Platform:
PC, PS4/5, XB1/Se, NS
Engine:
Unity
Duration:
>2 years
Team Size:
40+
Role:
Game Designer
Overview
As one of only two designers on Lawn Mowing Simulator, I contributed across a wide range of disciplines throughout both development and post-launch support. While the majority of my time was spent on level design, my responsibilities extended into systems design, gameplay balancing, progression tuning, feature development, and live support.
My level design work covered the project from initial concepting through to final implementation. I created early layouts, developed playable whiteboxes, defined mowable spaces, balanced contract flow, and worked closely with artists and programmers to bring locations to completion. Across the base game and post-launch content, I designed and implemented the majority of the game's environments, including locations featured in both DLC expansions.
Beyond level design, I contributed to vehicle balancing, gameplay tuning, progression systems, and the design and balancing of Challenge Mode. Following launch, I became the sole designer supporting the title, overseeing updates, balance adjustments, bug fixes, and new content releases while continuing to refine the overall player experience.
See below for a more detailed breakdown of my contributions throughout the project.
Early Level Concepting
Before entering production, I created top-down level concepts in Photoshop to establish gameplay flow, points of interest, mowing routes, and environmental storytelling opportunities. These early layouts were used to evaluate level pacing, identify potential gameplay challenges, and communicate design intent to the wider team before implementation began.
Whitebox Implementation
Following the concept phase, I translated level layouts into playable whitebox environments within Unreal Engine. This involved establishing the scale and proportions of each location, defining mowing spaces, planning vehicle routes, positioning obstacles, and creating the overall gameplay flow before art production began.
Whiteboxing formed a critical part of the iteration process, allowing the design team to evaluate contract completion times, mowing efficiency, navigation readability, and the impact of environmental features on player behaviour. By testing levels in a playable state early in development, I was able to identify potential issues and refine layouts before significant art and production resources had been invested.
Once a whitebox reached a suitable level of quality, it served as the foundation for collaboration with artists, programmers, and producers throughout the remainder of development, helping ensure that gameplay goals remained aligned with the final visual experience.
Grass Border Design & Implementation
A key part of each location's design involved defining mowable spaces through the placement and shaping of grass borders. I was responsible for creating and refining these areas to balance realism, readability, and gameplay, ensuring players could clearly understand contract objectives while maintaining the visual authenticity of each environment.
Level Balancing
Throughout development, I regularly evaluated and adjusted levels to ensure contracts provided an appropriate balance of challenge, completion time, and reward. This included reviewing mowing routes, obstacle placement, grass lengths, contract requirements, and progression pacing to create a consistent player experience across the game's diverse locations.
I designed and balanced the game's Challenge Mode, a set of time-focused scenarios intended to test player mastery of mowing mechanics and vehicle control. This involved setting strict grass heights and time objectives, defining success criteria, tuning scoring thresholds, and iterating through playtesting to create challenges that were demanding while remaining achievable.
Vehicle Balancing
I contributed to the balancing and tuning of the game's mower roster, helping differentiate vehicles through their speed, cutting capability, handling, and overall efficiency. The goal was to create meaningful progression and player choice while ensuring each vehicle fulfilled a distinct role within the wider gameplay experience.
Final Result
Here is an image of what a final level would look like when I was finished with all the development work.
Gameplay Trailer
Here is a gameplay video to illustrate what the final product looks like compared to the in-dev work I had a hand in designing and developing.
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