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CORALIE LEBLANC
LEVEL DESIGNER
LEVEL INSPIRED BY AAA GAME
In this school solo project, the player must find a way to escape while facing enemies, solving puzzles, sneaking through stealth sections, and running through open spaces. Strategic thinking and quick reflexes will be essential to overcome the challenges and reach the exit.
INTRODUCTION
In this third person platformer game, we play as guy who want to go back home after being kidnapped.
PROJECT DETAILS
- Obligated to do one level
- Add interactive elements
- Landmarks
- Unreal Engine 5
- Developed in 4 weeks
- Affordance
- Worldbuilding
- Verticality
- Greyboxing/Blockout
INSPIRATION
Star Wars
Star Wars is my favorite film series, and when I had the opportunity to draw inspiration from this universe, I didn't hesitate. I love lightsaber combat, so it was obvious that I wanted to include combat in my project. The movies also feature stealth sequences, which I made sure to incorporate to enhance the gameplay.
CREATION PROCESS
Reference
Planification
Before starting this project, it was mandatory to get some references.
My level follows a spy who has been kidnapped by an evil corporation seeking to conquer Mars and destroy Earth. To escape, they must uncover the company's secrets and sabotage their plans.
I drew inspiration from Tatooine from Star Wars, reflecting its harsh deserts and rugged atmosphere.
Before starting this project, it was mandatory to do preparation and brainstorming.
I write down everything I want to accomplish on Trello to help me stay organized and keep track of my tasks more efficiently.
Now I can stay organized without getting lost.
PAPER
LEVEL WALKTHROUGH
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Walk out of the room
Climb the wall
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Find a way to pass the garbage
Go in the big place
Jump to the door
Get out of the ship
Take the rope
Sneak in the underground
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Pass all the guards
Take the truck to get out
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Run to reach the tower
Communicate via the tower
Click on a picture
AFFORDANCE
The player can move certain furniture, open doors or use crates to reach high places. When he is near an interactive object, an "E" appears on the screen to indicate that he can use it.
Light blue objects are purely decorative and do not react to interactions.
INTERACT
Verticality plays a crucial role at several points in the level. When the player slips on the rope, they fall through two distinct sections. In the stealth area, they drop from the top of the ship into a hole leading underground. At the end of this second section, they resurface, returning to the surface world.
Beyond this, verticality is integrated throughout the level to enhance dynamism and create varied movement opportunities.
VERTICALITY
AFFORDANCE
There are guidelines in the level. I wanted to have guidelines to show the path but block it out to add mechanics and a longer path to create dynamism.
It can create a mood. As my guideline is vertical, it gives a dark and mysterious atmosphere, which is what I was looking for for my level.
LEADING LINES
MECHANICS
Light plays an essential role in accessibility. In my level, the ship is intentionally dark in order to naturally guide the player through strategically placed light sources. I chose the color orange as my main visual cue, associating this hue with interactive objects and places to reinforce their accessibility and readability.
AFFORDANCE
To reinforce the effect of the guidelines, I integrated a softgate, combining visual guidance and trajectory control. Debris temporarily blocks the path while allowing the player to turn around, encouraging exploration. This subtle constraint keeps the player in the flow without breaking immersion.
SOFTGATE
MECHANICS
The point of view plays a crucial role in my level, as it reveals the destination and guides the player toward their goal. At the end, it also provides a panoramic view of the journey taken, reinforcing the player's sense of achievement and progression.
VANTAGE POINT
The control tower serves as the macro landmark in my level. It aligns perfectly with the vantage point, providing a clear view of the final objective. Its placement and visibility are coherent with the narrative, naturally guiding the player while following a line of dialogue. This ensures that the player's progression feels intuitive and seamlessly integrated into the environment.
LANDMARK
CONCLUSION
This project gave me the opportunity to apply all my knowledge of level design in practice, working solo. Taking on this task alone truly helped me learn how to create a cohesive level independently and pushed my creative direction further.
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Completed in just 4 weeks, the project presented a challenge, as managing everything on my own required me to stay on top of all the tasks leading up to the deadline. Working alone allowed me to focus on core gameplay loops and avoid distractions. Unlike group projects, where there's often room to delegate tasks, I had full control, which empowered me to push my environmental storytelling and design a level that I was passionate about.
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If I were to revisit this project, I would replace the chase phase with a combat phase, giving players a chance to engage more dynamically with the level and fully utilize the weapon. I might also extend the project to allow for further refinement of flow, pacing, and player engagement in the design.
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