This short post will showcase my plan for my Level Submission, It will include drafts, sketches and level maps for the final submission. I will explain my ideas as well as gameplay mechanics and final designs.
A simple map showcasing 5 main locations the player might walk through.
For my level design submission, I have decided to team up with another member of the class, we both have had similar ideas on a final level and thought it'd be wise to collaborate. Elijah has drawn and sketched out many ideas portraying a haunted house, a giant tree and a dream-like layout. The picture above showcases his and my ideas put together to try and workout a solid route for the player.
Elijah later showed me that our 3D idea would be like a tutorial world: the player starts off upon a sail barge, then they would simply walk towards a hammock a rest upon it.
When the player wakes up they are on a tropical island and must climb to the top to reach the gem collectable.
Separating our tasks
Because I decided to team up with another classmate, I had to coordinate with them on our workload, our level plan and what we would each do to finish and submit a game level. As we were trying to mash our ideas together at first, my teammate Elijah saw that some of our ideas did in fact have similar end goals, so we decided to focus on that first. He started drawing up designs for an island which would house similar Tiki huts like mine and the player would arrive on boat and wake up only to climb a giant tree on the island and end the level.
He then put forth his drawings of another level set in a shifty forest that would try to confuse the player and test their wit and parkour skills.
Original tomb hallway mock-up
First size test for tomb layout
I eventually settled on doing an Egyptian level area and made up a quick unity model of a tomb, this would be copied 3 times and made into a tunnel which had some rocks on the side for jumping. Originally some acid from the 3d game kit was meant to be the hazard in the middle or fallen stalactites from the ceiling. I then stretched out the back end and created a large room which would house the tomb and its treasure.
The tomb would have two sides to it and a possible exit for another way out if the player triggered a trap inside. There would stairs for the entrance leading from the surface and some torches lighting the way.
Simple layout and overview of Trial Lighters level map
Other level ideas
Elijah's original idea to have an island level was quickly changed after he did some unity modelling work and decided on a forest level instead. This new idea would have the player enter the forest at night and discover a graveyard and a hedge maze only to be tricked into entering the Palace of Eyeba. There would be lots of different types of jumping platforms to go on such as Mushrooms, Swinging from tree branches and invisible pathways over spikes.
Above this text box is an early map layout sheet which combined our ideas and made a fluid path to follow. Originally instead of a Palace, the ending level location was meant to be a haunted mansion. The forest was also meant to lead into the cave thumbnail I had done. The Tiki village was meant to be there too but in a smaller area. When we did change ideas however the hammock on the sail barge was meant to stay but as our tutor told us it would be better to focus on the Egyptian environment.
Colour language for objects, obstacles and enemies
Valley Landscape with a variety of different platform challenges
The two pictures down below showcase my final sketches that I would share with my teammate Elijah and let him check where all the assets would go. This drawing not only showcased some early plans for the hammock but also possible spawn points. Once we got rid of the hammock feature, I thought a cart might do and started making some wheels on a frame. The player would then spawn here and meet the horses pulling it then set off to the Pyramid town centre.
I had also made another annotated version of the map layout with updated areas, I had scribbled out the old plan and labelled some of the more focused areas that would make it into the final game build. These alterations were not permanent as I did them on a digital copy. This drawing also finally showed the viewer where certain quests/items would be placed. The original drawing for Eyeba palace is here too with some possible danger sign too, some with eyes and other with the usual skull and crossbones for extra scary aesthetics.
Final overview level map that includes plans for the tomb, Pyramid valley and Eyeba Palace.
Screenshot annotated version of map used to inform my teammate.
Digital designs and Mock-ups
3d tomb layout in unity with steps, colour textures underneath.
Unity tomb layout zoomed in look
Inside camera view of tunnel hallway and parkour steps.
Inside camera view of early tomb temple space
Screenshot of discord conversation with Elijah on early design for Eyeba Palace and possible traps.
Digital design of Iris Eyeba with annotated designs.
Eyeba Palace sketch and annotation of full level area. Showing bottom steps all the way up to the column's circling the Eye Spire.
Early highlighted image of Eyeba palace. 40% done.
Back view of palace with columns highlighted in Maya, other object test objects lying around and legs at the back are for the stairs/palace support. 75% done
Eyeba Palace 50% done picture in Maya
Eyeba Palace textured and finished in Maya
One level piece that was part of my personally participation in the game level build was the Eyeba Palace. I at first created a character similar to a brail mascot with an eye as the centrepiece. As soon as I created this eye guy, I went round the class asking for names since "Eyeba" seemed like a second name. The winning name was "Eris" and from this name I got many ideas for their palace home.
I drew up a simple sketch of some steps leading up to the top where a spire with spiral steps spinning round to the top where a giant eye would be placed and a exit door behind would stand.
Obviously over time this evolved into a bigger a better building than I ever imagined and has much more clever level design than I first thought of doing. The eye in the centre was originally meant to have steps like the M.C Escher infinite staircase drawing/painting shown below. You the player would traverse up and down these steps in a confusing and slowly annoying tricky pathway.
Once at the top, the player would observe the pedestals with some newly added skulls on top and then climb the stairs to the peak. Elijah then noticed the eye statue at the top looked a lot like Sauron's eye from Lord of the Rings and wanted it to work the same way. Then a door would appear and the player would walk through to the next level.
M.C Escher Infinite staircase
Possible riddle message and picture reference to be placed in the tomb.
Example image of a real-life Egyptian tomb layout plan.
traps, structures, assets torches to light your way