Abstract

Master's Praktikum Level Engineering.
Developing a game through experimentation with Level Engineering Concepts, Game Development Process Management and Development Methodologies..

Project Description

• the theme is “Take Cover”
• the game has to be 3D
• Level Engineering techniques should be use

Goals

• Complete a game ready for 2023 Winter Demo Day.
• Experiment with and Learn Documentation Techniques.
• Iterate and Test the game over multiple passes.

We used a MiroBoard Mindmap to investigate our game idea further. We took multiple factors into consideration, and we chose in the end a Stealth Archery game.

Design Pillars

To define the game, we created three design pillars we held sacred during the development:

• Stealth is the most important mechanic: Used strategically to either get close to the boss and attack, or activate an environmental hazard to damage the boss, or to lure the boss into an environmental hazard or advantageous locations.-
• Boss Centered Level Design: The entire game map is designed on what interesting things the boss can do, and what interesting things can be done to the boss.
• Environmental Interactions: Along the game, there are many environmental interactions that require players to be activated and can help to beat the boss. There are two types of interactables: repeatable and non-repeatable. Multiple interactables can be stacked on top of each other.

Core Mechanics

• Taking cover:
  • to hide from the boss
• Shooting:
  • to deal damage to the boss
  • to activate traps
  • to lure the boss where you want
• Collecting elemental power ups:
  • to deal more damage
  • to activate elemental traps

Game Development

We had 3 iteration phases in development.

1. In the first iteration, we created a sample player controller, the boss detection and the stealth logic.
2. In the second iteration, we created physics based archery, the boss AI was refined to attack the player and follow the players verticality level, also weak points were introduced to the boss, which was a high damage area for the boss.
3. In the third iteration we worked on the feedbacks from the Playtests of friends and the PizzaPlaytest, we fixed a couple of issues, introduced jumping to the player controller and the elemental arrow logic that can help the players combine the conditions of the boss and their arrows for additional damage.

Level Engineering

We had a gym and test levels for the core mechanics of the game, such as a gym level for player controller and a test level for the boss detection, as well the stealth controller.
Then every team member had to create a level prototype, working with the knowledge gathered during the Level Engineering class of Daniel Dyrda.
Each level had the following properties:

• Pacing was linear because of the whole game level is one big boss battle. There are some safe areas that could slow down the pacing but they are usually used during the tests for repositioning the player.
• Genius Loci of the levels is the an ancient Greek era, so both players and structures are resembling the ancient era, the level should be open and lit, so it is easier to aim with the bow using previous experience on the dropdown of the arrows physics.
• Each level designed focuses on other elements and level engineering concepts

Gabriele’s level

Gabriele’s level focus on aesthetics and verticality.
The level is a small area, an amphitheater, where the player can easily move around in a natural, circular pattern without the need of turning backward, flowing like a river through the map.
It also takes verticality into consideration and creates 3 vertical levels, ground floor is below the boss, where there are many covers but less options, the amphitheater part is on the same verticality level as the boss and it makes shooting the hung objects easier, and the top area where the player is above the boss, where shooting the hung objects is easy but there is no cover at all.
During the game design, Gabriele focused on dualism, having the left side of the theatre fire based with orange colored objects and a fire altar, and the right side is ice based with white, pale blue colored objects and an ice altar.

Levente’s level

Levente’s level focuses on different areas with different features called districts. It consists of five small areas, such as an oil drills area, a village and a river delta, mountainside and a no-mans land.
Each area has different features and purposes. Some of them are high risk high reward areas, others are more safe game areas where the player have a lot of covers to use.
The genius loci of these areas is the following:

• Mountain and Village: safer place, lots of covers, less interactables
• Oil field and River delta: unsafe place, fewer covers, many options
• No man’s land: intermediate place, only covers
• Secret Tunnels: narrow place - safe but unnerving

Towsif’s level

Tutorial level for the stealth and shooting mechanic in a small and simple map
Testing a Game Experience with multiple bosses:

• The multiple boss battle was too hard
• We rejected this idea

Evaluation with Playtesting

• Playtesting at Pizza Playtest
  • Inverted-Y camera movement was ruining the experience
  • Audio Feedback on shooting, critical hit
  • Have more damage with overdrawn bow
  • Make aiming easier
  • Increasing colliders
  • Auto-aim
  • Snap to closest target
• Playtesting with friends
  • Jumping would be great
  • Visual Feedback on currently active elemental arrows
• DemoDay
  • A tutorial level would be very helpful, or visual feedback on interactables

Conclusion