Nils Leister
Game Design
About Me
Nils Leister
Nice to meet you! My name is Nils Leister and I was born in the year 2000.
I am a Game Designer from Germany, who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in "Game Design & Management" from the Fresenius University in Cologne.
During my studies, I discovered that my true passion lies in Level Design. I find immense Joy in shaping the player’s world and bringing ideas to life — whether that means constructing grand ancient kingdoms, designing lush and vibrant forests, or crafting deep caverns illuminated by the glow of crystals below. The possibilities are endless!
I have been a passionate video game enthusiast for most of my life, always dreaming of creating my own worlds. Now, I am excited to finally bring those dreams to life by designing and publishing my own games.
Career
During my studies, I mainly worked on student projects and participated in the occasional Game Jam. Most of these projects were collaborative group projects, focused on creating game prototypes across a wide range of genres.
Nowadays I am working together with two fellow students on a 3D Coop Horror Puzzle Game. This time we are determined to take this game beyond the prototype stage — to fully develop and release it.
In past projects, my primary role was as a Level Designer, though I often supported other areas of develpoment as needed. With my current project however, that has changed — I am now involved in nearly every aspect of the process, eager to learn and improve at every discipline that goes into designing a video game.
Skills
Through my experience of working on many group projects in the past, I have become highly comfortable with team dynamics and naturally think like a team player. This has helped me stay adaptable, no matter the challenge or task that lies ahead.
All of my past projects were built in Unity, which gave me extensive hands-on expereince with the engine and its tools. For my current project however, my team and I decided to switch things up. This time we are working with Godot, allowing me to broaden my skill set and explore the workflow of a different game engine.
Over the years, I have also gained practical experience with a variety of Game Design and Game Development tools, including: Blender, Photoshop, Visual Studio, Premiere Pro, GitHub and Miro.
Projects
The following is an overview of projects
I have worked on in the past
Tesla Runner
Description
You take control of a masterthief, which goes by the name of „Gold“.
She breaks into a warehouse and steals two special gloves, that allow her to control and manipulate metal.
But just as she was about to leave, the guards found her point of entry and sounded the alarm.
Now she has no other choice but to try and find a different exit and make her escape over the surrounding rooftops.
A 2D Metroidvania Jump and Run, with Platforming and Combat revolving around the control of metal!
My Contribution
Game Designer, Level Designer
The Grammar Police
Description
You take on the role of a rookie police officer fresh out of the academy.
He is on his first day on the job and has been assigned to the Grammar Police — a special unit dedicated to tracking down and correcting grammatical errors.
But before he is allowed to head out into the field, he must first understand how the unit operates.
That’s why he has been assigned to review older cases to get a better sense of his upcoming tasks.
A Serious Game in the style of a 2D Visual Novel, designed to teach German grammar to 3rd graders!
My Contribution
Solo Project
Shooting Ghost hunter
Description
You play as a ghost hunter who receives a special request to cleanse an abandoned mansion of the spirits said to haunt it.
But as soon as he arrives on site, he makes an unsettling discovery — the basement he enters seems to have no end, and the ghosts he encounters are unlike any he has faced before.
They have been taken over by a dark and sinister energy, making them highly aggressive and unpredictable.
Now it is up to the hunter to fend them off, uncover the source of the corruption, and destroy it.
A 3D Third Person Dungeon Crawler, featuring fast-paced combat and the spread of an unknown corruption!
My Contribution
Game Designer, Level Designer