Senior AI Designer

As a Senior AI Designer at Epic Games, you'll take charge of the design vision for AI-focused features, crafting engaging AI behaviors and abilities through behavior trees and visual scripting. You'll collaborate with a cross-discipline team, prototype new ideas, and continually iterate on AI features based on player feedback, all aimed at enhancing the Fortnite experience.

To qualify for the Senior AI Designer role at Epic Games, candidates should have a strong background in game design with experience shipping multiple AAA titles. Expertise in developing AI for systemic environments, using behavior trees, and visual scripting is essential. Additionally, effective communication and a creative approach to problem-solving will make you a standout candidate.

Epic Games fosters innovation by promoting a collaborative environment where Senior AI Designers can experiment with new ideas through quick prototypes. The company encourages feedback from playtests, allowing designers to iterate and refine AI features based on actual player interactions, ensuring a seamless and engaging gaming experience.

At Epic Games, a Senior AI Designer will work within a cross-discipline development team that includes members from various backgrounds. The emphasis on collaboration means you'll regularly engage with artists, engineers, and other designers to share insights and align on creating a cohesive vision for AI features across projects.

Successful Senior AI Designers at Epic Games possess strong game design expertise, particularly in creating AI behaviors using behavior trees and visual scripting. A deep understanding of player motivations, creativity, effective communication skills, and teamwork are vital for succeeding in this dynamic role focused on enhancing the player experience.

When designing AI behaviors, I begin with understanding player motivations and the game mechanics involved. I then create detailed behavior trees, followed by prototyping and playtesting to ensure the AI enhances the player experience and feels intuitive.

I have extensive experience using visual scripting to implement AI components in my previous projects. I find visual scripting essential for prototyping quickly and iteratively developing complex AI behaviors without diving deep into code, which allows for more fluid creative iterations.

I prioritize creating a feedback loop where playtesters provide insights on AI interactions. I analyze feedback to identify pain points or areas for enhancement, and I iterate on the designs accordingly, often running multiple cycles of playtesting to ensure the final product meets player expectations.

Collaboration is key in game development. In my previous roles, I regularly coordinated with artists and programmers, hosting joint brainstorming sessions to ensure AI features align with visual storytelling and technical capabilities while maintaining a player-centric focus.

One major challenge I encountered was balancing complexity and player engagement. I tackled this by designing AI behaviors that were dynamic but also easy to understand for players, running through extensive testing to achieve the right level of challenge without causing frustration.

One of my most successful AI features was a dynamic enemy AI in a previous game. This AI adjusted difficulty based on player performance, ensuring a tailored challenge that kept players engaged. The positive feedback from our playtesting sessions confirmed its success.

I stay updated with gaming trends by attending conferences, participating in online forums, and regularly reading industry publications. I also follow thought leaders and developers on social media to share insights and innovative approaches to AI design.

I typically use Unreal Engine's behavior tree system for AI development, along with tools like Blueprint for visual scripting. These tools enhance my capability to create and prototype AI features quickly and effectively while facilitating collaboration with other team members.

To ensure my AI designs are player-centric, I conduct regular player feedback sessions and analyze user interactions with the AI. This insight allows me to make informed design decisions that align AI behavior with player expectations and enhance overall gameplay satisfaction.

My favorite part of being an AI Designer is the creative challenge of bringing lifelike behaviors to non-player characters. It’s incredibly rewarding to see AI designs that I’ve worked on evoke genuine emotional reactions from players, enhancing their overall gaming experience.