COMBAT DESIGNER (REALMS TEAM)

Location: Remote
Compensation: Phantom Equity (early team)
Type: Full-Time / Contractor

⚔️ About the Opportunity
Inkognido Realms focus on fast, tight, readable combat — inspired by indie action titles, arcade shooters, and stylized arena brawlers.
As a Combat Designer, you will design the “feel” of combat:
Attack patterns
Enemy behaviors
Ability kits
Boss encounters
Combat pacing
Hit feedback
Telegraph clarity
Movement flow
Emotional states in AI reactions
Your work defines whether combat feels satisfying, addictive, and high-energy — or flat and forgettable.
This is a signature role for the entire platform.

🚀 Your Mission
Own the combat experience across all Realms:
Build combat archetypes
Shape rhythm, tension, and flow
Design abilities with iconic feel
Create enemy + boss attack patterns
Work closely with gameplay engineers
Ensure combat readability + clarity
Tune pacing, difficulty, aggression, and emotional impact
You help create the combat identity for the Inkognido universe.

🛠 Responsibilities
Design player attack kits, abilities, combos, and skill loops
Build enemy/boss attack patterns and multi-phase behavior
Create combat telegraphs with VFX + animation teams
Tune hit reactions, stagger windows, i-frames, dodge timing
Analyze and optimize moment-to-moment combat flow
Develop archetypes for enemies: rushers, snipers, brutes, glass cannons
Integrate emotional states from AI systems (rage, fear, adaptiveness)
Collaborate with gameplay engineers to implement combat logic
Iterate constantly using internal playtest feedback
Document abilities, enemies, and tuning parameters
This role requires creativity + iteration + technical understanding.

🧠 Requirements
Must Have:
Experience designing combat systems in a shipped game or advanced prototype
Deep understanding of action game mechanics
Strong analytical ability (frame data, timings, tuning)
Ability to communicate clearly with engineers and artists
Passion for moment-to-moment gameplay
Ability to prototype or whitebox encounters
Nice to Have:
Experience scripting enemy behavior (Blueprints, C#, or similar)
Knowledge of animation timing and hitbox/hurtbox theory
Familiarity with Souls-like, roguelite, or arena combat principles
Experience working with VFX to design telegraphs
Understanding of emotional or behavioral AI
If you obsess over combat feel, this role is your playground.

💡 Why This Role Matters
Combat is one of the core pillars of Inkognido Realms.
Your work defines:
How satisfying attacks feel
How enemies challenge players
How bosses create intensity
How players express mastery
How AI-driven emotions affect encounters
You help build the moment-to-moment heartbeat of the game.
This role is essential to the identity of every Realm.

🏆 What You Get
Phantom equity eligibility
Ownership of the combat vision across Realms
Ability to define attack styles, enemy archetypes, and boss identity
Fast iteration cycles where your ideas ship quickly
Direct collaboration with AI team for emotional combat behaviors
Leadership growth opportunities as Realms expand
This is a rare chance to build the combat DNA of an entire ecosystem.

✉️ How This Role Works With Others
You will collaborate closely with:
Gameplay Engineers – Implementing combat logic and tuning mechanics
Lead Developer – High-level combat philosophy + architecture
Rigger/Animator – Movement cycles, attacks, hit reactions
FX Artists – Impact clarity + ability telegraphs
Environment Artists – Arena flow and combat visibility
AI Team – Emotional reactions + behavioral evolution
Creative Director – Combat style, tone, and thematic identity
Combat design ties directly to every major pillar of Realms.

📚 Study Links (Internal Use)
(Optional)
Action Game Combat Loop Design
Telegraphing Principles & Anticipation
Enemy Archetype Frameworks
Boss Design Patterns
Frame Data Analysis
Emotional AI in Combat

📩 How to Apply
Apply through our central hiring hub:

👉 https://www.notion.so/Inkognido-BD-Control-Center-aa4e2ac51daa433381ce049f18fef0bd?source=copy_link
Or email:
hiringteam@inkognido.com
recruiterdarnell@inkognido.com
chrishiringlead@inkognidostudios.com
daylinrecruiter@inkognidostudios.com
Include:
Resume
Combat design portfolio or documentation
Videos/GIFs of encounters or boss fights you’ve designed
A short note about what makes great combat feel great
We review every submission manually.