google sketch up map

This map shows the original map I had for my level design. This was too ambiscious as their were too many interiours and the map was too large to create in the time that I had.

Level walkthrough

This video demonstrates my level from start to finish, it is a lot shorter and smaller than i original anticipated but it still works and shows off what i was trying to do. This is due to time restrictions and have problems with modular meshes along the way.

gameplay Idea's

The idea behind the gameplay of my level is that the player aquires special powers to take down a bounty target.

The player can teleport in this example which i replicated by attaching a triger to the character and with key button press this teleports the player to the trigger. This works ok and is ok for prototyping but would more in depth programming for a finished standard.

I also looked at AI and HUD in udk to prototype both of these work really nicely but same as the teleport mechanic only for prototyping purposes.

I also was going to create a mechanic that when the player dies they become a ghost and leave their body before respawning at a "hellgate" giving them a slight tactical advantage over enemies, however because of how i had set up the teleport mechanic this was no longer do able.

I looked at the folowing sites for tutorials for guidence:

http://www.hourences.com/tutorials/
http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/categories/cat_udk.php

Level sketchs

I started this project by craete a small sketch sheet showing the buildings and how modular assets will create them. This helped me to understand what assets I will need to create.

To do this first I looked into both are's of the theme of my game. Here are some examples of my reasrch images and my sketch page.

The witcher 2 mechanic design

There are some solid gameplay mechanics with The Witcher 2 but some of them work and others are a little flawed. The combat system works especially well giving the player simple attack commands of heavy and simple attacks and signs, which work like spells. They are also able to craft certain items that can help them throughout the course of a battle.

The main mechanic that I noticed this with was the crafting mechanics, the player has to craft their potions, bombs and traps before every battle yet different bombs and traps do different things and different potions give the player different conditions. However the player is in forced into battle, as they are at certain points in the game, they do not have time to prepare their items. Most of the time these instances are sprung upon on the player unaware and are incredibly difficult to overcome and the last check point is the start of the battle itself.

Isolating this problem, there should be way for the player to craft their items in these circumstances. The crafting process takes too long to complete during a fight though, so the other option is to give the player a chance to escape and gather their barring before re-entering the fight.

"Youtube video showing how the signs already in the game work"

video level playthrough

This is a video that will accompany my level design document from my sketch up model. the video shows the progress of the essential are's in my level.

Level design notes and idea's

Arkham city

I have chosen to do this game as the mechanics I know already and the universe is something I understand well, this allows me to draw away from locations in the actually game and design my own adventure.

Mechanics used in the game

·         Movement broke up in sprinting and walking

·         The sprinting mechanic when used at an edge imitates a jump and glide

·         Combat using one button and counters on another

·         Harder enemies require a different way of defeating them

·         Boss fights work using the same mechanics

·         While in the air hold the sprint button to glide

·         While gliding have the ability to drive to get more thrust upwards and continue your glide

·         Different gadgets to solve different puzzles

·         Riddler challenge collectables

Gadgets

·         Grapple hook

·         Freeze grenades

·         Disruptor

·         Batarangs (normal, remote control, sonic, reverse)

·         Remote electrical charge

·         Smoke pellets

·         Mine detonator

·         Line launcher

Locations seen

·         The iceberg lounge (all)

·         Gotham museum (all)

·         Steel mill (all)

·         Amusement mile (exterior)

·         Ace chemicals (exterior)

·         Monarch theatre (all)

·         Crime alley

·         Courthouse (all)

·         Wonder city

·         Wonder tower

·         Subway

·         Church

·         Police head quarters

Gotham locations not seen within the game

·         Gotham central hospital

·         Gotham library

·         Black gate (mentioned outside of arkham city)

·         Gotham city hall (mentioned outside of arkham city)

·         Slaughter swamp

·         Jokers carnival (the killing joke appearance only)

Hospital level

·         Hush has taken hostages at the hospital to sabotage Bruce Wayne

·         Guards around the hospital

·         Listening in to find where hush is hiding

·         Save hostages

Carnival level

·         Joker has kidnapped Gordon

·         Go through rides

·         Attractions

·         Goons trying to trick batman

·         Forced to take part in jokers games

·         Freak show

First idea’s to stay away from as much as possible with carnival level

·         Rides

·         Joker

·         Freak show

·         Clowns

·         Music

·         Tents

Story idea’s

I have decided to make this level a homage to the killing joke graphic novel, keeping certain events that happen within my environment yet still making it so that it is something different. Their should be some key events in the story. Like Barbra Gordon’s shooting and commissioner being kidnapped. The end of this level should also end with the same ending therefore reminding batman of this time after the ending of the original game.

