeding mechanics, market trading, and seasonal strategies. The design emphasizes player agency: success comes from understanding systems and planning efficiently, not from grinding.

Farm layout planning is the core design pillar. Each layout must be clear enough that players quickly understand spatial constraints while remaining interesting enough to reward optimization. I designed each level to introduce one or two new mechanics, ensuring the learning curve stays smooth even as systems layer.

The long-term economy loop makes each decision feel consequential. Players manage limited space, seasonal resources, and breeding cycles. Success requires understanding these interconnected systems and planning several moves ahead. This creates natural replayability as players discover new strategies on subsequent playthroughs.