ABOUT

Hi, I'm Tom Gilbert. I'm a content and mission designer with a proven track record of shipping AAA open-world multiplayer content for a live-service game. Over seven years as a designer at Rockstar North, I designed and implemented missions, game modes and races for GTA Online across 16 DLC releases, owning each piece of content from design documentation through to release. My four years in QA at Rockstar Lincoln before that mean I design with quality built in from the start. I specialise in rapid iteration and playtest-driven refinement, delivering polished, engaging content to tight deadlines for millions of players across console and PC.

Download my CV

PROJECTS

On GTA 5, I was a content designer (or level designer to the wider world). If I hadn't created so much content, I would list my duties per project, however, as you will see that would create a huge list of mostly copy and pasted duties. So here are my duties, approximately, for each type of content.

Missions:

  • Being the mission owner from start to release
  • Brainstorming and proposing mission ideas
  • Creating/updating and maintaining mission design documentation
  • Requesting assets required. Art, animation, audio, UI, writing (dialogue, mission name, mission description), code, and technical script
  • Collaborating closely with other departments
  • Working with writers to ensure dialogue reinforces gameplay
  • Scouting open world locations for mission placement
  • Scripting mission flow
  • Scripting gameplay sequences and combat scenarios
  • Scripting cutscenes and dialogue
  • Scripting NPC pathing and behaviours
  • Scripting UI
  • Regular playtesting and iteration
  • Bug fixes

Game Modes:
  • Being the mode owner
  • Brainstorming and proposing game mode ideas, or creating quick prototypes
  • Creating/updating and maintaining mode design documentation
  • Requesting assets required. Art, animation, audio, UI, writing (dialogue, mission name, mission description), code, and technical script
  • Collaborating closely with other departments
  • Scouting open world locations for mode variant placement
  • Creating map variants using open world locations and creating new locations using available props
  • Scripting game mode rules & win conditions
  • Regular playtesting and iteration
  • Hosting large-session playtests
  • Bug fixes

Races:
  • Being the race owner
  • Brainstorming and proposing race type ideas
  • Creating/updating and maintaining mission design documentation
  • Requesting assets required. Art, animation, audio, UI, writing (dialogue, mission name, mission description), code, and technical script
  • Collaborating closely with other departments
  • Scouting open world locations for race variant placement
  • Creating race tracks using open world locations and creating custom tracks using available props
  • Scripting race rules and behaviours
  • Regular playtesting and iteration
  • Bug fixes

GTA Online Title Update - Bottom Dollar Bounties (2024)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Initial design work on various pieces of content.
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - The Chop Shop (2023)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on Drift Races and 4 track designs, Known Unknown Transform races, and Unknown Unknown Transform races.
Drift Races
Known Unknown & Unknown Unknown races
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC Critical Reception:
GTA Online Title Update - San Andreas Mercenaries (2023)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on 1 Project Overthrow mission.
Project Overthrow - On Parade
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - Los Santos Drug Wars (2022)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on 2 Drug War missions, and 2 Hotring Circuit races.
First Dose 2 - Designated Driver
Last Dose 1 - This is an Intervention
Hotring Circuit - Bolingbroke Bowl
Hotring Circuit - Palmer-Taylor
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - Criminal Enterprises (2022)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on 1 Operation Paper Trail mission, and Cayo Perico race series.
ULP - Operation Paper Trail
Cayo Perico race series
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - The Contract (2021)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on 1 Short Trip mission.
Short Trip - OG Kush
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - Los Santos Tuners (2021)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on 1 Robbery Contract mission, Street Races, and Pursuit Races.
The Union Depository Contract finale
Street Race Series
Pursuit Race Series
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - The Cayo Perico Heist (2020)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on The Cayo Perico Heist Finale, and 2 Stunt Race tracks.
The Cayo Perico Heist finale
Stunt Race - City Limits
Stunt Race - Sun, Sea & Chicanes
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - Los Santos Summer Special (2020)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on the Diamond Casino Adversary Mode series including all 8 mode variants.
Diamond Adversary Series
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - The Diamond Casino Heist (2019)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on The Diamond Casino Heist - Silent & Sneaky variant, Open Wheel Races and 1 track design, and 1 Gerald's Last Play mission.
The Diamond Casino Heist - Silent & Sneaky
Gerald's Last Play - Deal With It
Open Wheel - Brace for Impact
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
Critical Reception: Golden Joystick award winner - Best Game Expansion (2019)
GTA Online Title Update - Diamond Casino & Resort (2019)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on 2 Casino story missions, Survival Challenge Creator and 1 map variant, Alien Survival mode and 1 map variant, and 1 race.
Casino - Loose Cheng
Casino - House Keeping
Survival - Grove Street
Project 4808D: Desert
Race - Scenic Route
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
Critical Reception: Golden Joystick award winner - Best Game Expansion (2019)
GTA Online Title Update - Arena Wars (2018)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on 2 Arena War modes and all map variants, RC Bandito Races and 6 track designs, 2 Simeon Repo missions:
Arena War - Flag War
Arena War - Game Masters
RC Bandito - Beach Please
RC Bandito - All Downhill From Here
RC Bandito - Cargo Chaos
RC Bandito - Mirror Image
RC Bandito - Paleto Bae
RC Bandito - Tour of Duty
Repo - Sasquashed
Repo - GTA Today II
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - After Hours (2018)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on the game mode, Hunting Pack (Remix) and all map variants:
Hunting Pack (Remix)
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - Southern San Andreas Super Sport Series (2018)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on The Vespucci Job game mode and all map variants, 3 Special Vehicle Race tracks, and 1 Hotring Circuit track:
The Vespucci Job
Deluxo - Cresting
Stromberg - Spindrift
Thruster - FlyLo Challenge
Hotring Circuit - Downtown
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - The Doomsday Heist (2017)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Designer on one Doomsday Heist mission, and one game mode plus all map variants.
Doomsday Heist: Server Farm Setup
Slashers
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC
GTA Online Title Update - Smuggler's Run (2017)
Job Title: Designer (Content)
Contributions: Worked on Transform Stunt Races, including basic functionality and 2 track designs.
Get Wrecked
Splash Landing
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox One, XBox One X, PC