.webp)
#MeetIronGalaxy – Haven Sanders
While engineers are the technical glue for a game development project, it’s designers that mix the sauce that makes a game fun to play. Understanding what sounds and feels good can take a lot of trial and error. If you have a seasoned designer to implement a team’s goals, games can come out feeling exactly like a player expects it to, with maybe a few surprises. Let’s talk to one of our own to learn more about the craft.
Iron Galaxy: Hello Haven. Please introduce yourself.
Haven Sanders: My name is Haven! I am a Technical Gameplay Designer at IG, which is a title that means a lot - and also not much at the same time. I’ve been a jack-of-all-trades for the design team, jumping from Tech Design to System Design to even a bit of QA! At the end of the day, my main goal is to enable the incredibly creative people around me by giving them the tools to make cool stuff.
IG: A team-oriented person with the technical and creative knowledge to back it up! How collaborative are you with others when making tools?
HS: Collaboration is an enormous part of the design role at IG! As a systems designer on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, I worked with just about every discipline in some way. Take Mikey’s “Special Delivery” trick, as an example. Just this one small piece of the game requires collaboration with the animation team, character art, sound, and engineering! Design often breaks down a concept, defines what pieces are needed from each team, and then utilizes those pieces to craft the player experience.
IG: And that scratches just the surface of it. What’s the most rewarding aspect of creating things that other people experience?
HS: I decided to pursue game dev when a very kind art teacher allowed me to make games in JavaScript as part of an independent study. At the art fair that year, I presented four games! Seeing people try the games, connect with them, and have real emotional reactions – I was hooked. I wanted to spend my professional life creating art that brings people joy.
IG: A teacher guiding the trajectory of a student’s life. Tale as old as time. What’s are some of your other hobbies, outside of playing games?
HS: In the summers, I Disc Golf! Chicagoland is brimming with excellent courses and it’s a great excuse to get outside on the weekend.
In the winters, I play euphonium in Chicago’s Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band. Playing an instrument is one of life’s purest joys for me, and to do it with a community is truly a blessing. Some of my closest life-long friends are from my time in Michigan State’s Spartan Marching Band.
In all seasons, you can spot me at local music venues. Live music is a necessary fuel for life.
IG: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
HS: This might come across as pandering to the audience, but it’s gotta be the Chicago Dog. I’d pass away from sodium-related complications before too long, but what a way to go, defeated by the humble sport pepper.
IG: An uncontestable, 100% correct answer. What’s your favorite travel destination that you have visited?
HS: San Diego! I lived there for a stint, but it’s a travel destination now. San Diego Comic Con is a treat. The whole Gaslamp District (and beyond) gets transformed. It’s quite the spectacle. But aside from that, it’s hard to beat the city’s vibe. Great weather, great food, and friends that will let me crash on a couch.
IG: You were the main Systems Designer who built the system that brought non-player characters to life and allowed Level Designers to author NPCs for THPS 3+4. What were your design philosophies when building this system?
HS: When building a tool or system for a game, the first consideration is: “What’s the goal of this system?” The team has identified this system as necessary, as well as its broad purpose, so it’s time to get specific and ask questions!
What actions do NPCs perform? What makes them act, players or other external stimuli? How will Level Design place NPCs? What resources are available across the team working on the game?
Once all the necessary information is gathered, then you can plan your attack! On paper, this is a linear process. However, there is a reality in game dev: Some questions cannot be answered until you start building. You can theorize about a “Thin Man that needs to be delivered an Axe” all day, but eventually, there are going to be questions that require deeper investigation. From the tangible “Is this possible with the available time and code base?” to the less tangible “How close should the player be before the NPC starts talking?” Sometimes you just need to get a prototype on screen.
IG: What's unique about the process of building an AI system in a THPS game, compared to another project you've worked on?
For an expert player, THPS moves incredibly fast. When working on Red Dead Online, I was able to draw the player’s attention as they’re passing by, see if the player approaches the NPC, and have a whole conversation with them. In that same time, a THPS player has knocked over a dozen NPCs on the way to a million-point score. As a result, NPCs in THPS are tuned to talk from large distances, their actions are exaggerated, and their dialogue lines are short.
Additionally, this restriction makes THPS NPCs simpler than other games! They react to player actions, the state of the level’s goals, or interactable elements in the level. Otherwise, they’re mostly just chilling. A benefit of this simplicity is that NPCs are authored without needing to custom script each one! They’re entirely data driven. This allowed a relatively small team to place hundreds of NPCs with unique outfits, dialog lines, and actions.
IG: What was your favorite NPC implemented by Level Design?
HS: Constable Richard and his Copper crew! Having Jack Black make an appearance in the game was a delight, and the related goal is a ton of fun, courtesy of Level Designer Kieran Peasley.
IG: As a designer and a musician, which games have your favorite audio design? Why do they have great audio design?
HS: Game audio is an incredibly powerful tool! Using this tool to define the setting and tell a story is a quick way onto my favorites list. I often point to two Legend of Zelda games as examples of excellent sound design: Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild.
In Wind Waker, every sound is deliberately heightened to fit the game’s cartoony look and feel. Characters make exaggerated, goofy sounds, weapon hits add layers to the combat music, and the menu sounds go up or down in pitch depending on if you are going forward or back.
Breath of the Wild, on the other hand, is a masterclass in dynamic audio. While wandering the vast wilderness, the game lets the environment speak. The music takes a back seat, treating the player to the rustling of leaves and the chirps of birds. In towns or in combat, the music comes to the fore - which makes the return to lonely silence even more stark.
IG: Great way of explaining how audio can have such a dynamic impact on a game. What’s one genre of games that you think is underrated?
HS: Walking simulators. Tell me a story in a unique way! Let me empathize with a character!
IG: What was the last concert you saw?
HS: Bilmuri at a Lollapalooza after show. Small, loud, sweaty, mosh-y. Cathartic.
IG: What game have you spent the most time playing?
HS: NCAA Football 14. Just about every MAC school has seen a championship under my purview.
IG: A great game to play over the last decade. Hopefully you’ve gotten a chance to enjoy College Football 25 and 26! What has been your favorite series to binge?
HS: I’m on a Bob’s Burgers kick at the moment. It’s not a world-changing show, but every 10-12 minutes a surprise line or subversion catches me completely off guard and gets a laugh. Extremely watchable, and a great way to unwind.
IG: What’s the one superpower that you would like to have?
HS: Gotta be teleportation. I love being places, but I dislike travel.
IG: Answered like a designer who understands systems. You get one wish. You can’t wish for more wishes. What do you wish for?
HS: 2 Less wishes. If the genie’s wish count is an unsigned int, I’ve now got 2,147,483,647 wishes.
IG: Big brain answer. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would you invite?
HS: Is someone else footing the bill? If so, I’m taking my close friends out to one of Chicago’s Michelin Starred spots. Nothing beats food with good company. Or Jesse, the Founder of Trash Panda Disc Golf. Seems like a cool guy.
Thanks for pulling back the curtain for a view of your recent work assignments and personal adventures. You have a knack for finding fun and creating enjoyable moments for you and those around you. Congratulations on your work on Tony Hawk's™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4! The studio is very proud of the team’s work. We are looking forward to whatever projects you’ll get to contribute to next.
