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Meet the Mech Masters: Level Designer Tyler Buser

Community Introduction Interview

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#1 Hugs_

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Posted March 01 2013 - 03:27 PM

This week we meet the guy who is working on the highly anticipated new maps!

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Name: Tyler Buser
Callsign: [HWK]sarchasm
Favorite Mech: Infiltrator
Favorite Map: Sahara
Role on HAWKEN: The Level Designer



So, what do you do on HAWKEN_

I’m a, no make that The Level Designer, but only since the beginning of January 2013. I’m here to make some new awesome levels for HAWKEN, which frees the rest of the designers to focus on making HAWKEN that much grander!

As the level designer, I’m in charge of making sure the arenas that we do battle in make the game and its systems shine to their full potential. I tell my dad that I design levels and use their components the way a golf course architect might slope a green or add a bunker; we both make countless decisions about an environment or landscape to maximize the fun (or challenge). Of course, the rules of HAWKEN are much different than the rules of golf (and the pants are different, too). I end up touching a lot of areas of the game, levels are a kind of the nexus for 75% of the content in a game. I end up working very close with the engineers and the artists who turn my turds in to beautiful environments, but I also love collaborating with the other designers on game systems, too.



What got you started working in video games_

QuakeWorld Team Fortress (QWTF) + 12 year old me = addiction. I remember reading about QWTF in PC Gamer when it wasn't even complete. At the time the game only had five classes. It was the first mod that really meant something to me and I desperately wanted to make levels for it. Hilariously, I never released a Team Fortress map, because by the time I was any good Quake II had already been released! Tragically, there was no "Quake II Team Fortress", but by then I had discovered another amazing mod called Jailbreak. I created over a dozen levels for Jailbreak under the moniker “neotic”. I’ll never forget the first time I had a full 32 player server on one of the maps I had created! It was such a rush! It was the thing that really gave me the level designer love and I hope I’ll never be able to shake it! 14-year-old me got in trouble for bragging about the popularity of my maps so now I try to be a little more humble.



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Finally, and most importantly, what's the first game you ever played_

Wolfenstein 3D, my uncle gave me a copy that already had a lot of mods on it. The one that stands out the most is one where the Nazis were swapped with Barney the Dinosaur and the walls were covered in graffiti reading, “DIE BARNEY DIE”. Well, that’s not true at all.. my first was probably NES something, but I liked Wolf 3D more.






Team HAWKEN is glad to have Tyler around to make maps where we can give and take rockets to the face.



Click here to view the article
xxoo

#2 Elix

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Posted March 01 2013 - 03:37 PM

Favourite map: Sahara

This man knows what is up. :D
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#3 SilentJacket

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Posted March 01 2013 - 03:38 PM

0.o

nice to meet you, out of curiosity, do you design the maps solely, or do you make the assets, collision maps, textures, and too_

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#4 ApoC_101

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Posted March 01 2013 - 04:00 PM

level design FTW!
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#5 Conquistador

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Posted March 01 2013 - 04:41 PM

Can we expect a symmetric version of Sahara at some point_ I mean, since it's your favourite map and all...

Edited by Conquistador, March 01 2013 - 04:44 PM.

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#6 *sarchasm

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Posted March 01 2013 - 04:50 PM

SilentJacket, on March 01 2013 - 03:38 PM, said:

nice to meet you, out of curiosity, do you design the maps solely, or do you make the assets, collision maps, textures, and too_

You too! It gets kind of messy. Starting with new maps going forward, I do all the gameplay design for the level, which involves the basic layout (sight-lines, base locations, cover, verticality, spawns, etc) but also where the gamemode stuff is (AA, missile silos, energy trees, etc). Art is the department that makes and places the assets, textures, themes, etc. I'll also do final collision passes and make sure the lovely artists didn't stray too far into my gameplay spaces... and if they do I pull the cranky ol' man "Get off my lawn!"
Level Designer

#7 Cincyslayer99

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Posted March 01 2013 - 04:56 PM

Ah another QII vet.. nice to meet you sir.

#8 Akrium

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Posted March 01 2013 - 04:58 PM

go go classic Team Fortress!!!! <3 <3 <3

#9 ReachH

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Posted March 01 2013 - 05:22 PM

A QUAKE PLAYER DESIGNS OUR MAPS

HURRAH

HURRAH

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[well, now we know why Origin is the way it is LOL]

Edited by ReachH, March 01 2013 - 05:25 PM.

