Friday, April 30, 2010

JOB ALERT: Economy Designer - NETDEVIL

NETDEVIL
Position Title:     Economy Designer
Location:            NetDevil-Louisville / Denver, CO
Taleo Req Number: 339
Webpage:
http://www.netdevil.com/employment/

Description

NetDevil is at the forefront of game innovation and has grown to over 100 people in its 12 year history.

From the space combat MMOG, Jumpgate Evolution, to the highly anticipated LEGO Universe MMOG; our company’s passion for launching to new heights of creativity can be experienced in everything we do.

Denver, Colorado provides an incredible variety of year round recreation and entertainment within easy reach of our studio. Skiing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting and many other activities are all available at a cost of living that is a fraction of either coast. It’s no wonder Louisville, Colorado was voted the #1 place to live in 2009 by MONEY Magazine.

If you want to join a fun environment where we play as hard as we work and think you have what it takes to be a part of one of the most innovative MMO development studios in the world; come be a part of NetDevil.

This position is responsible for creating and maintaining the economy, including microtransaction related game design, for an upcoming web-based action RPG MMO with ground-breaking technology.

Responsibilities:

  • Working within the established game goals and the game engine, implement a robust and thriving MMO economy that accommodates microtransactions and player to player object-based transactions
  • Working with the systems designers and the engineering team, create and implement microtransaction related game systems, based on the design director’s guidance
  • Work with the Quality Assurance and Focus Test teams to extensively playtest and iterate upon game design content
  • Perform various design research tasks including data mining, metrics analysis, comparative feature analysis with other games, complex testing tasks for play balance, etc.
  • Responsible for implementing all web-related economy tie-ins and store-to-game economic systems into the game engine, using proprietary tools and existing APIs
  • Implement and maintain the catalog of microtransaction offers, bundles, and store listings, including promotional offers and pricing structures.
  • Work with Marketing Dept. to implement Marketing and PR campaigns related to microtransactions
  • Develop in-game economy and microtransaction economy reports with noted actionable items and trend analysis
  • Maintains materials and completes assignments according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style and terminology
  • Reviews documentation and recommends revisions or change in scope, format, or content along with the design director and other team members

Qualifications:

  • BS/BA degree or equivalent professional experience; a demonstrable focus on economics is preferred
  • Minimum 2 years experience on one or more AAA quality products working in an economy design role – preferably MMORPGs or social networking games with microtransactions. Provide portfolio
  • Must possess technical writing skill, focusing on clarity and ease of communication
  • Must have thorough understanding of the needs of the end-user as to write from that perspective
  • Must self-educate through documents and product use
  • Must differentiate between elementary and ancillary information
  • Must be able to recognize potential exploits or conflicts relating to microtransactional and traditional economic mechanics, while propose/brainstorm appropriate solutions with the systems designers and design director
  • Willingness and ability to meet aggressive deadlines and extraordinary attention to details
  • Strong research, analytical and problem solving skills
  • Strong oral communication and interpersonal skills (cross-functional team environments)
  • Be aware and sensitive to what resources (art, programming) are available, the limits of the game engine and the ability to work within these limits when devising gameplay opportunities and systems
  • High level of flexibility with regard to change in direction or/and refinements
  • The ability to work within the existing game design, framework and back story to create AAA quality content, systems, and game play
  • Strong understanding of MMO economies and the impact of microtransactions
  • Strong understanding of basic economic principles and related player motivations
  • Experience with scripting languages (Java, Python, LUA, etc) preferred
  • Must be willing to relocate to Denver, CO area for full-time employment

Salary based on experience; 401k, health insurance, and other benefits provided.