Released: September 2021 (Updates released through 2025)
Studio: Amazon Game Studios
Platforms: PC, Xbox X/S, PS5
Engine: Azoth (fork of Crytek)
Time on Project: ~10 years
Role and Contribution
My time on the New World project spanned more than 10 years, during which my responsibilities and contributions grew significantly.
Pre-production
Designed and Scripted player controls and combat for initial Survival/Crafting game direction
Re-scripted player and AI controls for MMORPG game direction: state machine and behavior trees, hit and hurt volumes, projectiles and spells, locomotion and special navigation (vaulting and mantling), multi-dimensional blendspaces, layered animations for movement while shooting/attacking (bow and musket), blend frames, reactions, and world interactions.
Launch
Took on the role as AI Design Lead, giving direction to more than a dozen designers, defining creature pipeline templates and standards, conducting code reviews, feedback cycles, and ship approvals
Designed and implemented dozens of AI combat creatures
Created mathematical structure for base AI health and damage tuning by level used by all AI combat creatures
Post Launch
Continued as AI Design Lead while also taking on role of Product Owner for AI and Expeditions, reviewing, giving direction, and giving ship approvals
Designed and implemented a new Reaction Limiter system to make hit vs AI in solo-play more impactful and engaging while not negatively affecting group-play
Updated and retuned all base AI health and damage for both player level cap increases as well as defining tuning for new 10 and 20 person raid game modes
Major Releases
New World (2021)
Initial release of New World on PC which saw a peak of over 900,000 concurrent players on Steam
Brimstone Sands (2022)
First major post-launch release of a huge new zone, new creatures, the Great Sword weapon, and new Expeditions
Rise of the Angry Earth (2023)
Complete rework of a zone, new creatures, new boss fights, new expeditions, 10 and 20 person raid bosses, mounts, the Flail weapon, and level cap increase.
New World: Aeternum (2024)
Release of New World on Xbox and Playstation with gamepad support as well as a complete storyline update and the first full 10-person raid
Nighthaven (2025)
Release of an entirely new zone with new story quest and bosses, procedural dungeons, a 10-person raid, complete itemization rework, and level cap increase
Notable Designs