RICHARD PAU LEVEL DESIGNER

RICHARD PAU | Level Designer

www.paurichard.com | www.linkedin.com/in/richard-pau-1b316a13

​

​

SUMMARY

​

   12+ Years AAA experience, proven track record of delivering high-fidelity player experiences across the Tomb Raider and Marvel’s Avengers franchises. Expert at identifying technical risks and proactively architecting scalable workflows that bridge the gap between Creative, Engineering, and Art. Specialized in Unreal Engine 5 scripting and establishing the "Golden Rule" gameplay metrics that define modern AAA combat and traversal. 

​

WORK EXPERIENCE 

 

Level Designer II | Crystal Dynamics | [ Tomb Raider Catalyst ]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 2022 – 2025 

 

• Standardized gameplay metrics and validation workflows across the studio, resulting in a 50% reduction in reported gameplay bugs and significantly faster iteration cycles.  

• Architected and delivered the end-to-end design for 20+ side tombs, successfully bringing 5 to Alpha-quality ahead of the first vertical slice production milestone.  

• Prototyped and scripted 30+ unique, scalable puzzle systems that allowed for dynamic difficulty adjustment while maintaining a high-fidelity AAA feel.  

• Authored comprehensive design documentation, including top-down flow maps and object behavior specs, to align Engineering, Art, and Animation teams on technical execution.  

• Established cross-disciplinary peer-review sessions, fostering team ownership and proactive resource sharing to mitigate production risks early. 

​

Level Designer I | Crystal Dynamics | [ Marvel’s Avengers / Shadow of the Tomb Raider ]                                                                                                                                                                                          2016 – 2021 

  

• Designed and implemented multiplayer objectives and layouts for live-service updates that prioritized player retention and optimized cooperative gameplay mechanics. 

• Established best practices for combat design by stress-testing AI behaviors through early-stage prototyping and combat encounter iteration. 

• Collaborated with Engineering to debut new water physics technology, successfully integrating the tech into complex side-tomb puzzles to showcase studio-wide innovation. 

​

Environment Artist | Crystal Dynamics | [ Rise of the Tomb Raider / Lara Croft Temple of Osiris ]                                                                                                                                                                          2013 – 2016 

​

• Spearheaded the "Kitesh" city modular kit construction, providing the foundational assembly system used to build the entire game hub. 

• Mentored a cohort of junior developers into Senior leadership roles, directly scaling the studio's talent pool and leadership pipeline. 

• Architected modular building techniques that were adopted as key technical pillars for all subsequent studio projects, streamlining future production workflows. 

 

​

SKILLS & TOOLS

 

• Core Design Mastery: Technical Level Design, Visual Scripting (UE Blueprints), AAA Combat & Encounter Design, Gameplay Metrics & Standardization 

• Systems & Workflow: Modular Kit Architecture, Technical Design Documentation, Cross-Discipline Risk Mitigation, Pipeline Optimization, Mentorship & Leadership 

• Technical Ecosystem: Unreal Engine 5 (Expert), Horizon 2, Maya, Perforce, Jira, Confluence 

• Multimedia: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects) 

 

EDUCATION 

​

Bachelor of Science in Game Art & Design | The Art Institute of California Los Angeles  2011 ​

​

• Award: Outstanding Achievement in Game Art and Design (2011)