Job descriptionContextWhy do we need a Combat Director ?As the Combat Director for Age of Bharat, you will be responsible for envisioning, directing, and executing a world-class combat experience that is grounded, skill-based, and deeply aligned with the game's themes of myth, spiritual power, and resistance. You will lead a focused team of 4-7 combat/system designers and work closely with animation, AI, narrative, and gameplay programming to develop a cohesive, satisfying, and mechanically rich combat system.Key Objectives1. Combat System ArchitectureDesign and iterate on core combat mechanics, including melee, ranged, mobility, block/dodge systems, stamina/resource management, and combat-specific UI.Establish and maintain a high-level combat design document and modular systems that scale from 1v1 duels to group encounters.2. Combat Feel and ResponsivenessWork with animators and programmers to define the feel of attacks, hit reactions, timing windows, hit-stop, invincibility frames, and enemy feedback.Playtest regularly to dial in fluidity, challenge, and player satisfaction.3. Enemy Design PhilosophyCollaborate with AI and encounter designers to ensure enemy behavior, telegraphing, and attack patterns fit the core combat loops and player toolkit.Guide creation of a diverse enemy roster that emphasizes readability, counterplay, and mastery.4. Player Growth and ProgressionOversee the development of combat-related progression systems such as weapon types, upgrades, skills/techniques, and passive systems (e.g. Traits, Skill Tree, Blessings).Ensure player growth supports multiple viable playstyles and encourages experimentation.5. Motion Capture CollaborationInterface with the animation teams while defining combat animation needs and direct mocap requirements in close collaboration with the creative and design director.Serve as the key design stakeholder during mocap planning, sessions, and reviews - ensuring choreography, pacing, and transitions align with gameplay needs.Work with animators to implement and iterate on mocap data for all combat interactions, including attack loops, special moves, finishers, reactions, and cinematic combat moments.Ensure mocap content enhances mechanical clarity and emotional impact in combat.6. Team Leadership & CollaborationProvide clear direction, feedback, and mentorship to your combat design team.Foster alignment across narrative, art, and systems to ensure that combat remains in sync with worldbuilding, story, and tone.Work closely with production to scope and prioritize features effectively as well as define what additional staffing is required to achieve scope and vision.7. Balance and TuningDrive balance across all player abilities and enemy types, ensuring combat is fair, challenging, and rewarding at all difficulty levels.Define metrics and tools for combat tuning and iterate based on internal playtests and user feedback.8. Combat as ExpressionEmbed thematic meaning into combat - ensure that systems reflect key cultural and philosophical aspects of Indian mythology (e.g., karma, dharma, inner balance).Support player expression through weapons, stances, or abilities that reinforce character identity and playstyle.Success CriteriaThe combat experience is praised for its clarity, depth, responsiveness, and emotional impact.The design team delivers consistently and is empowered under your leadership.Combat mechanics scale across the full game without falling into repetition or imbalance.Players feel that combat is not only mechanically rich but also meaningful within the world of Age of Bharat.Success CriteriaKey informationAccepting permanent staff and freelance candidatesAvailability: May (if available later, do not hesitate to apply!)Location: Paris (Full remote from Europe possible!)Compensation and Benefits:We partner with to facilitate hiring globally, ensuring compliance with local labor laws and providing tailored benefits for each country. This collaboration allows us to offer competitive packages and seamless onboarding for our international team members, enhancing their employment experience no matter where they are located.Preferred experienceCore MandateDefine and own the combat vision for Age of Bharat together with the creative/design director, ensuring it reflects the tone, pacing, and thematic intent of the game world.Build and lead a high-performing, collaborative design pod focused on delivering responsive, deep, and intuitive combat systems.Translate fantasy into mechanics by crafting combat experiences that are tactile, grounded in Indian martial aesthetics, and provide meaningful decision-making under pressure.Recruitment process1. First conversation (20 min) - Video call with Arthur (Recruiter)2. Technical Interview (1 hour) - Video call with Francisc (Design Director) and Mihai (Lead UX Designer)3. Team Interview (1 hour) - Video call with the rest of the Design teamArthur will ensure follow-up and coordination throughout the entire process.Want to know more?Rencontrez Guillaume, CTORencontrez Nouredine, CEODiscover the companyExplore the company's profile or follow them to find out if they're the right fit!Follow them!The companyVideo Games85 employeesFounded in 2014Average age: 31 years oldWho are they?Novaquark is dedicated to bringing people from across the globe together to breathe life into worlds of their own making. Our first game, Dual Universe, grandly showcases the power of next-generation voxels. Players and game makers alike are empowered to let their wildest imaginings soar to create stunning buildings and contraptions, fully-functioning vehicles of every shape and size, and awe-inspiring pieces of art.We're just getting started! We are working on several ambitious games that span across multiple genres, that leverage our technology driven mindset. proven engines such as Unreal 5, and industry-standard workflows. With the NQ way we mean that as game makers our collective potential can be brought to new heights leveraging technology. We are looking for talented and passionate people to join our growing team and help us make these forward-thinking games a reality.With a mix of industry veterans and promising young talents, Novaquark is a place where individual contributions matter above else in an inclusive workplace. We have offices in Paris and Montreal, both in central and easily accessible locations, and the coffee pot is always on. Want to work from home in your favorite fuzzy slippers? No problem: we have a fully flexible work policy. Oh, and did we mention that we like to have fun while we're at it? We're making games, after all! Novaquarkians often meet up, in-person and online, to share food, games, and good times. Come as you are! Visit the Novaquark website to learn more. If you like what you see and want to be a part of it, get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.The NQ Way:We prioritize results rather than seniority.We work from anywhere.We come as we are.We go where no other game has gone: we started with Dual Universe, and we are all game creators, pushing innovation and creativity.We leverage all technologies (Unreal engine, procedural, AI, UGC, data, server, voxel…) because we love, as a team, to do more with the power available at our fingertips.And we believe it is a transmission of the future. Inclusion, innovation, progression. The future will tell us if we are right.Regarding our company culture and rituals, we host “Weekly Team Games” every Monday. Participation is optional, and it's a great opportunity to play online games with fellow Novaquarkians. We also have a mandatory meeting every three weeks, on Mondays, to discuss the progress of our internal projects.To keep everyone up-to-date, we regularly dispatch newsletters that cover the latest developments of our project.In Paris, our office is situated in the 3rd arrondissement, just a stone's throw from the Arts et Métiers metro station, on Beaubourg Street. For those coming to the office, the area offers a diverse array of dining options, catering to all tastes and preferences.At Novaquark, we are dedicated to fighting discrimination in all its forms and fostering an inclusive environment including those from individuals with disabilities. We welcome applications from all candidates, as we strive to build a team that reflects the rich diversity of our global community.The perks & benefits
Open to full remote
Work from anywhere
Employer-paid health insurance
Reduction of working time (RTT)
Dedicated Diversity & inclusivity staff
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