ANDREA ORTINO
AI DESIGN 2
Full Boss Design Breakdown
PROJECT - TOWN OF ZOZ
ROLE - DESIGN LEAD
This case study covers the design of one of the Town of Zoz’s end-game bosses, developed in close collaboration with the Combat, Narrative Team and Creative Director. The challenge was to translate the character’s psychological traits (hoarding, gluttony and loss of control) and story into combat behaviours that created interplay with player mechanics.
I led the design and prototyping while coordinating with animation for blockout support.
The result was a boss encounter that blended narrative themes with gameplay strategy
and depth.
IN A NUTSHELL
CHALLENGES
Designing the Gluttony Demon boss fight required translating heavy narrative themes, like impulse control and hoarding behaviour, into gameplay. This creature represented the psychological shadow of a key story character, so its behaviour needed to echo that narrative while functioning as an end-game test of mastery. By this stage, players had full access to abilities, buffs, and companions, demanding a multi-layered challenge that remained fair and emotionally resonant.
Coordination between design, animation, art, and narrative was essential to maintain both thematic and gameplay coherence.
APPROACH
BRAINSTORMING & IDEATION
I led a structured brainstorming phase with the Combat Designers, Narrative Team, and Creative Director to align on tone, story beats, and gameplay goals. I collected and synthesised notes on a shared Miro board to identify recurring motifs and have a complete picture of the character and its story.
Brainstorming Miro boards
From there, I explored core themes through research and translated them into gameplay concepts—mechanics that mirrored hoarding, overindulgence, and loss of self-control.
Inspirations
With the aid of the visual board, I wrote down gameplay ideas that resonate with the
core themes.
Bossfight gameplay ideas
PROTOTYPING
Using our existing AI plugins and adding minor extensions, I worked with the Animation Team to integrate early blockouts and have a playable prototype in the engine. Through multiple iterations and playtests, I refined AI behaviours and transitions, updating my design diagrams so that each department could clearly visualise intent and minimise rework.
Boss behaviour diagram
Bossfight video example
MENTORING
Before entering the polish phase, I clarified the thematic direction for the team, documenting every step and design rationale. Although I remained hands-on until final polish, I involved junior and mid-level designers in the process, mentoring them through implementation and iteration. This gave them ownership opportunities and strengthened their understanding of the AI systems and Boss Design.
OUTCOMES
Early cross-department collaboration produced a clear plan, allowing for rapid iteration and feedback. Leveraging our modular AI structure, I implemented and validated core systems efficiently before delegating part of the polishing and tuning to other designers. The encounter delivered cohesive storytelling, balanced difficulty, and reusable AI behaviours that extended our systemic toolkit for future content.
READ MORE
You can read more case studies at the links below. For any questions or further details, you can send me an email at asortino11@gmail.com or a connection request on LinkedIn