VIGOR
open world, arena design - UE 4
Emil Gašparec portfolio
“There are shop boys, and there are boys who just happen to work in a shop for the time being.”
- Yvaine, StarDust (2007)
This quote always resonated with me as it took more than five years before I broke into the industry. By day I worked as a shop assistant in a second hand gaming shop. By night I developed my skills and made stuff.
Through time I pivoted from writing to game design and later from game design to level design. Here I found my true calling, love and passion.
These days, with over six years of professional experience, level design has become my main domain where I can offer not just my services but also guidance.
And still, even now, I tend to squeeze the last bits of energy I have each night to work on my own projects.
Level Design
References
"I worked with Emil on Ministry of Broadcast, where his exceptional game and level design skills significantly elevated our game’s quality. His extensive knowledge of the gaming market, combined with his own vast gaming experience, brought invaluable insights to our project. Emil is not only a talented professional who delivers effective results, but also a great communicator and team player. His disciplined approach and enthusiasm for game design make him an outstanding collaborator on any project."
- Petr Škorňok, lead on Ministry of Broadcast
"Emil má přirozenou schopnost komunikace, umí klást správné otázky a je to výborný týmový hráč. Jeho neutuchající entuziasmus a snaha se učit nové věci znamená, že se dokáže rychle zorientovat v jakékoliv nové doméně a to je pro něj jako pro game designéra neocenitelná schopnost. Spolupracoval jsem s ním na několika game jamech a vždy jsem odcházel s pocitem nejen dobře odvedené práce, ale také příjemně stráveného času s lidmi. Emil byl schopen vždy přispět prací game designéra, scriptéra, spisovatele ale i slušnou a vkusnou 2D grafikou, nehledě na jeho neotřelé a vtipné nápady. Cílevědomý, pozitivní a neotřelý, tak bych popsal Emila ve třech slovech."
- Pavel Fadrhonc, friend
"Emil is a talented designer who is really passionate about games. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him on a passion project of mine and he was able to tune into what the game was all about. He is eager to learn new things and comes up with interesting ideas consistently. Perhaps even more importantly, he is a good person with a strong set of values."
- Kamil Polko, lead at Quiet Dimensions
Know-How
I believe there are only two things one can do with acumulated know-how: Use it or share it.
I personally enjoy doing both:
- I’ve worked as a consultant on student projects at the Secondary School of Art and Design.
- I’m a registered mentor at Gamebaze, a game development incubator in Brno, Czech Republic.
- I’ve created a guide to help beginner level designers learn where to start and how to hone their skills.
- I occasionally give talks on level design and related topics, like “Morning Routines” or “How to Define an Expert in the Creative Process.”
CONSULTATIONS
Level design is critical for almost any game—after all, gameplay happens within the levels!
You’ve put significant effort into polishing your game design, creating stunning art, and ensuring a bug-free experience. Now it’s time to ensure your level design does justice to all that hard work.
Here’s how I can help:
- Workflow optimization: defining focus and responsibilities for each stage of development.
- Level design principles: pacing, flow, puzzle design, exploration, cover distribution, verticality, orientation, introducing mechanics, and more.
We can do a one-time evaluation of your project or focus more on a long-term growth and development of your level design skillset.
MENTORSHIP
Why make all the mistakes and figure everything out on your own? You can use my experience to fast-track your growth!
Here’s what we can work on:
- Analysis of your recent work.
- Study and practice recommendations.
- Techniques, frameworks, and methods.
- Creativity, productivity, time management, and communication skills.
Online Materials
I currently have several articles, talks, and e-books in production. If you want to know when and where I will publish them, follow me on LinkedIn.
You can also check some of my older stuff on the links below.
CONTACTS
Located in Brno, Czech Republic
My schedule will open more in second half of 2025, but feel free to reach out and start our conversation today.
I’m currently looking for work in B - AA 3D single-player production or with compact indie teams.
LinkedIn: ../in/emilgasparec/