Head Count: Matt Boynton

Matt Boynton is a veteran designer from New Hampshire who has been developing games for over 20 years. Matt’s journey with video games traces back to after-class arcade sessions in junior high, which was around the same time he got his first computer and started programming. Once Matt got his hands on DoomEd, he began editing levels in his spare time. His first position in the industry was designing for Irrational Games on System Shock 2. He then worked for Volition, where he had a hand in the Red Faction series and the Saints Row series, among other games. For Matt, design inspiration can come from anywhere, from a golf game mechanic to a guitar riff. Currently, Matt is doing level design for Rune, creating islands and environments fit for the Norse apocalypse. Outside of work, you can find Matt playing guitar or digging for ore in Minecraft with his son.

Advice for Aspiring Designers:
“Take things to completion. Start off simple but make something that’s playable, and don’t get caught up in the theoreticals. Build things and get feedback from different people. Really think about what you want the player to feel and experience, look at what you have to work with, and start putting things together to try and create that experience. Don’t get married to anything because, ultimately, what matters is what you leave in the game and not what you take out.”

Three Games that Everyone Should Play:
1. Diablo III
2. City of Heroes
3. Any game you wouldn’t normally play