Ben Bauer has been working in the gaming industry since 2003. He previously held lead roles at Crytek and Ubisoft and is currently the Creative Director at Plan A Collective.
Ben Bauer is one of the top-level designers in the business. His deep knowledge of flow, game space and environment creation and refinement has resulted in some of the most exciting experiences in games. This book gives readers a look into what makes a level great and how to do it the right way. --Jack Mamais, Director, Impeller Studios. Mr. Bauer has achieved something truly rare in a book on specialized game development methodology: He delivers a rigorous framework for the various interconnected practices of Level Design and does it with a witty conversational style that makes you feel like Ben is there coaching you in person. He also takes the time to bring our collective attention to some oft-neglected aspects of the LD's craft. An outstanding primer for new designers and experienced game devs alike. --Patrick Redding, Creative Director, Warner Bros. Games. This book will be a fantastic read for level designers of all skill sets and experience. Entertainingly written, it shows great insights into how to practically develop levels, but also covers how level designers can excel within a larger game development environment, with many anecdotes from Ben's own work experience in his 20+ years in the industry. --Sten Huebler, Senior Level Designer, Microsoft.