Rike Ziegler

Student Game Producer

Published Games

„Astral Tracks is a precise and competitive 3D platforming speedrunner where you run, dash, slide, swing and wall run your way to victory. Compete against friends locally or online and refine your runs to top the leaderboards for each procedurally generated track!“

I joined the team at LAB132 in March 2023, towards the end of the production of Astral Tracks. During the production and post production my tasks included supporting our Producer in task coordination and structuring meetings as well as helping with the social media marketing and planning the release of the game. 

To the project on Steam

Projects

Project is still in production – more about it soon.

This project is my diploma project and will be a 3D game for PC. As soon as there is more to show I will update my this. My tasks will include the production side, setting up the production plan, the budget and coordinate the project with the university.

“Once Upon A Conquest” is a bedtime story about The Overlord’s past told to his grandchildren. While the story of his wreaking havoc adventures is being told, you as the player bring destruction and death to the light-hearted kingdom. 

I was the producer of the 19-person team and responsible for task coordination, scheduling, planning, internal and external communication and the team well-being 

To the Project

„Cosmoss is a 3D hide and seek game which takes place in a world that is slowly dying. The only chance to save the population is to plant the last seed of the tree of life in a new place. But the seed, a little creature, has a mind on it’s one and wants to plant wherever it seems nice. You either play the seed, and have to plant before you get caught, or the Guardian, who has to prevent the seed from planting.“

In this 14-people team we develop a film and a game taking place in the same world. I was the Co-Producer and mainly responsible for the game side of the production. My tasks were the task coordination, internal and external communication, coordinating the game prototype, asset production and budget planning.

To the project

„Orpheus is a single-player 3D puzzle adventure game with stealth elements in which the main character must descend into the mystical underworld to rescue his lover Eurydice.“

For this project I was the producer of a 21-person team. My task included to coordinate and prioritise tasks together with the lead team. I prepared presentations, planned team events, edited the making-off video and managed the internal and external communication.

To the project

“Na Kala” is a single-player first person exploration game. The game is about a person who lives in a dreary black and white world. One day she finds a camera through which she can see colors again. The player’s task is to bring the colors back into the world.“

For this project I was the co-game director and co-producer of a 10-person team. I also worked as a 3D artist in the project. My task included to set the vision for the game and created the game and level design as well as needed assets. Additional I coordinate and prioritise tasks, presented Milestones to our supervisor and made sure the communication between the departments did run smoothly.

To the project

„Have you always wanted to master all 4 elements from the well-known Avatar series? Then you’ve come to the right place! But only fire and in VR (virtual reality).“

For this project I worked as a 3D environment artist. I created the big temple that the game took place in and also intractable objects.

To the project

Work Experience

At LAB132 GmbH I work as an Assistant Producer. My tasks include supporting our Producer in the coordination and communication of tasks as well as creating production plans and support with the budget planning. I document meetings and do research for different topics like new tools that the studio could use, distribution of our projects, financial opportunities and more. Further I support with the social media marketing. 

Software + Skills
  • Confluence – Documentation
  • Jira / YouTrack – Task Management
  • Unreal Engine
  • Excel – Planning

My tasks at the Handwerkskammer Stuttgart reached from supporting in the preparation of events over research for internal topics to the coordination of a game production. For recruiting purposes the company decided to develop a game that teaches more about the work of a Craftsman. I brainstormed ideas, researched game studios and then coordinated with the studio that created the game and managed feedback loops.

Software
  • Excel – Automating process + Documenting

At Studio Sterneck I did my mandatory internship while doing my bachelor degree. I worked there as a 3D generalist, modeling characters and environment assets. When I expressed interest in learning more about game design I was also give the opportunity to prototype level design ideas and was included in the game design process.

Software
  • Blender – Creating of assets
  • Substance Painter – Texturing assets
  • Unity – Prototyping Level Design
  • Notion – Task Management

Education

I started studying Interactive Media with a focus on Production of Games. During my studies i participated in different lectures and projects to further my knowledge about Game Development.

In my time at the Animationsinstitut of the Filmakademie, I worked on three game projects and two animated film projects.

As part of my studies at the Animationsinstitut of the Filmakademie, I got the chance to participate in DADIU. A program hosted by different danish universities offering the chance for students to work full-time with a team of different disciplines. Over the span of four months  the team develop three games and the last one (Once Upon a Conquest) was published on itch.io.

At the beginning of my bachelor at the Hochschule der Medien (Media University Stuttgart) I got a basic education in different fields like TV, Film, VFX, Computer Graphics, Sound and Event Media. After the basic studies I focused on computer graphics and animation before moving into games. The studies are designed that students get a basic scientific and technical training with design and business elements. During my degree I worked on one animated short film, one live action trailer and three game projects.

During my Abitur (final exams) I took History and Biology as my main subjects in addition to German, Math and English.