My Role
On The Finals, most of my design focus was dedicated to destruction, but I also contributed to combat design as a secondary area. I collaborated with the balancing team to deliver impactful weapon and gadget balance updates in our constantly evolving game. Additionally, I developed two new weapons, one fully automatic and one semi-automatic, expanding my expertise in weapon design and implementation.
Process
Combat in The Finals is dynamic and ever-changing, with players bringing different loadouts and tools into destructible environments. My work in combat design focused on balancing these weapons and gadgets to keep fights feeling fair, engaging, and unpredictable.
Each week, I analysed live data and community sentiment to identify balance opportunities. I then pitched changes to the balancing team, using a mix of data analysis and player feedback to support my proposals. Once approved, I implemented adjustments to weapon stats and behaviour, ensuring changes felt meaningful without disrupting the overall game balance.
Recoil and Dispersion
Challenges
One key challenge was getting the feel of new weapons. Tuning aspects like recoil, dispersion, and camera shake required deep understanding of our internal systems to ensure each weapon felt satisfying while staying consistent with The Finals’ combat design philosophy. To achieve this, I analysed similar weapons in other games for reference, then fine-tuned values to maintain balance and uphold the game’s unique feel.
