FIEA Level Dev Blog

 This week, I continued working on the high-rise building and started using a hybrid approach for the blockout. Now, all the main structures like buildings and room layouts are built in Maya, while certain parts of the environment, like the landscape, are done in Unreal. I also realized that some elements, like props and cover, need to be placed directly in Unreal to iterate quickly. Being able to move things around in-engine makes it easier to test if they work in gameplay and adjust them on the fly. This setup gives me more control over structure while keeping iteration fast where it matters.

This week for my TLOU2 -inspired level blockout, I worked on several floors of the second building the player platforms onto. I continued using the process of first building the office as it originally was, then deconstructing it and repurposing the floor plans to create an interesting flow and rhythm as the player ascends. The biggest challenge I’m facing is making sure the floors don’t feel repetitive. Since things like elevators and stairwells have to stay consistent across multiple floors, it naturally limits how much variation I can introduce. I also have to remind myself that not every part of a floor needs to be accessible. Destroying sections and limiting space helps guide the player forward while keeping the environment believable.

 Initially, I started my block out in Unreal to playtest and set up the level, but I later switched entirely to Maya for building everything. This change gave me more control and speed when creating objects. Since my level is inspired by The Last of Us Part II, I wanted to emulate Naughty Dog’s process by using Maya. The downside is that constantly exporting to Unreal slows down my ability to test quickly. While ND likely doesn’t have this constraint, I still think it’s valuable practice to follow industry workflows. In the long run, this process is useful since it allows me to block out in Maya and export to any engine as needed. For my level, I’m referencing several real buildings and landmarks in San Francisco. The Bay Bridge serves as the main objective, acting as a weenie to guide players. While I’m basing the layout on real locations, I’m adjusting scale and placement to improve navigation. My approach is to build the environment first, then deconstruct it—tearing down walls,...

This past week, I focused on finishing more of the blockout for the foyer area in Crimson Knight . I completed the main floor plan and adjoining rooms, though I still need to finish the ceiling. Next, I’ll focus on ensuring the room connects seamlessly with the two areas being worked on by the other LDs, Kurt and Cameron.

  This week for capstone, I’ve been working on the blockout for our game Crimson Knight . My focus is on the vestibule/nave, the section players encounter as they enter the cathedral, which is the primary setting for the game. This area doesn’t include combat; instead, it’s meant to set the tone and tell the story of the antagonist, the Absolute, as it leads up to their first encounter. The vestibule also connects to other rooms that will unlock later in the game. For inspiration, I researched cathedral interiors, with a heavy focus on St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. I chose it because it’s the largest cathedral in the world, and I’ve visited it before, so I have plenty of personal reference photos from inside. One interesting challenge is that St. Peter’s feels almost too massive to translate directly, even for our fantastical world. Finding the right balance between grandeur and practicality has been a key focus.

  For my game analysis and LDD I decided on using The Last of Us Part II. The action-adventure asset pack Kevin helped us find is like a mix of The Last of Us and Uncharted series, so I wanted to stick with one of those to stay consistent. The pack is really comprehensive, and since I have those games on my PS5, it made sense to choose one of them. I ended up picking The Last of Us Part II because, while most Naughty Dog games are pretty linear, TLOU Part II gives more room for flexibility and exploration. Also, compared to TLOU Part I, TLOU Part II feels like it took a bigger step forward in making levels more expansive with room to explore or even bypass compared to the first game. I want to base my level off TLOU world because it blends nature and urban environments in such a unique way. The way the world has decayed over time creates opportunities for interesting transitions between spaces and the environmental storytelling shows what spaces used to be and how they’ve been repu...

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.