Alex Bean

Game Designer

 

HALO INFINITE

Released: 11/15/21

 
 

ITEM SPAWNERS

A suite of dynamic objects that spawn sandbox items for players in multiplayer. Designed to strengthen Halo’s core scavenging loop by aiding players in locating items and understanding their respawn behavior. Each object may spawn random items chosen from set groups to provide different gameplay match to match while ingesting new gameplay items for the needs of seasonal live service updates.

  • Designed the system from initial pitch to ship

  • Worked with art to ensure assets met level design needs and achieved maximum player clarity

  • Collaborated with dev partners to create numerous tuning values for design and future UGC

  • Defined the default spawning behaviors of all sandbox items in multiplayer using feedback from internal players and 343’s Competitive Insights Team

PERSONAL AI

A player feedback system that consists of helpful voiceover messaging, personality-driven combat barks, and mode object interactions. Selectable AI characters allow players to express themselves beyond typical Spartan stoicism with a Spartan/AI dynamic familiar to fans of Halo campaigns.

  • Pitched Personal AI and led feature development to ship*

  • Worked on characters with internal/external art teams from concept to final polish

  • Collaborated with dev partners on a system that can summon, animate, and dismiss AI characters via script

  • Scripted AI behaviors for mode object interactions

* VO writing, implementation, and tuning were performed by other 343 team members

A narrative sequence in the MP tutorial depicts the player earning their first Personal AI

“FRET” AI appearing at a Stronghold location

ARENA MAP DESIGN

Competitive maps designed for fun 4v4 gameplay within the Halo sandbox.

  • Pitched and built the original layouts for Bazaar and Aquarius*

  • Designed Streets from initial pitch to ship

  • Took over Live Fire mid-development and worked with art to develop the map’s theme, partnered with the Academy team on its integration into the MP tutorial, and iterated on the design to reach the final layout

  • Iterated using feedback from internal players and 343’s Competitive Insights Team

* Other team members took on Bazaar and Aquarius to reach their shipped layouts

MATCH FLOW

Non-playable sequences at match start, between rounds, and match end that set the stage for the match, provide a reprieve and reset, and showcase the victors, respectively. Cinematic cameras introduce the map and spotlight player cosmetics while transitioning to gameplay in a timely and stylized fashion.

  • Worked with UI and Live teams to determine the sequence order and how it paired with pre- and post-game experiences

  • Designed each sequence from initial pitch to ship

  • Collaborated with dev on the underlying framework, including setting rules for slow/fast loading players, join in progress, custom game variability, etc.

  • Scripted and authored cameras, their movements, and timing for each

  • Worked with animation from motion capture to implementation on Intro player emotes

Map Intro

Player Intro

Winning Team Outro

MEDALS & PERSONAL SCORE

UI-based feedback systems for accomplishments during multiplayer gameplay. Personal Score is earned for basic actions that contribute to a team’s success (kills, assists, mode interaction) whereas Medals award players with flashy fanfare for feats of style or finesse. Personal Score consists of a string and a score value that contributes to the player’s position on the scoreboard. Medals feature a string and an icon that signifies the triggering action.

  • Designed Personal Score to act as the player’s base form of feedback, allowing Medals to be uncommon and special

  • Established Medal groupings based on difficulty and type in order to improve legibility and create rules that inform VO and UI fanfare

  • Created a suite of new Medals that sought to reward a variety of playstyles and provide player feedback when achieving “only in Halo” moments

  • Curated existing Medals and culled ones that that did not meet Infinite’s goals

  • Worked with internal and external UI teams to develop Medal icons and communicate the new groupings with icon design and UI fanfare

Medals and Personal Score as they appear in the post-game Player Recap

Walkthrough of many new Medals

Gameplay with Medals & Personal Score

DEATH CAM & SPECTATE

The player’s posthumous camera perspective and their point of view when switching to spectate an ally while waiting to respawn. Infinite’s iteration on this legacy system provides more information of the player’s killer with a “cinematic” presentation that blends seamlessly from the player on death and utilizes unique cameras and camera behaviors for various player states while spectating teammates.

  • Designed Infinite’s iteration of the death experience from initial pitch to ship

  • Scripted and authored all cameras for Death Cam, including the default blend from the player’s head and unique perspectives for dying in vehicles, by self-destruction, and more

  • Scripted and authored all cameras for Spectate, including unique perspectives for each vehicle and behaviors for states such as grappling and vehicle boarding

  • Worked with UI on the death experience’s various widgets

  • Wrote content and tuned the triggering behavior of Death Tips

 
 

MARK

A “ping” system that allows players to Mark sandbox items, objectives, and enemies with a navpoint and a string in the HUD’s Event Feed that display for teammates. Vehicle drivers may also use Mark to summon passengers by honking their horn at slow speeds.

  • Designed the system from initial pitch to ship

  • Worked with dev to develop raycast detection rules and behaviors such as vehicle driver Marks and grouping multiple enemies into a single Mark

  • Collaborated with UI on the system’s navpoints