Level Design project Ubisoft

For this assignment we were tasked with working on a 4-5 minute combat space that would emphasis replayability and that would fit within the Ghost Recon world. Additionally we were tasked with designing an interactive element into the level that would have multiple steps in order to complete it.

Walk through video:

Data gathering:

The main aim of the first day on this project was to gather as much information on the game as I could. Specifically looking through gameplay footage and getting a good idea of what a 4-5 min combat space would look like in the game. I was looking at elements such as: game flow, environments,types of enemies and interactive elements within the game e.g. hide plain site features and being able to set rebels free etc. All these elements are crucial to the Ghost Recon experience as they allow for a wide range of gameplay experiences and really factor into the ‘replayability’ element of the game.

Interactive component:

The interactive component required at least two different methods of completing the objective and multiple interactions in order to complete the objective.

I knew straight away what I wanted to do and after some brainstorming to refine the idea, I came up with the following concept:

The enemy have acquired advanced weaponry blueprints, located inside a heavily armoured vehicle which is currently locked away in the enemy vault. Your objective is to locate and either destroy or steal the vehicle. First you’ll need to find a way into the vault, this can be done by hacking into the control panel on the vault door. Here comes the tricky bit, the vehicle has a high tech finger print recognition system which means that you won’t have the facilities to access the vehicle yourself. Fortunately there is technician in the facility that has forcibly been working on this security system and is currently in captive by the enemy forces, rescue the technician and he’ll provide you access to the vehicle. Remember get spotted and the enemy won’t hesitate to kill the technician on site

Break down:

Main objective:

1. Blow up truck or

2. Rescue technician who will help you steal truck (greater rewards)

3. In order to access truck player(s) will need to unlock the vault door which can be done by hacking the control panel on the door.

Challenge and risk:

1. If the player(s) decided to destroy the car they will alert all forces around them and if alarm is not defused (power cut) alarm will trigger reinforcements.

2. If the players decide to rescue the technician this may take longer but they will be rewarded with the ability to steal the vehicle. (Back story: technician helped build anti theft system on trucks i.e. unique finger print scanners which he can by-pass). By stealing the truck players will be rewarded with unique loot.

Interactions:

1. Hack into control panel on vault door

2. Rescue the technician from cage e.g. break padlock

3. Wait for technician to surpass security software.

4. Steal vehicle and escape facility

This design requires multiple interactions from the player(s) and has an additional side elements which will take longer but provide greater rewards. This design will also play into the replayability of the level allowing the players to experiment with different approaches.

Landscape:

First things first I jumped into UE4 and made sure that I had the proper metrics in place. Mostly making sure that the blockout meshes that I was using were set to cm and that the UE4 mannequin’s size was correctly changed.

With a large amount of research done on the game and the metrics set up, I had a clear idea of the type of environment that I wanted to create. I wanted to create a dome like shape that would back up onto a sheer cliff face.

The reason I wanted to go for this type of shape was due to the fact that this landscape would create a natural focal point in the base, as on all sides of the base your eye would be natural drawn to the bottom of the sheer cliff face (which is where the objective was going to be). Additionally, by having this circular and dome like shape it opens up the level to multiple points of access as players will have 360 degree access/sightline to the base.

The issue I had with this idea was that there was very little material that I could reference against, as sheer cliff faces naturally only occur near bodies of water (due to erosion). So with the lack of material to reference, I looked at other locations that would naturally offer this dome like shape. So I started looking into coves and ports/harbours which not only offered the shape but also the possibilities for more gameplay styles as players could now access the base via the sea.

Scaling of environment:

With the dome shaped cove created, I now had the issue of how big the actual combat space was going to be. I tested this by running up and down the combat space, timing how long it took to reach each end and taking into account the addition of buildings and enemies that would later be added in.

Accessibility & Replayability:

The main focus on the level was replayability and accessibility, opening up the levels to multiple play styles. This is achieved in my design not only from the layout of the landscape but also the multiple opportunities that players can leverage throughout the level.

Leverage points in design:

1. Holes in fences (additional breaching points)

2. Cutting power

3. Hiding in plain site (use van to drive right in )

4. Setting rebels free

5. Blowing up fuel tanks

6. Multiple vantage points and points of access

All these elements really help to diversify the types of play styles that players can use and opens up the level to so many unique gameplay experiences. I wanted to create this sense of freedom in the level that allowed players to approach the level in whatever way they wanted and to have each play through provide a unique experience.

Modelling:

In total there are:

1. 7 buildings

2. 5 interactive elements: Cages, power unit, weapons crates,fuel tanks etc

Modelling overall was an enjoyable experience and relatively hassle free due to the many references that I could use from Ghost recon and real life sources.

The structure that took the most amount of time was the big 2 story building I had in the centre of the base. The main obstacle being the stairs of the building and making sure that the player had enough room to navigate the building with ease whilst sticking to the 3 meter distance between cover.

With the design of this building I wanted to have a space that would stand out in the environment but also act as a practical component in the level. The building offers a unique vantage point in the base as it offers players a wide cone of vision and is a great place for players to set up.

World Building:

Cover:

The cover in the game is a mixture between crates and buildings and offers players a wide range of pathways to choose from.

Enemy Types:

I had 4 different types of AI in the design: standard, patrolling, snipers and armoured. This allowed me to help control the pacing of the environment and offer players more unique encounters during their playthroughs.

Additional objectives:

I wanted to stick with the Ghost Recon design layouts as close as possible, so added in the addition of weapons crates and cosmetic crates along with intel packages. These are all elements used to encourage players to explore the environments.

Success criteria:

Combat Space:

1. 4-5 min combat space : Level can easily be completed in the 4-5min time frame especially when factoring in 1-4 players

2. Area should support a distinct mission objective: Level has been built to support mission objective(s), with purposefully designed landscape and structured layout of level.

3. Replayability: Level offers multiple access points and provides frequent tools throughout level for players to get a unique playthrough each time.

Interactive element:

1. Interactions provide unique challenge and risk: A unique objective offers players multiple ways to complete objective , each with varying levels of difficulty.

2. Multiple interactions to complete task: Each objective requires multiple interactions from players in order to complete the mission objective.

Conclusion:

Overall I am really happy with this design and think it hits the brief really well. It offers an environment that molds really well with the interactive design element, supports 1-4 players and will provide a different gameplay experience each playthrough.