Level creation for a minimalist shooter:

«The Factory»

Project breakdown

• Solo project
• Five production days
• Created using Unreal Engine 4.27
• Design with restricted gameplay

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Gameplay restrictions

Which have shaped my design.

3Cs

A third-person camera with a character that can only run, jump, and shoot arrows.

Enemies

Enemies can see 360° and through walls but cannot patrol.

Knights chase the player and have melee attacks.

Archers are stationary but have ranged attacks.

Level

All plants must be giant and environment collisions must be static.

Level overview

Top view and environmental storytelling.

Mission briefing: You must infiltrate the cigar factory that is the economic pillar of the kingdom and destroy it to destabilize the regime.

With giant plants as a constraint, I chose the theme of industry. It ensured that I'd have a beginning, the plant, a progression in manufacturing through the rooms, and an end, the cigar.

I made sure I didn't have too many fights in a row, by breaking the rhythm with platforming or narrative breaks.

Level overview

Top view and environmental storytelling.

Mission briefing: You must infiltrate the cigar factory that is the economic pillar of the kingdom and destroy it to destabilize the regime.

With giant plants as a constraint, I chose the theme of industry. It ensured that I'd have a beginning, the plant, a progression in manufacturing through the rooms, and an end, the cigar.

I made sure I didn't have too many fights in a row, by breaking the rhythm with platforming or narrative breaks.

Observation above execution

Conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of the gameplay.

To be clear, with this simple gameplay, it's impossible to create a good action level based on the player's execution.

On the other hand, it is possible to play on the player's understanding of the environment to get the best out of each situation, whether in combat or during platforming.

Examples of combat situations

Examples of platform situations

Complete level breakdown

With step-by-step explanations.

Complete level breakdown

With step-by-step explanations.

Yellow for exit

Easy to setup with the time I had.

Considering that I only had three production days to create the level, I needed a simple and effective solution to guide the player's eyes. Used in this way, the color yellow isn't the most elegant solution, but it's functional. The industry theme works well with bright colors, notably with safety equipment.

Yellow for exit

Easy to setup with the time I had.

Considering that I only had three production days to create the level, I needed a simple and effective solution to guide the player's eyes. Used in this way, the color yellow isn't the most elegant solution, but it's functional. The industry theme works well with bright colors, notably with safety equipment.

Level showcase

Reflections

Game wise

This hypothetical third-person shooter will never be any good, and I think that by designing more than one level I'd realize that I'd quickly find myself limited. I can't leave the player face-to-face with enemies, because they wouldn't enjoy himself.

When gameplay works so poorly, finding a new focus can be interesting for Level Design. That's why, as explained earlier, I've chosen to emphasize understanding of the environment rather than the player's execution.

Design wise

As for the design aspect in general, this project taught me that knowing what I want to create isn't always enough. In this situation, I knew which situations were bad, and I built my idea around that. 

It was probably the constraining nature of the game that forced me to consider this way of thinking, but I'm sure this reasoning approach will help me in my future productions.

Project wise

The challenge was fun and I learned a lot. I enjoyed trying to make a good level, but I think in its current state it's not good. The game controller is really too bad, and the level itself lacks a lot of polish due to time constraints.

I wasn't able to test my level, because I didn't have the game programmed, but I'm sure it would have allowed me to iterate like with the Portal project.

Reflections

Game wise

This hypothetical third-person shooter will never be any good, and I think that by designing more than one level I'd realize that I'd quickly find myself limited. I can't leave the player face-to-face with enemies, because they wouldn't enjoy himself. When gameplay works so poorly, finding a new focus can be interesting for Level Design. That's why, as explained earlier, I've chosen to emphasize understanding of the environment rather than the player's execution.

Design wise

As for the design aspect in general, this project taught me that knowing what I want to create isn't always enough. In this situation, I knew which situations were bad, and I built my idea around that. It was probably the constraining nature of the game that forced me to consider this way of thinking, but I'm sure this reasoning approach will help me in my future productions.

Project wise

The challenge was fun and I learned a lot. I enjoyed trying to make a good level, but I think in its current state it's not good. The game controller is really too bad, and the level itself lacks a lot of polish due to time constraints. I wasn't able to test my level, because I didn't have the game programmed, but I'm sure it would have allowed me to iterate like with the Portal project.