Level Design Image Showcase (Bunker Level: Pitfall Arena)

• Level design for a singular "Pitfall Arena" (before/block out then after/art pass)
• Emphasis of being able to fall into the facility's chasm of darkness 
• Fraction of the Bunker Level (the entirety of the level) clearly demonstrates my knowledge of space utilization and my capabilities 
• Unique space that has various components and elevations

​              -columns act as strategic placement of turrets, a platform to climb onto, and a tall object to grapple onto for traversal
              -catwalks allow ranged enemies to move across to better position themselves, making the player experience challenging
              -catwalks offer the player a break from having to grapple around at the cost of increased vulnerability
              -player can be attacked from almost the entire room which encourages them to move quickly and enter a flow state

Level Design Considerations and Processes (with examples)

• The Ascent Level changes up gameplay by creating an open space (the sky), a change of scenery, and a dynamic environment filled with moving platforms, floating grapple points, and UFOs
• Floating grapple point positioning is crucial - too close together and they are effective but easy to lock onto; too far apart and the player may not be able to reach them
  

​-Strategically placing these blueprints just barely outside of reach creates the challenge of dashing mid-air which is fun and adds to the platformer aspect of the game

• The Identified Flying Object or "IFO" Level is dark and mysterious with both some of the largest and smallest playable spaces in the game
• Lighting guides player and visually communicates 

​               -Blue shows a path and green is the objective

• IFO provides high octane moments followed by brief periods of rest to keep player engaged

​              -periods of rest include scenic areas, collectible items,
​               a puzzle, environmental storytelling, and lore             

• Themes and "sub-themes" were a strong consideration for level design, from unique geometry to mood lighting 
• Driving the narrative, by showing how increasingly elaborate the world, adventure, and conspiracy become
• Pacing is crucial and can be influenced by levels that consist of areas that are inviting to explore, intimidating to indicate an encounter, or situations that create urgency 

• Sense of progression is created by having less cover, more difficult enemies, and an environment that pushes players a little out of their comfort zone 
• Players building on their experience feels rewarding and culminates into creative problem solving 

              -includes knowing what to look for, ways to move
​              around, and effective ability utilization

General Level Design Overview

This video highlights some of the many level design aspects involved in The Bunker level in Hook, Line And Axe.
The level was completely made by me up until the environment art, which one of my teammates worked on. The concept, blockout, and implementation of game assets/blueprints was done entirely by me including all enemy waves, combat encounters, and scripted events (which our programmer built).

Level Navigation and Movement

In this video, the level traversal and movement aspects are highlighted in our Ascent Intro level in Hook, Line And Axe. The levels I create are dynamic and encourage player movement which is especially critical for the game's parkour element. Catch this brief segment as the world comes to life!

Combat Design Pertaining to Levels

Watch my carefully planned and designed implementation of the level's combat layout in the video above. From free standing enemies that roam the area to tactical uses of spawners, there is so much time and effort that goes into making each combat encounter challenging, unique, and most importantly fun!

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