The level should start outside the carnival where batman has the carnival ticket sent to him by the joker. Gordon has been kidnapped by the joker and is somewhere being tortured mentally and physically within the carnival in an attempt to break him showing that even best of men can fall to insanity. This events are based upon the killing joke and I think helps people who aren’t necessarily fans of the batman comics understand that there is this darker underlying element to batman.

To flesh out the game the player will first be drawn to the freak show using suggestive lighting where they will find a series of batman villains behind the glass that he can talk to get a better understanding of where the joker is hiding Gordon. As the player progresses through the locations batman will find my clues such as the pictures of Barbra that joker shows the commissioner until he discovers the jokers final act within the big top tent.

Batman enters the tent and then has a boss fight fighting joker’s goons and the joker himself, at the end of the fight the joker takes out his gun and fires at batman and instead of a bullet a small flag with the words click click click comes out the end. During a discussion with joker batman should say another line from the killing joke “Do you understand? I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want either one of us killing the other”. The end of the level should then be the same joke that the joker says to batman at the end of the killing joke and they both laugh. This lets the player see the side of the joker and batman relationship that isn’t usually shown, showing they both care for one another almost as friends making the ending of the actually arkham city game even more impactful than it already is.

Riddler challenges within my level

The riddler challenges are a key mechanic within the Arkham game series that keeps players playing even after they have completed the level. Seeing as my level is based off the killing joke graphic, the riddler challenges should match this theme some of my first thoughts on these where the red hood, the previous owner and the pictures of Barbra Gordon all from the graphic novel.

Level overview

1.      Starts outside the carnival at the ticket office

2.      Drawn to the freak show

3.      Walking down the freak show there is scarecrow, two face and poison ivy

4.      When the player gets to the exit there is a power cut

5.      The player turns on the power using a switch upstairs and the villains escape

6.      The player is then sent after the 3 major villains in a certain area of the level, these areas can be completed in any order.

7.      Two face is in the hall mirrors and can be defeated by looking at the floor to find were he is.

8.      Poison ivy is in the centre of a hedge maze were the player must fight ivy’s goons while moving around the maze.

9.      Scarecrow is hiding within the fun house. The player will be infected with fear gas when he walks in so the area will feature what will look like real skeletons and monsters until they find and defeat scarecrow in the turning tunnel.

10.  Once all 3 villains are defeated the player will discover that the joker took Gordon to the big top for a grand finale.

11.  As the player leaves the last villain area the joker announces the feast of fools, a parade roaming around the entire carnival that player can choose to avoid by going over head or by fighting through it.

12.  The player enters the big top tent and the joker dressed as a ring master introduces batman and sends his guards to him (the same ones from the killing joke), during the fight the player can see Gordon within a cage.

13.  When the player defeats the goons and the joker the scene ends in a similar way to the killing joke with the joker pulling a gun that fires a flag and says the same joke.

Optional area’s

·         The jokers ghost train

·         Prize ticket room

·         Dodgem track

·         Roller coaster

·         Big wheel

I also made a quick sketch of my layout taken from development sketches I did in my sketchbook

prototyping week 2

This week we developed our levels all together using graph paper and baring in mind the other mechanics that we came up with over the past week includeing movement, jumping and swinging. We all designed 1 level each and then combined them to create our prototype. For next week I will have my prototyping document complete that will outline the design work.

"Graph paper designs for my level"

prototyping week 1

This week we were put into teams had the task to develop and prototype a idea for a video game. we started with one idea that was a rts for 4 players on a octagon shape map but the idea seemed to be going nowhere so we came up with a second one that is a plat former. This idea was better than previous and we got a good idea running were you play as a beard trying to get back to his owners face. This week I created a quick sketch of the first level of the game.

"first draft of my level"

prototyping introduction

We got a brief to create a develop a idea that involved the subject of orange and on a fixed surfaced. This was challenge to come up with an idea that revolved around the subject of orange. we came up with a few idea's some that worked and some that were too tricky to develop, we decided to use an orange that had been cut in half to show segments as our game surface and built a small puzzle game that worked like a maze. The game worked as each player took a turn to roll a dice and instead of moving around the board the player moved the actual ring of the board around. The aim was to get to the centre of the board through the doors that are on each ring while trying to stop your opponents, if you rolled a 6 you picked a good card that could help you reach the centre a lot quicker but if u rolled a 1 you received a bad card that could push you further away. The game lasted for about 15 mins, was fun and ended up playing like a maze with shifting walls.

developed paper prototype game board