Summary
Project Summary
A third-person adventure-inspired level. Features enemies and geometrical obstacles for the player to overcome
Project Breakdown
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2 weeks project
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Unreal Engine 4
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Scripting enemies and player shooting
Top-Down Map
A sketch that I would later use with a combination of PureRef to create a blockout of the stage
Level Flowchart
Third combat encounter
Design Techniques
5 second rule
All climbing interactions jumping and obstacles that involve geometry will take a maximum of 5 seconds before it is finished. To make sure that flow is maintained.
Funneling before reveal
Before revealing larger areas or objects of importance I scale down the area the player can move to finally reveal the object or the new area they have entered.
Landmark
I repeatedly show the same landmark to enable the player to get a sense of progression as they get closer to it but also enable them to easily navigate the space.
No return
After the player has finished in one area I place a large dip in geometry to prevent the player from backtracking and giving the player a sense of being done with that area.
Story Telling
The map contains isolated narrative pieces. The player can investigate these or ignore them they do not hinder the player in any way.
Backtrack reveal
I introduce a backtrack reveal to introduce a very tiny amount of thinking on the player part and to also keep everything fresh
Combat Encounter A
Flow overview
This is the very first combat encounter the player will have. I wanted the player to see the enemies and not vice versa I did this by having the player on elevated ground at first and the enemies not looking in the player's direction. This area features two paths the player can take to promote experimentation and to open up the area a little bit.
Enemy placement
Enemies in this encounter are placed in open areas and next to each other in order to take up more screen space and be easier to spot since its the first combat encounter and having a steep difficulty curve is not the best to do.
Cover
A lot of cover is double-sided in this encounter meaning in order to see both hot spots of enemies the player has to alternate to different sides of one piece of geometry if they don't want to push up and expose themselves.
Combat Encounter B
Flow overview
The second combat encounter introduces the player to two different paths into the combat area. This encounter contains some geometrical obstacles the player has to navigate around to progress.
Enemy Placement
Enemies in this encounter are also in the open and there are very few enemies. They are placed near a broken bridge which will tell the player the issue they might need to over come in order to progress
Cover
I wanted this encounter to introduce a bit of range but still retain the same difficulty. I did this by having similar enemy placements but at a further distance.
Combat Encounter C
Flow overview
The third combat encounter features a very tight environment the player has to navigate through. This section introduces a bit more elevation compared to the other areas.
Enemy Placement
Enemies in this encounter are also in the open and there are very few enemies. They are placed near a broken bridge which will tell the player the issue they might need to overcome in order to progress.
Cover
I wanted this encounter to introduce a bit of range but still retain the same difficulty I did this by having the same lineup with the enemies but at a further distance.
Backtrack reveal
I introduce a backtrack reveal to introduce a very tiny amount of thinking on the player's part and to also keep everything fresh.
Door & Landmark
For this combat encounter I introduced a door that needs to be unlocked in order to progress again. This was to spice up the gameplay a little and to introduce something new. The player solves this door by following a wire and shutting off a panel.
The landmark is again visible for the player during this entire encounter.
Final thoughts
After finishing this project I received a deeper understanding of guiding the player on a linear level. I also experimented with new design techniques which I have not done before which gave me a better set of skills to create better levels in the future.
The hardest part of this project was finding the middle ground between creating a difficult experience and an adventurous and forgiving experience. I wanted enemies but they should not stomp the player completely and the environment should also support the player and not the enemy.