LEVEL DESIGNER
RICKARD FJELLVIND
A HERO'S JOURNEY
Hero's journey is a common template of a broad category of tales that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, and in a decisive crisis wins a victory, and then come home changed or transformed.
Here's my attempt to create a 3-act structure game that follows Christopher Vogler's version of the hero's journey.
Download Final Link
Playthrough of Final Link - Made by Cryptic Hybrid
Blockout (Act 1) - Rough shapes to get a quick feeling for the layout
Alpha (Act 1) - Replacing the blockouts with assets and tweaking the level desing
Beta (Act 1) - Tweaking positions, shapes, paths etc. based on feedback from playtesting
DESIGN PROCESS
1. GETTING AN IDEA
My inspiration comes from anything and everything I experience. I love to observe and make analyzes about the things I see and hear. If the idea manages to pass through a number of internal filters, I sketch it down.
2. BLOCKING IT OUT
If the idea is still with me when I'm in front of a computer I will start blocking it out.
I start by using rough shapes and quickly get a feel of what I am aiming for. This process often gives me new ideas that I implement.
3. PUSHING IT FORWARD
After the blockout is done, I bring in some playtesters. The feedback I get from observing and listening to them will be the base of tweaking to come.
4. CHANGES FOR THE BETTER
It is now time for cutting, polish and adding new ideas. After these changes have been done, more playtesting follow. I try to bring in both new and old playtester to be able to spot design flaws, from as many perspectives as possible.
5. FINALIZE THE IDEA
When I'm out of the playtest cycle, I'll to do the final polish. I avoid big changes, especially late in the process.
6. LOOKING BACK
For each project I've been working on, I've always thought of things I could have done better. How frustrating this may be, this is proof that I keep developing as a designer.
Under the section design flaws, a bit further down, I will talk about a few of those changes.
WORKING IN UNREAL
THREE UNIQUE LEVELS
I used two main asset packs that had modular building pieces so that I could easily make necessary changes during my design process. A dialogue plugin saved a lot of time for me in my setup of the quest system.
My goal in this project was to create 3 unique levels with different gameplay, in which the player would feel like he's on an adventure.
LEVEL 1 - EXPLORATION
The player is free to explore the village in the way he wants. The wizards will guide the player if he's lost.
LEVEL 2 - DUNGEON
The player progresses through a dungeon and solves puzzles.
LEVEL 3 - RACING
The player runs on a race track and collects checkpoints while trying to beat the old record.
VISUAL SCRIPTING
LEVEL 1 - QUEST SYSTEM
The main script task was the quest system. Even though the dialogue plugin gave me the base code I had to keep track in the UI what quest has been accepted and which dialogues the NPC would have in certain points throughout the game.
LEVEL 2 - PUZZLES
The main focus was to get the puzzles up and working. I also wanted the player to feel like he made progress, so I made the puzzles harder down the road.
LEVEL 3 - THE RACE
I had to add several functionalities in the race track. I started with the timer, then adding checkpoints and a check that the player got all checkpoints before the next lap could start.
The events are triggered by hitboxes, and depending on which lap the player is on, different things will happen. I also made the firework more intense for each lap and gave them a random color and location, so the gameplay would feel more intense.
Greenwood Fantasy Village - The main asset pack used in Level 1 and Level 3
The scripting in Final Link is unoptimized, but to be able to get the functionality I was after was a great joy since this was my first bigger project, that invovled visual scripting.
Forcing the player under water without telling him he wouldn't drown, was a bad design
Triggered events really help the race come to life and to be a more enjoyable experience for the player
CHALLENGES
To create three levels, each with unique content and gameplay has been an adventure by itself. But most of all it has been a great learning process.
DESIGN FLAWS
PUZZLES
One of the worst design flaws is where the player is forced down under water. There's no indication that the player can breathe underwater, nor swim.
I could have introduced the ability to be underwater, in for example level 1, where the player got the electric staff. But electric staff and water don't sound that safe either.
Perhaps, removing the ability for the player to go underwater at all, and just have the water raise the trigger platform, would have been better execution.
THE VILLAGE
Even though the player often know where to head to continue his quest, the village is lacking something. If I were to add more interactable objects and more movement I think the experience would have been even better.
DESIGN STRENGTHS
THE RACE
After adding a lot of content to the race track, it really came to life. I might have added a bit too much feedback at some parts, but overall it's a much more enjoyable experience.
I added interactable objects, moving obstacles, fireworks and on each lap, something new is happening along the track, a tree falling, a cart is moved or an obstacle is blown away.
THE ORGANIC PART OF THE DUNGEON
I'm really satisfied with how the last part of the dungeon looks and feels. It fits right into the hero's journey, that the player is on.
HERO'S JOURNEY
1. ORDINARY WORLD
Our hero starts in front of a portal and the first character that the player can interact with is Marvin Riddlestone. He will have answers to all [predetirmed] questions that the player has.
2. CALL TO ADVENTURE
The player will find out that the only way he can return to his world is to activate the portal again. But that can only be done by charging it with a power crystal. Fortunately, a power crystal can be won at the race later this day!
3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL
After the player signs up for the race he is told that he must go find the power crystal.
The player asks why he couldn't leave right after he has found the power crystal, the answer is: "It's complicated".
4. MEETING WITH THE MENTORS
There are several characters in the village that will guide our hero towards his goal. Many of them need the players to help them with different quests.
2. Our hero is called to adventure
4. One of many mentors that our hero can meet
6. Early in the dungeon the first test is introduced
8. The chest is empty and our hero must dwell further
9. At the bottom of the dungeon our hero finds the power crystal
5. CROSSING THE FIRST THRESHOLD
After finishing the last quest up in the village, our hero is granted access to the dungeon.
6. TESTS, ALLIES & ENEMIES
There are several tests [puzzles] in the dungeon that our hero must face. The challenges are increased further down, to make the player feel the progress he makes.
7. APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE
The door to the treasure room is locked and to gain access our hero must solve a 3-act puzzle. Each consists of getting a box to a trigger plate and all puzzles demand the use of the electric staff.
8. THE ORDEAL
Our hero can finally enter the treasure room, but only to find out that the chest is empty. There's a broken wall in the back of the room, and our hero must pass through a scary dragon skeleton.
9. REWARD
At the bottom in the dungeon our hero spots a pulsating light and after a short turn, into an abandoned mine, lies the power crystal.
10. THE ROAD BACK
With the newly found power crystal, our hero can now return to the village. And from keeping the player to have to backtrack through the whole dungeon, there's a portal that will lead to the race track. How convenient!
11. THE RESSURECTION
Our hero stands in front of the start line of the race. The rules are clear, beat the old record and win the power crystal. One last deep breath and he is off.
Along the track, mentors are cheering him forward, firework gets more intense for each lap and more crazy things happen. One last big jump, a quick glance at the timer. Conclusion: it will be tight.
The last turn, the finish line is in sight.
Crossing it just in time!
12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR
The game ends with a screen telling the player that our hero now can return home.
11. Fireworks and cheering along the race track