Sabotage Mission
A First Person Adventure
Introduction
My goal was to make a FPP adventure level inspired by games like MGS V and Far Cry. Where I would give the player information for them to make informed choices, focusing on player agency and different player styles.
Project details
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Developed over: 6 weeks half-time
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Engine: Unreal Engine 5.1
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Level Design, World Building
PRE-PRODUCTION
Design Intent
I decided early that I wanted a linear experience while giving the player multiple choices. The player agency had to be in the center and by using several vantage points they would could make informed choices depending on their play style of choice.
Concepting size and scale
There was a risk of making the level to big and empty, making the player fatigued visually and gameplay wise. I set metrics early on the player movement, iterating quickly on the rough blockout.
PROCCESS
Starting Out
After feedback I started working with more height differences and adding more verticality to the level. Plotting out the initial vantage points in a rough state and working with differents zones in the base.
Rough blockout
I added a funnel and reveal on the main path in order to segment the level into two sections, the intro and the infiltration. Gameplay appetizers were added to make the travel distance more fun and interactive, while also enclosing the first part of the level.
Testing and Feedback
I started framing the main path more and working on the base's infrastructure and space planning. During testing players would often ask, "Can I go there?", and wanting to catch that feeling I added side paths.
Refining the blockout
I fleshed out the side paths and started working more with world building. There is a scripted event that is always activated but depending on where it's triggered the player will react differently.
Kill your Darlings
The large no mans land made players unsure if they should commit or not. The information given to the players was not informative and the playable area was bland. So during the last week I re-designed the base, removing the walls as a datum and started iterating on lesser paths, but more visible and informative.
Going whitebox
Enemies were the main focal points and directed the player agency. Information given from the vantage points weren't well informed and the area had to much no mans land. Playtesting lacked player commitment and 90% of the times players would go right because of the road leading out, as seen below.
Less equals More
After re-designing the base, I settled on two main paths. The shorter, left path with more enemies and increased risk of combat. And the longer, right path with less enemies, more open space and cover islands.
Radical changes
I removed the walls as a datum but added a waterfall and a river instead, bringing more motion into the composition. Enemies were used as focal points to direct the players vision to what I wanted, thus controlling the given information even more. The left path caters to a stealth/combat play style with higher risk, but shorter path. The right path caters more to a stealth/assassin play style, with lower risk and more prospect.
Final Level
WORLD BUILDING
Scripted event
Travelling along the main path, the player can discover alternate paths and other ways to infiltrate the base. Depending on when triggered, the scripted event offers opportunitues or challenges.
The broken down car can be stolen, fixed, and then used to infiltrate the base, passing all security checks. But the first car also reinforces the base.
If the broken down car is left alone, it reinforces the base with additional troops if the player takes to long.
In game timer
When closing in on the base, in the distance a ship lands. This foreshadows the escape route for the player, but also acts as an in game timer. Take to long, and the base is reinforced with enemies arriving with the troop transport.