Work Done (Weeks 6-7)
Based on what my lecturer has recommended after reviewing my work, I’ve decided to cut down on the number of rooms planned and refine the current rooms I have on hand. I have made a mistake in thinking I needed a 500m by 500m level when I actually needed a 30 minute gameplay, therefore, the large atrium designed from the previous week will be my final room where the final boss fight will take place.
Below, I have created an intensity chart to show the different rooms’ intensities. The red line represents the intensity from the start (Courtyard) and the green line represents the intensity from when the player has defeated the boss (Large Atrium) and is exiting.
Intensity Chart
I have decided to cut the reverse fighting out and replace it with a simple locked door, as I think that it would exceed the 30 minute gameplay requirement otherwise. This door will unlock after the boss fight which will serve as a shortcut to the Courtyard area for the player to exit immediately. No skirmishes will occur when the player exits.
For reference, I have included a gallery of the different areas and rooms:
Rooms Gallery
Changes to an Existing Room
As seen in the screenshots above, I have modified the hospital entrance and added a small resupply room in response to my lecturer’s feedback, which suggested adding more pause points and breathing rooms for the player. This resupply room is aptly named “Triage”, which aligns well with The Division storyline. In this setting, nurses would briefly assess sick individuals here before letting them into the sterile hospital environment.
Previously, I have positioned a group of enemies huddled around a barrel in this area. However, I have shifted them forward towards the centre of the Courtyard while keeping the existing cover placements unchanged. I believe this adjustment encourages players to make greater use of cover, ensuring that these elements feel naturally integrated with the environment rather than randomly placed.
Modified Area
Goals for Next Week (MoSCoW Method)
Must Have
- Refine the existing levels.
- Boss archetype and enemy positions.
- Layout of the Large Atrium room and the final locked door for the shortcut.
Should Have
- A door animation as per the in game interactable door to visually and physically separate rooms.
- A script to “teleport” players for the single lift shaft room.
- More level design visual cues for “alternate routes” especially in the large atrium room.
Could Have
- Basic AI enemy movements with level sequences.