Engine: Unity 2022
Genre: 3D Platformer
Role: Level Designer
Release Date: December 13, 2024
This greybox 3D platformer level was designed using an asset kit in Unity. It takes place inside the walls of a massive, imposing fortress suspended over a molten lake of lava. Players must expertly traverse their way around the inner walls of the castle, navigating a series of platforming challenges with escalating difficulty. The level features moving platforms and obstacles, environmental hazards, and jumps that demand precision and desterixy. Players will battle hostile enemies, push blocks to reach new heights and unlock new paths, and collect coins along the way. The experience culminates at a grand central citadel as the player gradually ascends up its outer walls with the most demanding jumps seen yet. Reaching the peak of the tower marks the ultimate triumph of this sprawling platforming guantlet.
RESPONSIBILITIES
•Greyboxed level layouts using Unity's editing tools to experiment with form, space and patterns of level.
•Design around precise metrics for player character, camera and controls to drive the functionality of the level.
•Balanced curated mechanics to ensure that each mechanic followed the "teach, test, challenge" formula and the player had proper understanding of them.
•Ensured proper flow state of the level by carefully balancing escalating difficulty of gameplay beats with downbeats of rest.
•Open up player agency by creating alternative paths, failure paths and bonus paths in addition to the primary golden path.
DESIGN PROCESS
Metrics
The initial step in the design of the level was to explore and understand the core gameplay metrics I was working with, particularly the 3Cs (Character, Camera, Controls). This foundational understanding was essential in shaping how the level would support the game's functional requirements.
Greybox
From there, I began to design the greybox layout of the level. The process was focused on designing a sequence of gameplay beats centered around a limited set of mechanics, with a deliberate gradual escalation in difficulty. To achieve a desired "flow state" I created carefully placed downbeats after moments of challenge in the level to ensure that there was a balanced rhythm between challenge and progress.
From the beginning, it was my plan for the level to flow around the outer walls of the castle and then culminate in a climactic tower climb. I began with placing the outer walls and then designing the level from there. However, I quickly discovered that the
Careful consideration was placed on the framing of the level to ensure consistent navigational clarity. The level was designed to provide the player with clear line of sight of the intended path, minimizing excessive camera movement. To ensure that the level maintained linear progression white offering player agency, I introduced numerous alternative and bonus paths throughout the level, often rewarding the player with more collectables in exchange for greater risk or challenge. Additionally, failure paths were created to allow room for mistakes without halting overall progression.
