DRAKE KAZMIERCZAK

Designer | Artist
Tacoma, WA (Willing to Relocate)
LINKEDIN - ARTSTATION

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Game Designer with 12+ years of professional experience spanning game design, level design, UX/UI, and 3D art production. Shipped multiple commercial PC titles on Steam and led multidisciplinary teams through full production cycles. Strong background in human-computer interaction, usability testing, and real-time game development, supported by deep hands-on experience in game art pipelines and interactive systems.

CORE SKILLS

  • Debugging & Gameplay Analysis

  • Multiplayer Design

  • 3D Modeling & Real-Time Assets

  • Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

  • Design Documentation & Production Pipelines

  • Game Mechanics & Systems Design

  • Level Design & Environmental Layout

  • UX/UI Design & User Experience

  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

  • Usability & Playtesting

SOFTWARE

  • Substance Suite

  • Unreal Game Engine

  • Perforce / Plastic SCM

  • Motion Builder

  • Unity Game Engine

  • Autodesk Maya

  • ZBrush

  • Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

OCTOBER GAMES LLC | 2021 – Present

Lead Game Designer / Project Manager / 3D Generalist

  • Designed, developed, and shipped multiple commercial PC titles on Steam, including Puppet Master: The Game (2024) and Horror Legends (2021).

  • Led game mechanic and systems design, including character abilities, progression systems, perks, emotes, and multiplayer balance.

  • Designed and iterated on level layouts, pacing, and environmental flow to support competitive and cooperative gameplay.

  • Designed and refined UI/UX systems using Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) principles to improve usability, readability, and player onboarding.

  • Conducted extensive playtesting, usability testing, debugging, and gameplay analysis to guide iteration and balance.

  • Authored and maintained design documentation while managing shifting priorities and ambiguous requirements.

  • Built and optimized real-time 3D assets, environments, and animations to support gameplay, performance, and visual clarity.

  • Collaborated closely with engineers, artists, QA, and external partners in an agile, iterative development environment.

  • Managed production schedules, task prioritization, and feature scope across multiple development phases.

Shipped Titles:

  • Puppet Master: The Game — Steam, 2024 (Very Positive)

  • Horror Legends — Steam, 2021 (Very Positive)

FLOATING ORIGIN INTERACTIVE | May 2018 – February 2021

3D Designer / XR Developer

  • Designed and built real-time 3D environments and interactive experiences for VR and XR applications.

  • Applied UX and HCI principles to immersive environments to improve usability, player comfort, and interaction clarity.

  • Collaborated with game’s Lead Designer in agile development cycles, adapting quickly to evolving requirements.

INFORELIANCE | July 2013 – September 2017

3D Generalist / Task Lead

  • Served as task lead for 3D graphics and interactive content development on government and enterprise projects.

  • Created optimized real-time 3D assets, animations, and environments for training and simulation applications.

  • Coordinated schedules, reviewed work, and ensured quality and consistency across team deliverables.

  • Worked closely with stakeholders to translate requirements into functional, user-focused visual solutions.

INCONTEXT SOLUTIONS | August 2009 – September 2012

3D Artist

  • Created 3D assets and environments for retail visualization and interactive consumer experiences.

  • Collaborated with designers, developers, and clients to support usability and real-time performance goals.

  • Gained early experience working within production pipelines and iterative design workflows.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) – 3D Animation & Film
Columbia College Chicago

AWARDS

Key Contributor Award — Brian Doherty - InfoReliance - Oct 2015

Leonardo Award — John O' Shea, Lance Bendit. - InfoReliance — Feb 2015

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

  • Strong knowledge of game software technology and game art production

  • Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and shifting priorities

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Highly organized, self-motivated, and accountable

  • Passionate lifelong gamer with hands-on design and production experience