Paul Kessel
game & level designer
I'm Paul, a game & level designer based in France. Here is my CV.I'm currently working at Don't Nod as a freelance game and level designer on an unnanounced project.Below are some of the projects I've worked on. Most of my non-commercial games are available on my Itch.io page.
Unannounced Don't Nod Game
Along the Rift
Along the rift is my end-of-studies game, and I worked on it within a team of 11 other students.Julia Clément and I were the two game designers of the project, I did some narrative design but I mainly focused on system and level design.
It's a narrative adventure game, where you play as a young girl that felt in a rift, seeking help from her parents by following their advices to get out.In this coming of age story, our main character will have to face her rich imagination, wich can amplify her reality but also help her face her most frightening fears.
Top view of the game's map, divided in 9 parts
Front view of the map
Side view of the map
We only worked on a vertical slice, rather than on the entire game.
You can see here the timeline of the game and of the vertical slice, alongside a document explaining our stress system, wich allow us to change dramatically the feel of the game based on how our main character is feeling at any given time.
Game Timeline
Vertical slice timeline
Stress system
Here is a mockup for the dialogue interaction I designed, wich allowed to spatially place the possible answer in the environment, and to try out a seamless and meaningful UI that blend with the rest of the experience.
Mockup of the dialogue system
Mockup of the dialogue system
Mockup of the dialogue system
Mockup of the dialogue system
Mockup of the dialogue system
Mockup of the dialogue system
We regularly showcased our work to teachers and professional of various studios, to get their feedbacks.Once the game was released, we managed to show it the Montreal's Nuit Blanche Festival, to Paris' Des Livres et Moi, and to New York's Animation First festival.
A screenshot of the game
Untitled
Untitled
Trogloxène
Trogloxène is a game I made within a team of three, alongside Dorian Fillâtre for the visuals, and Grégoire Monesma for the sound design.I was the designer but also the programmer on this project, I spent a lot of time creating the character's procedual animations, and took care of the UI.
It is a game about learning to fly as a bat, in a complex underground environment.
The player can wander they want, there is not a main path to follow, and at first there is no defined objective. There are many places to discover, and the only real challenge is to learn to fly with the bat.
Here are some in game screenshots.
A firefly
Walking in the walls passageways
Flying in the hub
A double room
The herbarium's page in the menu
One of the hidden caves
Running in the ice caves
Entry of the mushroom cave
You can control each wing of the bat individually, wich allows for a wide range of movements.
The control layout
The different movements
I wanted the game's UI to be minimalist, but to fit with the art created by Dorian for the game.The dots that appear at the bottom of the screen when the bat lift off indicates how many wings strokes are available.
The little half circle jumping from dot to dot indicates wich wing to stroke next, to get a velocity bonus.
The gauges at the right and left corner fill up when the player hold down a wing button. If they release this button when the gauge is at its maximum, they'll go farther.You can also see the menu UI, wich uses the same input as the wing system, and was made to fit the narrative of the game (with the bat looking at her papers from her bag)
Walking
Flying
Special jump + running
The menu
It all started with a prototype I made for a design class at ENJMIN.
Then, we decided with Dorian and Grégoire to pursue it during our summer.
The prototype I made alone looked like this
Procedural walk in the prototype
Flying in the prototype
a demo of the final character
Since the game takes place in a vast and complex environnement, I created a 3D map for my team, A 2D one was not working.
Each room are there, with a short description wich explains were its doors leads, how hidden they are, and how the camera will work in this place.
It was made to be printed and displayed in a A0 format, but here are some extract of the document.
Entire plan
selected excerpt: the hub
selected excerpt: the greenhouses
selected excerpt: the top, front, and three-quarter view of the environnement
A design document presenting a problem with one of the room, and two possible solutions
Paper Tale
Paper Tale was a game I made during my first year at ENJMIN.It is an ambient game, where you play as a paper golem, saving its city from the flood.
Poster
In game: the hub
In game: the market square
In game: the stairs to the last district
I worked as the game designer of the team, and I focused on the system and level design.
I especially enjoyed setting up the multiple cameras in the game, wich make for a very smooth experience.Here are some example of the 2D maps, the greyboxing, and the design documents I made for my team.
Early sketch
Character diagram
2D map
greyblocking
Level art
Greyblocking: full view
Greyblocking: the clock district
Greyblocking: the cliff alley
Greyblocking: the market square
Greyblocking: the last district
More infos on the game, along with more in game screenshot, a trailer and the game itself, are available on its itch.io page here:
Alternative Controllers
A selection of some of the alternative controllers I made along the years, alone or within teams. Most were made when I was in art school, as a way to experiment new way of interacting and presenting my games to an art-oriented audience.
BzzBzz
Control a fly using a customised Theremin, by moving your hand in the air without touching anything.
The game also offers the possibility to use an eye tracker, or buttons, in a modular way, so that the experience is as accessible as possible.
The customised Theremin
Playing the game
In game
In game
✨
Connect the stars with the shadow of your hand to form constellations, while avoiding black holes. Once a constellation is formed, a voice tells the players its story.Two version of this game exist: the first, ✨, is about fictional constellations, while the second one, Histoires d'un ciel was made for a french space museum, and teaches players about real constellation.
In game
In game
The game at the museum
09Cameras
Using your numeric keypad, or the big 3D printed controller, discover a mysterious space station through its cameras.
Each camera has a different gameplay, and uses differently the numeric pad. Players must learn progressively the commands of each of them, at their own pace.
A printable diegetic instruction manual is available to assist.
The game was exhibited during the 2019 edition of the Indiecade europe, at the BNF.
The game's homemade controller
A younger Paul presenting the game at Indiecade Europe
In game
In game
In game
In game
Kärl
A very demanding robot. If left alone, it will start to yell in the exhibition space. In order not to disturb the visitors, you have to rock it gently, or give it cuddles.
Kärl was created for the 26th edition of Eniarof, with a team composed of another artist and two programmers.
Kärl
Someone taking care of Kärl during an exhibit
A younger Paul soldering the insides of Kärl's head
Friendships
A game designed to be played with a kite-like controller.
To control the ship, you have to pull the two ropes. Colorful shapes will appear and grow. If the ship touches their center they'll explode. It is up to the player to decide to destroy them, or to preserve them.
The game's ship
A knight playing during the exhibit
Two person trying the game together
362 893
Control a broken spaceship.
To reach the moon, you have to connect the power to the thruster, but be aware that at full power, the speed of this very powerful ship will kill you instantly…
Play by connecting and disconnecting a custom plug & socket controller.
Le jeu 362 893 présenté sur une installation fun où il faut maîtriser le branchement pour ne pas laisser exploser la fusée 🚀 pic.twitter.com/qhWGsCXXAR
— Mix MyuUuUuuUu 👻 (@MixMyu_) March 30, 2018