Ben Darling

Background

About Ben Darling

About With over 20 years of experience in the games industry, I’ve developed a diverse set of skills in technical art, shader development, and pipeline optimization. My expertise spans from creating advanced VFX and shaders to leading teams in workflow optimization for cross-platform and mobile game development. I specialize in crafting low-poly, optimized models for high-performance and mobile platforms, ensuring smooth gameplay without compromising visual quality. With a solid technical background, I can deliver highly optimized assets for console, PC, and mobile platforms, making me a valuable asset in any studio. • Shader Development: Extensive experience in both HLSL and node-based shader systems, creating custom shaders for environments, characters, VFX, and UI • Low-Poly & Optimized Modeling: Skilled at creating efficient low-poly assets for mobile and cross-platform games, focusing on clean topology, UV mapping, and LODs • Pipeline Optimization: Proven track record of streamlining workflows to improve production efficiency and performance on multiple platforms • Environment & Hard Surface Modeling: Expertise in high-quality modeling for both realistic and stylized art styles, optimized for performance needs • VFX & Lighting: Development of complex VFX and lighting solutions that run efficiently on mobile, console, and PC • Cross-Platform Development: Deep understanding of mobile platform limitations and the technical requirements for cross-platform optimization • Leadership & Collaboration: Experienced in leading multi-disciplinary teams, fostering collaboration between artists, designers, and engineers to improve workflows Technical Skills: • Unity (C#) Development • HLSL & Shader Graph (Cross-Platform Shaders) • VFX Graph & Particle Systems • C# for Tool and Gameplay Feature Development • Real-Time & Lightmap-Based Lighting • PBR & Stylized Material Creation • Profiling & Optimization for Mobile & Cross-Platform Additional Expertise: • Workflow & Pipeline Design • Rapid Prototyping & Game Design • Mobile Game Optimization • Low-Poly Modeling for Mobile Games • LOD Creation & Optimization I’m passionate about blending technical innovation with creative solutions, and I continuously explore new tools and methods to push the boundaries of game development. My ability to communicate effectively between technical and non-technical teams allows me to ensure projects run smoothly from start to finish.