Ocean Views

For my third-person adventure game level designed in Unreal Engine 5, I created a fully functional and immersive environment from scratch. This was done using block mesh tools, geometry brushes and additive/subtractive shapes. I designed and developed three distinct level outlines to guide the player’s progression. Each section was crafted to address critical design questions related to player interaction and gameplay flow. Ensuring the level remained engaging and consistent throughout the experience.

A significant part of the design process involved creating essential gameplay elements, such as a valve mechanic to prevent unnecessary backtracking and a gate that required player interaction to progress. These elements were strategically integrated into key parts of the level, including the Level Start, Focal Point and Level End. Their placement was critical in shaping the player's movement and introduced varied challenges. My focus remained on balancing progression and ensuring the environment supported both exploration and challenge while maintaining a cohesive structure.

Ultimately, this project allowed me to create a level that was not only visually and functionally engaging but also designed to communicate it's narrative and gameplay objectives clearly.

Role & Responsibilities

My primary responsibility was to create an engaging, exploratory environment within the predefined constraints of an Adventure project. The goal was to craft a cohesive level that emphasized environmental storytelling, spatial progression and player immersion. While adhering to the creative vision outlined in the initial assignment.

Ensured that the level remained within the given parameters. Earth-based, modern-ish time period, no inhabitants and a walking simulator experience focused on discovery.
Developed a level with a structured beginning, middle and end using PureRef mood boards. Creating an environment that visually guides the player.
Focused on subtle narrative elements through architecture, terrain and environmental cues. Ensured that the space drew players forward with visual landmarks, points of interest and spatial composition.
Designed the level to start with a low-intensity introductory area, build tension toward a climactic focal point and conclude with a visually distinct/rewarding ending.
Used real-world references to guide the level’s realism. Ensuring environments felt natural and immersive.

Design Decisions

Initial Concept:

The initial concept for my level was centered around creating an adventure that took the player on a journey through a natural environment. I envisioned a peaceful forest trail that would slowly lead the player to an abandoned building. The players would explore different rooms for a hidden item needed to progress through a special door. They would then go down a long hallway leading to the level's end which was a rooftop overlooking a body of water. The goal was to create a sense of serenity, accomplishment and finality. With a tall tower visible in the distance as a landmark, serving as an emotional focal point.

Core Gameplay & Mechanics:

Core Gameplay: Focused on exploration, environmental storytelling, and player interaction with the environment through collision-based mechanics.
Interactive Doors & Items: Some doors opened automatically, while others required player interaction with a collectible item to open.
Ledge Climbing: Implemented ledge climbing with color-coded ledges for visual clarity. Allowing players to climb or drop based on player input.
Hidden Item for Progression: A crucial item was hidden in the environment, requiring careful observation to find and unlock the special door leading to the final section.

Given that the project was a walking simulator and was confined to the adventure game genre, the core gameplay focused heavily on exploration, environmental storytelling and player interaction with the environment. The game mechanics were designed to support a journey where the player would discover and interact with objects. Such as mechanics centered around the player’s ability to interact with doors and items through collision-based systems. For example, one of the doors opened by simply getting near it, where as the others throughout the level were designed to be interactable by the player using the E button on the keyboard.

An additional gameplay mechanic implemented was ledge climbing. Where ledges were highlighted with a yellow color to help indicate their intended use to the player. The ledge could be grabbed by simply coming into contact with it. This collision triggered the option to continually climbing up by pressing forward or drop down by pressing backward.

A hidden item which was required to progress through the level was also interactable through collision. With the player having to carefully observe their surroundings to locate it. This item was needed to open the special door leading to the last portion of the level. The lack of combat or complex action mechanics allowed for a relaxed experience where environmental puzzles and interactions were the primary focus.

Level Design:

Level Start: Introduced players to a forested area that encouraged exploration, with a hidden trail leading to the Focal Point.
Focal Point: Designed a building with four rooms and a special item-locked door, encouraging challenge and exploration.
Level End: Created a serene conclusion with a rooftop view of the ocean and a tall water tower, evoking calmness and achievement.
Focused on maintaining immersion by hiding the void and using natural boundaries like dense forests, mountains, and water to guide the player.

The level was designed to immerse the player in a cohesive environment. Guiding them through a journey from exploration to achievement. It was split into three main sections: Level Start, Focal Point and Level End. Each contributing to the narrative and gameplay experience.

