Gun For Cover

A 3rd Year project for Level Design module

Time scale - October 2022 - December 16th 2022

A Doom Inspired Level in ue5

Game trailer

Software used:

Photoshop
Excel
Premier Pro
Microsoft Forms
Unreal Engine 5 (framework provided)
PowerPoint

Level Doc

Responsibilities:

Research retro fps games
Create an LDD
Iterate level design and create maps and a variety of diagrams
Playtest and iterate based off feedback
Create a fully playable Doom inspired level
Make a pitch

Overview:

This project expanded my knowledge on FPS design and allowed me to work creatively with limitations, such as limited assets and no verticality.

I used glass throughout for players to constantly be able to see their progression, but also for them to see their objectives.

Allowing them to see their destination and denying it, for a specifically curated time, with micro-rewards before arrival, could allow for more satisfaction upon arrival.

However, there was a balancing act of not overwhelming the player with too much information at once. This was mitigated partly by safe zones, where the player could take in information without stress and trying to give each area of high importance a unique visual identity, so the players would be able to differentiate and better digest and retain information.

Images:

Map overview

This is the plain overview of the map.

Challenge map

A map of the challenges players can face in the game, with the size relevant to difficulty.

Points of interest map

A map of the points of interest within the level. Hopefully they have a distant feel so that there's more area recognisability in the event the player backtracks.

Bubble map

This is the ideal order of play for the player, however, it can be done in different ways.

Laboratory

This room is a laboratory, which hopefully adds more narrative to the level and grounds the world more with an explanation, as to why the creatures exist, for players who choose to interpret this room.

Boss Room

The final room, with more height and space, to create an arena like area for the bosses sweeping attacks, and plenty of enemies relatively easy enemies to kill, to create more illusionary difficulty and make the player feel more powerful.

Window reveal

This window reveals the boss door for the player

Boss Room Window

From the beginning this is visible, letting the player assume that room is the final destination due to the contrast and the vast empty space, where they should assume the boss will later spawn.

Crab room window

Often the danger ahead is visible for players, so they can strategize beforehand.

1/1

Reflection

If I were to tackle this again, there are many things I would more carefully consider and implement such as:

Patterns of signature enemy groupings, so I could build upon it like a puzzle for the player
More sightline hints towards goals and rest rooms with core identities
Using pick ups to allude to upcoming danger, and what types of enemies are up ahead. For example, dropping more shotgun ammo in a room before a certain enemy, so the player can learn its more effective against them etc.