FIEA Level Dev Blog

This week, I’ve been continuing to block out more of my Far Cry 5 level. I’ve made adjustments to the scale and layout to improve the overall flow. I also added a climbable tower at the starting point, serving as a vantage point for the player. In Far Cry 5, bird's nests or towers near strongholds are often used to scope out the area and plan your approach, so I incorporated that mechanic into my level. The way the level is designed, players can even choose to complete it in reverse. One thing I’ve noticed while building this level is that the golden path isn’t always the path of least resistance, in this instance it’s just the most straightforward route through the level. In fact, it might even lead to the most direct and head on encounters. This adds another layer of choice for the player, depending on their playstyle.

 This week, I’ve been focused on three main projects. For my GDD5 pitch, I worked on Island Uprising , an action-adventure game blending parkour with breakdance inspired combat. I spent time refining the concept and preparing for the pitch. In RPP5, I started mapping out the UI and screens for our mobile game, where players take on the role of a barista fulfilling drink orders. We also began block meshing our FPS level, getting the foundational layout in place.

This week, we worked on the metrics gym for our FPS level. I focused on testing mechanics from various asset packs that fit the style of my level, which is based on Far Cry 5 . To get a better feel for how most missions play, I downloaded and played through both Far Cry 5 and Far Cry 6 . I noticed that while both games have plenty of mechanics, the core experience usually revolves around attacking strongholds filled with enemies. The player typically starts by finding a vantage point to identify threats and then chooses to either attack stealthily or go in guns blazing from any angle.

In RPP 4, we’re making a story game. In my group’s game, the story is played through the perspective of a dog searching for his owner at night. I used this project to get more experience with landscape sculpting and planning guided path for the player to follow. Using the terrain painter made it easy to iterate on the path and sculpt the surrounding landscape. To guide the player, I used dense trees and other foliage as natural barriers, marking where they shouldn't go, and added colliders as a failsafe to keep the player on track. I also placed a mountain as a weenie. I also practiced sealing off parts of the level as the player progresses, ensuring they keep moving forward without backtracking.

During Hurricane Milton, I was lucky not to lose power and used the time to work on the real-world blockout. I decided to block out my apartment layout at UnionWest in Maya, which I want to use to practice proxy modeling and importing to Unreal. One of the main challenges I faced was balancing a 1:1 scale in engine with the player character's height. Certain areas, especially hallways, became tight and difficult for the camera to navigate. I initially used a third person controller but switched to first person due to how cramped everything felt when it was to scale. This exercise made me realize that in games, a lot of spaces need to be scaled up to make them playable.

This week, I spent more time developing the Operation Retrieve level design document. The level is a shooter set in a lab, where the player’s objective is to infiltrate and retrieve a virus. I’ve incorporated an option for stealth, creating both a main path and a stealth path. While certain sections of the level may favor one approach over the other, the player ultimately has the freedom to choose their preferred playstyle. To guide the player along the main path, I’ve been focusing on using leading lines. My goal is to keep the level as linear as possible while supporting these different gameplay styles. I’ll continue refining this project until it becomes a solid portfolio piece.

This past week we finished and presented our RPP 2 game. Our team's game Belly Beat is a rhythm game where you play as a mortician drumming to the notes of songs on the bellies of bodies in their lab. As dark as that sounds, we managed to keep it lighthearted and amusing. The level itself was just a small morgue and a small office room, but what I enjoyed most about working on this project was the set dressing. People usually say level design is most similar to architecture, but I find that some spaces feel more like doing interior design, maybe because I have a strong interest in both interior and industrial design. I enjoy set dressing because it’s all about the details. If this character were a real person, how would they interact with their space? How would they lay it out? What would they have and in what orientation to make things efficient for them? I don't think things should just be thrown together for the sake of moving a plot along or for mere player convenience. I...