PRINCIPAL LEVEL DESIGNER
Tomb Raider I–III Remastered
Owned enemy and level modifications for Challenge Mode across the trilogy, from new encounters to enemy CR balancing.
TTK / COMBAT BALANCING / ENCOUNTER DESIGNREAD CASE STUDYALEXANDRE CHAVES
LEVEL DESIGN PORTFOLIOSENIOR / TECHNICAL LEVEL DESIGNER
UNREAL ENGINE / UNITY
LEVEL DESIGN PORTFOLIOSENIOR / TECHNICAL LEVEL DESIGNER
UNREAL ENGINE / UNITY
DESIGNINGPLAYABLEworlds.
My approach to Level Design prioritizes playability, spatial metrics, and player guidance, establishing a strong foundation for narrative design and environment art.
01 / DESIGN
- Mission Design
- Level Design
- Puzzle Design
02 / ART
- Blockout Modeling
- Lighting Setup
- World Atmosphere
03 / TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION
- Blueprint Scripting
- Character Integration
- UI Systems
- Asset Integration
01 / SHIPPED LEVELSPROJECT INDEX — 001:004
Shipped Levels.
A selection of my shipped work showcasing both creative and technical Level Design. My experience ranges from adapting and improving existing levels to designing and delivering original levels throughout the entire production cycle, from initial concept and blockout to final implementation and polish.
TECHNICAL LEVEL DESIGNER
UFO Robot Grendizer
Optimized six landscape levels for Nintendo Switch through World Streaming, environmental occlusion, and performance profiling.
WORLD STREAMING / UNITY / PROFILINGREAD CASE STUDYGAME DIRECTOR / LEAD DESIGNER
Tetragon
Created Tetragon and designed all 42 puzzles, leading its level design, narrative, and creative direction from concept to release.
PUZZLES / PROGRESSION / DIRECTIONREAD CASE STUDYMORE LEVELSSHOW LESS
FREELANCE LEVEL DESIGNER
Arena of Dreams
Created two released minigames for 32 players, defining systems, pacing, and goals from prototype to production-ready blockout.
MINIGAME DESIGN / PROTOTYPING / BLOCKOUTREAD CASE STUDY02 / MY APPROACH TO LEVEL DESIGNTHREE PILLARS / ONE PLAYABLE EXPERIENCE
Where I make
design decisions.
I shape spaces players can understand, interact with, and move through comfortably. These three pillars guide my decisions from the first layout to the playable level.
01Level Imaginability
01 / ORIENTATION & COGNITIVE MAPSLevel
Level
imaginability.
Can the player understand where they are, and remember how the space connects?
I build layouts around recognizable places, strong landmarks, and readable connections so players can form a cognitive map without feeling lost.
Art and interactive behavior strengthen that identity as production progresses. The Level Design must already provide a clear foundation for layout and navigation.
THE DESIGN DECISION
What can the player recognize, remember, and use to find their way?
A distinct tower gives direction. The bridge connects areas. Together, they help the player build a cognitive map.
02Level Playability
02 / ACTIONS & GAME FEELLevel
Level
playability.
What does the player actually do in this space?
I design interactive experiences: player and enemy spawns, PvE encounters, combat spaces, platforming puzzles, and opportunities to use the game's mechanics.
The layout supports the actions, pacing, and choices that make an experience engaging. How space supports gameplay, and how that connects to the overall game feel, is the essence of my work.
THE DESIGN DECISION
Which actions and meaningful choices does this layout make possible?
Spawns, cover, and alternate approaches turn movement into decisions about pressure, risk, and positioning.
03Documentation & Metrics
03 / SCALE & PLAYABLE DIMENSIONSDocumentation
Documentation
& metrics.
Does the space accommodate the character, camera, and mechanics?
I research and document metrics for doors, ladders, corridors, open and interior spaces, ceilings, steps, and other gameplay elements.
Character scale, game features, and camera controls define the dimensions. From fantasy to realism, I prioritize playable spaces that accommodate those systems over matching real-world measurements or artistic references alone.
THE DESIGN DECISION
Which dimensions let every feature work well, and how do we document them consistently?
Clearance fits this example
Illustrative ratios, not production standards. Final dimensions depend on character scale, movement, camera behavior, and playtesting.
CONCEPTUAL SCHEMES / INTERACTIVE EXAMPLES OF MY DESIGN PRINCIPLES
03 / ABOUT THE DESIGNERPROFILE / A.C.
Behind the Level
13+ years turning gameplay ideas into playable worlds.
PC / CONSOLE / MOBILEI'm Alexandre Chaves, a Senior / Technical Level Designer working across PC, console, and mobile. My work spans combat encounters, spatial puzzles, multiplayer minigames, and technical optimization, from early concepts and blockouts through implementation and playtesting.
I designed all 42 Tetragon puzzles and led its creative direction, created enemy encounters for Tomb Raider Challenge Mode, optimized Grendizer landscapes for Nintendo Switch, and delivered two released Arena of Dreams minigames.
Level Design · Combat & Puzzle Design · Technical Optimization
Unreal Engine · Unity · Blueprints · C#