Project Overview
Game Engine: Unreal Engine 4
Tools: 3ds Max 2018, Advanced Locomotion System, Interaction System,
Video Music: Blood Eagle by Alexander Nakarada (www.serpentsoundstudios.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
My primary objective for this project was to put into practice concepts I learned about level design by building a level inspired by a commercial game. My secondary objective was to gain experience using Unreal Engine, and 3DS Max as these were some of the ones most commonly used in the industry based on my research.
The game I chose was Assassins Creed Valhalla because I had familiarity( and I like it) with the Assassin’s Creed franchise, mechanics-wise, so I could just focus on the level design. It’s also the most recent of the games, so my understanding of the game will be up to date.
I chose an Outpost / Fort as my focus for the reason that I can explore most of the game’s core mechanics with it:
Combat
Stealth
Parkour / Traversal
Outposts are also self-contained, and less simple than cities to build. I decided early on when brainstorming the level that I wanted a lighthouse on a cliff. Eivor will climb the lighthouse and get a good view of the sea.
Pre-planning and Research
References
At the start of the project my goal was to get a good feel for outposts in the game. So I went inside the game, replayed outposts, and took screenshots, layouts, and buildings. Special importance was given to sizes of paths, and interiors. I collected, and organized my references using Pureref. I also took references of real world lighthouses, and forts/castles on seaside cliffs.
Screenshots of layouts
Screenshots of real world castle/forts on seaside cliffs
Screenshots of various objects and buildings
At this point, I noticed that the game used at least 2 camera modes: an exploration camera, and a combat camera (farther from Eivor). The combat camera allows for the player to see more of their surroundings, and it is this camera mode I chose to use in my blockout.
Papermap Design
In previous encounters with more experienced level designers, I learned that making 2D papermaps is less used nowadays compared to going straight to a blockout, I decided to do a quick one anyway just to get my creative juices flowing:
A very rough paper map. My only goal was to think about initial outpost boundaries, goal, and possible enemy locations.
I will scrap most of the papermap design later on, once I was doing the blockout. .One of the elements which did not make it to the final blockout is that stream on the map, since it didn’t make sense since the location was on a cliff. On the papermap I indicated red areas in which the player cannot pass without being seen by guards. In a sense they are barriers which slow down stealth inclined players. The focal point( Lighthouse), and vantage points(towers) to survey the outpost are also indicated.
The Blockout
At the start of the blockout I made a metric gym to get the sizes of the buildings, and to measure the distance of jumps. Note that the metrics are based on approximations I made while playing the game, as such they might be inaccurate:
I then began to iterate on my level:
While designing the level, I thought in terms of Approach, Vault, and Challenge Zones. Basically vaults are areas with resources, and the player must pass through challenges to get to them. Approach areas give the player a chance to assess the situation and make plans. This is a concept I learned about in this article by Iuliu-Cosmin Oniscu, which is a good way to think about designing outposts:
To make it easier for the player to mental map the areas I divided the outpost into ‘districts’ with each district having their own personality:
I also kept in mind, ‘decision points’ or nodes encountered by the player, and made sure that the areas with the most ‘edges’ had something interesting in them:
The first of these decision ports that the player might encounter, in case the player goes through the main gate is this area. Here the player has some choices: go through the let door, move forward, go through the right path, climb the walls(towards the main camera). So I placed the large building in this intersection, as well as a small detail(broken pots).
This another decision point. Here the player has a lot to choices, so I decided to make this area a little bit more interesting as well as put the alarm bell here,
Another aspect I considered, are ‘gameplay’ moments which can highlight some of the game’s features:
Here the player can use the ropes to pass between the left and right areas of the levels above the unwary soldiers below. If the players can time it correctly, Eivor can assassinate soldiers on their route. However, the player must be wary of the tower guards, so it might be prudent to take them out first.
Eivor can hide in these carts with hay, or hide in tall grass. Eivor can then whistle to attract passing guards, and then assassinate them when they are near.
There are vantage points in the outpost in which Eivor can launch a surprise attack using their bow.
Summary
The project was a really good experience for me to put into practice the concepts I learned about level design. It also allowed me to go through the thought process and planning it takes to make a level, from making a short pitch, to a blockout. I heard that level design is about ‘iterating on your level until you run out of time’, but without a time constraint for this project, I might continue iterating on it forever so I’m going to conclude this project for now.
Some points for future improvement:
I had no means to show actual combat, so I could not capture the feel of combat in the game.
I had no access to line of sight, sight distance information for the guards so I cannot fully say I have accurately shown the stealth aspect of the level design.
Most outposts have secret entrances, this one doesn’t.
I can improve my use of material colors to convey information better.