Tokyo Subway Station
Just like all the previous weeks, the last one was very satisfying and challenging.
Always trying to outdo the work of the previous weeks, and dealing with the pressure that it was "the last assignment" before the course ended.
Assignment
“For your final, I want to provide you with the opportunity to showcase your creativity, skills, and personal style as a level designer. You have the freedom to choose your own theme and level style type, allowing you to create a unique and engaging gameplay experience. You can also use any blueprint you’d like, as well as something you’ve found elsewhere online or in a marketplace. This assignment is a chance to demonstrate everything you have learned throughout the course and apply it to a project that truly reflects your vision as a level designer.
Don’t overthink your idea though, it’s going to be about execution and iteration over these two weeks. Don't spend too much time toiling over what kind of world to create. Look at references and art and gather inspiration until something jumps at you and then go for it!”
Create a Pure Ref highlighting your theme and reference.
Create a blockout level that displays some of your favorite LD principals.
Choose a theme to build a level around that you’re passionate about.
Don’t let art assets be a focus. (Don’t use textures or fully rendered marketplace)
Design a level that showcases your current level design skills.
“Please Include
Proper start position facing towards the level
Include at least one Interior and one exterior space
Try identifying a main path or golden path of the level
Add at least one area that moves away from the main path
Boundaries to block the player in (or death fall trigger in case I fall)
I've been fortunate enough to have played a lot of horror games during my life. From the first experiences with Resident Evil and Silent Hill in the first generations of consoles, to the first Alan Wake, The Last of US, etc.
I had plenty of places to look for incredible references.
I wanted something big that I could build on after the course to create a more complex and concise portfolio piece.
I chose to take the level of the first week and subvert the expectations of the games they played.
Level 001 was during the day, in a friendly "NeoTokyo" with exploration options and a hint of objective. But now in Level 010, I wanted all that safe environment to disappear, to try to do as movie legends do with horror films, to create fear with the ordinary, with the simple and basic.
You play 10% of a macabre version of Level 001, and an adventure begins that you would never have imagined.
The aim is to gradually build up the tension, I needed to surprise with a strong ending even for lovers of H.P. Lovecraft, who often already imagine that the end will always be hopeless.
During the third week, I embarked on my journey into the world of Blueprints. Initially, I found it easy to pick up the basics through YouTube tutorials, but I soon realized that Blueprints could be both a powerful ally and a potential source of frustration. While they can significantly streamline development, they also have the potential to introduce complex bugs that can be difficult to track down. Recognizing the need for a deeper understanding, I decided to invest in Udemy courses to thoroughly master this feature and harness its full potential.
Here is a download link so you can try it.
Have fun.