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Project Decay

Roles:

Game, Level, and Systems Designer

Duration:

May 2019 - Current

Goal:

Exploration of game and stealth RPG level design

Game Objective:

The power is out and you need to send a signal for help.

Development Challenges:

The hardest part has been teaching players the controls and that this is a stealth game.

DecayScreenshot07.png

Inspiration:

State of Decay 2's tutorial level hooked me so well but some features, like level layout and UI could be done better.

DecayLevelDesign.png
PortfolioTopDown.png

How I started:

I played lots more of State of Decay 2 and made a list of pros and cons for the single player experience. Then randomly splatter brushed some "foliage" dots in photoshop as a structure to design a level around.

DecayScreenshot08.png

The Power System

I wanted this emphasis on building, and in an end-of-days scenario, decided to let the player connect communities by repairing the grid.

Expensive and Bloated Project
With a system that gave the player a sense of progression, I bought tons of assets to make a huge game! 8 months later I decided to rescope and focus on the tutorial level.

Consistent Interactions:

Objects in the world required different key inputs to interact with and, after many play tests, all interactions now require E press.

Stealth Emphasis:
Part of stealth combat is the rewarding moment when you've made good decisions leading up to one lethal takedown. If you attack a borg, and if they don't see you, they die from one hit without alerting other borgs.

Video update features lighting, level, and interface changes and much more!

My Achievements: 
 

  • Deadspace Inpsired UI​

  • Modular Power System

  • Polished RPG Style Tutorial

Additional Media:

Some things that I'm proud of are the UI and the power system. The "Help Text" or objectives on the top left, it's audio, timing, flickering, was an achievement and just makes the game's feedback feel much more juicy. That was a moment where I wanted a high five, but due to quarantine, a silent "oooooh!" had to suffice.

The UI on screen and in the level were created with the idea that all world text was projected from something. This was my decision to allow the player to get more immersed into the experience and believe that it could exist functionally and logically.

The power cables use Unreal's premade cable component, but I made the cables material change when power passes through and scripted the power system to check for power sources poles power, is all my doing. It's a completely modular system intended for a much larger level using several circuits leading the player to focal points of each region. This system is demoed below.​


Disclaimer:
I am not taking credit for 3D models. The AI was a "Smart AI" asset pack that I modify as needed. The container system was scripted by someone else to my request and has been adjusted to my preferences once they left the project. This project is a demonstration of my design capabilities, including level, systems, and gameplay.

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