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Claudio Crener
Level Designer, Level Artist & Technical generalist
Barcelona, Spain

Summary

Professional Summary
Expert in transitioning abstract, high-level world concepts into robust, highly optimized
spatial layouts within Unreal Engine 5, managing everything from blockout to performance
budgets.

Professional Work History
Lead Level Designer / Lead Artist
Unannounced 3D Physics Platformer (NDA Project) | Feb 2024 – Feb 2025
・ Dual-Pipeline Leadership: Spearheaded both design and art directions for a high-stakes, physics-driven platformer
centered entirely on tight, vertical downward navigation.
・ Production Stabilization: Stepped into a critical resource-gap environment to function as both Lead Artist and Lead
Designer, transforming high-level worldbuilding concepts into executable Level Design Documentation (LDD) and
core aesthetic style guides.
・ Architectural Blueprinting: Established structural world layouts and vertical flow mechanics that served as the
foundational blueprint for the project's ongoing development.
Senior Level Designer & Level Artist
Casual Brothers Ltd, Saber Interactive & Tripwire Interactive (Project: Killing Floor 2) | Oct 2020 – Feb 2024
・ AAA Live-Service Delivery: Owned the end-to-end design, environmental blockout, layout optimization, and asset
dressing for 9 shipped official maps across seasonal DLC and live-service updates (including Moonbase and
Castle Volter).
・ Combat Flow Pacing: Architected intricate, high-tension combat choke points and tactical sightlines, expertly
structuring AI pathing and enemy spawn systems to manipulate player positioning and squeeze the maximum
tactical tension out of every squad encounter.
・ Community Code Refinement: Collaborated directly with the active modding community to ingest, overhaul, and
visually remaster standout community-made maps to official Tripwire Interactive production, frame-rate, and
gameplay standards.
・ Technical Workflow Optimization: Constructed custom production tools and engine workflows within Unreal
Engine to rapidly mitigate collision errors and optimize lighting bakes in lockstep with QA teams.
3D Environment & World Artist
The Starry Expanse Project (Project: Riven — Official 2024 Remake) | 2017 – 2021
・ Pre-Rendered to Real-Time Translation: Developed and expanded the iconic Boiler Island environment within
Unreal Engine 4, successfully translating original 90s pre-rendered geometry into a seamless, modern 3D
real-time space.
・ Foundational Infrastructure: Delivered environmental and technical groundwork for the celebrated fan-led
recreation later absorbed directly by Cyan Worlds as the architecture for their official 2024 AAA release.
・ Remote Team Alignment: Bridged crucial communication pipelines across a heavily distributed global developer
group to maintain strict historical and artistic alignment.
Freelance 3D Artist & Game Design Assistant
The Game Forger, Barcelona | 2016 – 2019
・ 7 Masters (Full VR Game): Functioned as a Junior Sculptor creating high-fidelity VR assets. Sculpted the intricate
hero asset (the Naginata weapon), balancing aggressive high-poly detailing with the tight performance budgets
mandatory for smooth, motion-sickness-free VR rendering.
・ Virtual Riders (Sci-Fi Racing Game): Modeled and optimized a massive central space station that served as the
primary track landmark and visual anchor for a high-speed university demo booth showcase.
・ Aliens Attack VR (VR Tech Demo): Completed end-to-end high-to-low poly modeling, baking, and texturing for a
primary player weapon, maintaining strict frame-rate optimization standards.

Current Venture & Community Leadership
Founder & Technical Director
Indie Studio, Asset Pipeline & Community Operations | 2024 – Present
・ Studio Incubation: Managing game design documentations, scope verification, and systemic engine prototyping
for an unannounced commercial indie project.
・ Technical Art R&D: Designing modular real-time rendering assets, custom visual shaders, and environment pipelines
tailored for live-streaming VTuber applications. Collaborate closely with creators across character design and
musical fields.
・ Cultural Hub Management: Direct, organize, and manage localized gaming and anime/manga community hubs.
Actively contribute to regional news blogs and community events within the Catalan cultural sphere.