Level Start: The adventure begins with the player in a forest area, encouraging exploration. The surrounding environment is densely filled with trees, ensuring the player remains grounded and immersed. The trail, which is hidden initially, is a small bridge crossing over a body of water. This bridge leads to the building that serves as the Focal Point. The low intensity at the start allows players to adjust to the environment.
Focal Point: The entry to the building includes a ledge to climb in order to access the door. The player must jump from the small bridge in order to reach it. Once they climb up, the door opens and they can access the building. There are four rooms and a special door which requires an item in order to open. I created the four rooms for an additional element of challenge and exploration. The key itself, implemented with the collision system, requires interaction from the player and is hidden in one of the rooms.
Level End: The final area of the level provides a sense of accomplishment and serenity. After collecting the key item, the player can open a special door leading to a narrow hallway and out to a rooftop area overlooking the large body of water. The goal was to have this resemble the ocean as much as possible. A tall water tower in the distance acts as the final landmark, completing the visual story. The final moments of the level are designed to evoke a feeling of calm, as the player is given a peaceful view of the horizon.

Throughout the level, I also focused on maintaining immersion by ensuring the void was hidden from the player. The dense forest, large mountains and surrounding body of water worked together to form a natural boundary that kept the player engaged without any distractions. Every design decision, from the hidden trail to the interactable doors, was made to ensure the player felt a continuous, immersive journey.

Predetermined Elements:

Given the guidelines of the project, several key elements of game development were intentionally excluded from the start. The focus of the assignment was purely on level design. Meaning there was no implementation of a UI, music or complex narrative. The game's core mechanics were limited to exploration, interaction(which I used door collision mechanics, a key item and ledge climbing) and the use of environmental design to guide the player. These limitations helped ensure the project stayed focused on creating an immersive and functional level as a whole.

Challenges & Solutions

1. Maintaining Immersion

Challenge: Since the level was built from scratch, preventing the player from seeing the void was crucial for me in order to maintain player immersion. I never want to have gaps in the level which can break the sense of realism.
Solution: I strategically placed tall trees, a vast body of water resembling the ocean and large mountain structures to create natural boundaries. These elements not only blocked unintended sightlines but also reinforced the theme of an isolated environment.

2. Communicating Traversal Mechanics

Challenge: Without UI prompts or tutorial text, players needed to intuitively recognize the ledges as something they can interact with and climb.
Solution: Ledges inherited a yellow color-coded system in order to differentiate them from the surrounding environment. The visual contrast naturally guided players to interact with them and helped ensure that traversal felt smooth without direct instruction.

3. Enhancing Player Engagement

Challenge: The key item and doors were based around a collision system. Meaning interactions needed to be consistent and responsive to avoid player frustration.
Solution: I fine-tuned collision detection areas to ensure reliable activation. Additionally, the 'E' key was adopted for interactions which reinforces a standard input method that players could understand and use throughout the level.

Tools & Techniques Used

Unreal Engine 5 – Primary tool for level design, blockout creation and gameplay implementation.
Player Interactions – Implemented a key item and door system where interactions were triggered through collisions as well as manual activation.
Ledge Climbing – Implemented a ledge mechanic with a yellow highlight. Allowing players to intuitively recognize climbable areas.
Environmental Design - Created and used large-scale natural elements like trees, water and mountain-like shapes to enclose the level and keep the player immersed in the environment.
Geometry Brushes & Block Mesh Tools – Constructed the level layout without relying on high-detail assets.

Lessons Learned

Gained experience in designing a level from scratch for the action-adventure genre, focusing on seamless player immersion.
Learned to guide player movement using visual cues like lighting, color coding, and environmental landmarks.
Developed a balance between exploration and progression to maintain engagement and dynamic gameplay.
Strengthened technical skills in Unreal Engine 5 and understanding of level design within a studio environment.

I definitely gained a lot of valuable experience in designing a level from scratch while ensuring a seamless and immersive experience for the player. This was my first time designing a level for the action-adventure genre, and hiding the void from the player was a great lesson to take with me for future projects. Another important lesson was the significance of guiding players naturally through the environment. Using visual cues like lighting, color coding and environmental landmarks proved to be an effective way to direct player movement and exploration. Additionally, balancing exploration with structured progression helped create a level that felt engaging.

This project was also my first time working within specific guidelines, genre constraints and design instructions. This gave me insight into what it might be like to develop levels within a studio environment. Adapting my design decisions to fit within an established framework while still bringing creative problem-solving to the table was a valuable experience. Maintaining immersion by carefully managing the player's perspective reinforced the need to think critically about environmental storytelling. I feel that both my technical skills in Unreal Engine 5 and my understanding of structured level design within a professional workflow were strengthened for sure.