Game Designer | Narrative Designer
LEVEL DESIGN
DeadJaw Lodge
Project Status: Completed
Project Type: Solo
Project Duration: 2 Weeks
Software Used: Farcry Arcade Editor
Primary Role(s): Level Design
About Deadjaw Lodge
Deadjaw Lodge was a personal attempt to explore conveying themes through lighting and environment, over the course of 2 weeks, I built and rebuilt this level with rapid prototyping and playtests in order to make the most meaningful and engaging horror experience for my players. Learning the Farcry Arcade Editor was a great experience for beginner level design.
Video Playthrough
Design Pillars
Immersion
Atmosphere
Objective
Clarity
01
Immersion
Immersion is the cornerstone of compelling game design. As a developer, my mission is to transport players into rich, captivating worlds where they lose themselves in the experience. In this project, my primary goal was to make sure that players felt unsafe even in the quietest moments of the gameplay, animal ambiance, semi - scripted events and well thought out enemy patterns ensured that players never felt like they were "just playing a far cry map"
02
Atmosphere / Design Process
I always begin concepting a level by building a mood board with 3 central pillars or themes that I would like to explore in my design process. After this, I began looking for assists within the editor that would support the aesthetic and built a personal library of what I could and couldn't use.
03
Objective Clarity
Players shouldn't have to think hard to understand where their next objectives are. It's a fundamental principle guiding my approach to game design. As a developer, I prioritize crafting experiences where players seamlessly understand their next steps. Through intuitive cues like environmental markers and strong level principles. I ensure that players feel empowered and immersed in the game world. With this focus on clarity, I aim to deliver engaging experiences that keep players hooked from start to finish.
Environment Design
Outcomes
what did I learn?
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Crafting flow within the level using level design principles such as lighting, leading lines, etc
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Playtesting level metrics and tuning them accordingly
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Applying UX principles to enhance overall player enjoyment/engagement
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creating a beat map to create a sense of progression