Academic Background
Game Art & Systems Education
・ Master of Arts: Organic Sculpting for Characters in Z-Brush | CICE, Madrid (2019)
・ Master of Arts: Art & 3D Design for Videogames | FX Animation, Barcelona (2015 – 2017)
・ Master of Arts: Animation, Digital Art, and Videogames | UPC School, Barcelona (2014)
⦿ Capstone Project — Spiral: Winds of Vengeance: Served as the lone artist in a 5-person team creating a full
3D action-adventure game in UDK within a strict 3-month timeline. Managed the complete visual identity,
character modeling, and texture landscape under severe technical and engine limitations.
Business Administration & Analytics Stack
・ MBA: Global Technology | Grenoble École de Management (2013)
・ BBA & Associate: Marketing & Sales Management | ISM-ESIC, Barcelona / Madrid (2009–2013)
・ MBA: Accounting and Tax | ISDE, Madrid (2010)
・ Associate: Business Administration | UPF, Barcelona (2007–2009)

Skills

3D Animation3D ModelingCharacter ModelingDigital SculptingEnvironment ModelingTexturingUV MappingRetopologyHigh-poly ModelingHard Surface ModelingPBR TexturingTexture Baking3Ds MaxMayaSubstance PainterSubstance DesignerPhotoshopZBrushUnityUnreal Engine

Software proficiency

3ds Max
3ds Max
Maya
Maya
ZBrush
ZBrush
Substance 3D Painter
Substance 3D Painter
Substance 3D Designer
Substance 3D Designer
Photoshop
Photoshop
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine
Unity
Unity
Marmoset Toolbag
Marmoset Toolbag
TopoGun
TopoGun
Quixel Suite
Quixel Suite

Productions

    • Video Game
      Killing Floor 2
    • Year
      2016
    • Role
      Level Designer & Environment Artist
    • Company
      Casual Brothers, Saber Interactive, & Tripwire Interactive
    • Video Game
      Virtual Riders
    • Year
      2019
    • Role
      3D Modelling & Texture Artist
    • Company
      The Game Forger
    • Video Game
      Aliens Attack VR
    • Year
      2018
    • Role
      Original design assistant, 3D Modelling & Texture Artist
    • Company
      The Game Forger

Experience

  • Level Designer & Environment Artist at Casual Brothers
    GB
    November 2019 - February 2024

    As a Level Designer, I had the chance to be the person in charge of selection, research, and development of community made maps, improving them to reach Tripwire's quality standards for official maps. At the same time, I was also in charge of bringing to life new, bespoke maps, as per the game and art director's vision.

    Design tasks were varied, and included spawn placement, weapons and ammo placement, collision smoothing, actor configuration, lighting adjustments, specific KF2 systems for quests and rewards, as well as additional puzzles and challenges, all in order to make the levels both visually striking, dynamic, and challenging, but above all, fun.

    Additionally, as Environment Artist, I had to make sure the art was both up to KF2's quality standards, but also making sure it preserved the original Mapper's intent for community maps, and going beyond expectations for bespoke maps.

    As for the maps we worked on:

    Community Made Maps:

    Dystopia 2029 - Design: Johanes, Claudio Crener. Art: Claudio Crener

    Netherhold - Design: Claudio Crener. Art: Alba Pardines, Claudio Crener

    Carrillon Hamlet - Design: Claudio Crener. Art: Alba Pardines, Claudio Crener

    Rig - Design: Carlos, Claudio Crener. Art: Alba Pardines, Carlos, Claudio Crener

    Barmwich Town - Design: Claudio Crener. Art: Alba Pardines, Carlos, Claudio Crener

    Crash - Design: Claudio Crener. Art: Alba Pardines, Carlos, Claudio Crener

    Subduction - Design: Alex Madrid, Claudio Crener. Art: Claudio Crener

    Original Maps:

    Moonbase - Design: Claudio Crener. Art: Francisco Alcalde, Alba Pardines, Claudio Crener

    Castle Volter - Design: Alex Madrid, Claudio Crener. Art: Alba Pardines, Carlos, Miguel, Claudio Crener