View Post[HWK]HUGHES, on October 23 2013 - 06:01 PM, said:

Development happens.


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#10 SirCannonFodder

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Posted March 02 2013 - 02:10 AM

Have you seen this thread on how to fix MA and/or Siege on Bazaar (since currently it is completely and utterly broken)_ What are your thoughts on the suggested changes_

Edited by SirCannonFodder, March 02 2013 - 02:11 AM.

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Australian_ Like Hawken_ Then join the Drop Bears! Or actually maybe don't, since it's kind of dead.


#11 The_Silencer

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Posted March 02 2013 - 02:22 AM

Cool interview and nice story, thanks! :)

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#12 Wasabi_Wei

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Posted March 02 2013 - 03:21 PM

Great interview. I can't wait to see what you do with the map-making.  Hawken has a good base but needs so much more map-wise. It does my heart a lot of good seeing that a dedicated person who seems to 'get it' is on the scene. Maps combined with the upcoming tweaks should propel Hawken into the top-tier of the gaming market in my opinion. I am not afraid to pay for my games and Hawken has had my money for three months running on the criteria of where I spend my time. I have games I paid for going to waste already. This guy (and the upcoming re-balancing)  adds the long term support I was looking for. I think Adhesive and Meteor are doing great work!
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#13 *sarchasm

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Posted March 02 2013 - 06:01 PM

View PostSirCannonFodder, on March 02 2013 - 02:10 AM, said:

Have you seen this thread on how to fix MA and/or Siege on Bazaar (since currently it is completely and utterly broken)_ What are your thoughts on the suggested changes_

Ah yes, I am well aware of this thread. I think it has a lot of good ideas, I was actually pleasantly surprised because the new whitebox I made coming out next week actually has some of them... what's that phrase, great minds think alike_ I'm really anxious to see how y'all react to it. Make sure to play it on the custom server and voice your feedback. But as far as existing levels, I suppose that's on me one way or the other too... my focus currently is moving forward with new maps... but if I find time maybe I can revisit the existing levels, which I definitely have opinions about. No promises though :)
Level Designer

#14 The_Silencer

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Posted March 02 2013 - 11:29 PM

Or hive mind.. :)

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"The difference between theory and practice is smaller in theory than it is in practice"


#15 Houruck

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Posted March 04 2013 - 02:16 AM

I know community made maps are not planned, but since you were also a modder what do you think about these maps like in World of Padman (originally a Q3 mod)_

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It would be fun to stomp on a desk with tiny model Mechs. :D

Edited by Houruck, March 04 2013 - 02:19 AM.

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#16 Hunter_Killer

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Posted March 04 2013 - 03:22 AM

YEAHHHHHhhhh

Infiltrator
  4
  LIFE
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-INFILTRATION-UNIT-ONE-

#17 SUPPPORT_ARE_TROOPS!

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Posted March 04 2013 - 11:20 AM

View Post[HWK]sarchasm, on March 01 2013 - 04:50 PM, said:

and if they do I pull the cranky ol' man "Get off my lawn!"

It should be noted that his profile picture is quite a bit out dated.  Here is a more recent picture.

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#18 ItsThatGuy

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Posted March 04 2013 - 05:48 PM

Of course, the rules of HAWKEN are much different than the rules of golf (and the pants are different, too).

THIS MUST CHANGE!!!

Nice to meet you Tyler

#19 MasterFALE

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Posted March 04 2013 - 06:18 PM

View PostHouruck, on March 04 2013 - 02:16 AM, said:

It would be fun to stomp on a desk with tiny model Mechs. :D

I would be infinitely amused. Espcially if we were using the 'model' boxes as cover and platforms.
Posted ImageReaper(25), Scout(15), Infiltrator(6), Technician(11), Bruiser(25), CRT(15), SharpShooter(12), Rocketeer(18), Grenadier(12), Brawler(6)

#20 SilentJacket

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Posted March 05 2013 - 07:44 PM

View Post[HWK]SUPPPORT_ARE_TROOPS!, on March 04 2013 - 11:20 AM, said:

View Post[HWK]sarchasm, on March 01 2013 - 04:50 PM, said:

and if they do I pull the cranky ol' man "Get off my lawn!"

It should be noted that his profile picture is quite a bit out dated.  Here is a more recent picture.

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Get off my LAN!

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