CONTEXT
This project was created during a class where our goal was to develop our specialization. We were invited to try something we were less familiar with and I decided to go with a level design for a first person shooter with a Wall-Run mechanic. This allowed me to play a lot with verticality, something I was less familiar with at that time.
This project was made in two phases. In the first phase, I had to add the wall-run system to the Character Controller and create the first version of the level. The second phase consisted of playtesting the level and the Controller and adjusting according to feedback. I also adjusted the weapon of the Character Controller and added some enemies.
PHASE 1
CHARACTER CONTROLLER
I started by adding the wall-run mechanic to my character controller. I decided to do this part first so I could see how this feature would work in the game engine. Once this was done, I had a better understading on how to design the level.
2D SKETCHES
I started by drawing a very rough sketch of what I had in mind for the two sections of my level. Then, I did some smaller sketches so I could explore some variations. I took all the elements that looked promising on paper to start the blocking. Here are the sketches.
FIRST BLOCKING
I used the BSP brushes in Unreal 4.26 to create some basic shapes that could easily be changed in the engine.
I also made sure to create and respect metrics according to the actions of my character. For example, I made sure that it was clear which jumps could be made or not.
CHECKPOINTS
Last thing I did before moving to the next phase was the creation of a checkpoint system. Since the player can fall off the map, it was important to create that system before playtesting the level.
PHASE 2
PLAYTESTS
There was three main takeaways from the playtests I did with four of my friends who had never tried this project before:
1. The Controller wasn’t perfect yet. I had to adjust the Air Control and the way the wall-run activated.
2. Some platforming parts are a bit too hard. These parts will be reworked, more on that in LEVEL CHANGES.
3. Some players didn’t know where they had to go. I needed to add more tools to guide the players. Adding lights should help guide the players inside the level.
LEVEL CHANGES
I made some changes to help lessen the difficulty of the level. Some walls felt a bit too short and didn’t give enough time to jump on something else so these walls were expanded, as you can see in the picture below. There were also some guiding issues that were fixed by changing the layout. I also took the time to widen some spaces so the combat wouldn’t be too jammed.
CHARACTER CONTROLLER (CHANGES)
With the playtest in mind, I started by making some changes on the wall-run mechanic and ajusting the air control. Then, I made the adjustments to have a weapon that responded better to my needs than the default controller of Unreal.
ENEMIES
I made some simple enemies that behaved like “turrets” with a small dash to dodge some bullets. The goal of adding these enemies was to get a first impression of the difficulty of both having to deal with the movements and the combat.
FINAL CHANGES
The last step was to add lights in the level. This would help with the guiding and the general intention of the level. I also took time to polish everything before the end of this class.
FINAL RESULT
Alexis Roy
- Level Design
- Scripting
Nicolas Godin
- - Teacher (Production and gameplay feedback)
Lau O-Plouffe
- - Level Design Teacher (Level Design feedback)
Software
- Unreal Engine 4.26