Gameplay Video
In-Game Pictures
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
 |  |
Summary
"Hardcore Parkour" is a fast-paced first-person parkour video game platformer where the player runs utilising short cuts and player mechanics to get through the level as fast as possible.
This was a Teesside University project in the "Beta Arcade" Module in my Final Year in a team of 7.
Here is a downloadable-demo of the video game.
Overall
Team:
-
7
Software Utilised:
Format:
Role:
-
Lead Level Designer
Duration:
-
3 Months
Completion:
-
3 months
Engine:
Responsibilities
Lead Level Designer:
-
Designed levels 1 & 2, from paper design to final build whilst working with Game Design Team and Narrative Department to create content of the highest quality
-
Oversaw implementation of Level Design team work into Game Missions from Paper Level Design Documents to playable Game segments through Task Delegation and Goals Documents
-
Supporting the production of the Level Design Team from start to finish, through hosting Play-Testing Sessions, to gather bugs and feedback.
-
Communicating with and supporting the Art Team to ensure any 3D Assets modeled match their vision of the Whitebox Level
-
Worked closely with the Mechanics Design Team and with Level Design to ensure the vision of the game, and to create an experience that engrossed players in an immersive environment e.g scripting potential base game Mechanics for Main Character
Level Design Breakdown
Planning
In the Level-Flow, we wanted to focus on a specific mechanic per area e.g. Area 3 was designed with the "Wall-Run" Mechanic in mind.
The first level is a tutorial to effectively teach the player the core mechanics needed to play the game. We thought it was best to split the level up into key stages introducing the player to the core mechanic at each one of these stages in order not to overwhelm them by teaching them all at once.
.
The Difficulty Graph above demonstrates the difficulty of the Level from Start-Finish.
I made this graph to demonstrate the intensity of the level. The comes from the timer and the level. The closer the player is to the goal the higher the timer is and the goal player is to get the shortest time.
The intensity by level is wanted the route should take and how one can get the shortest time on this run. It player's decision-making on run want makes it intense because the player does not know to want the casuel route and the Hardcore route.
Block-Out
When designing the Level Block-Out we wanted the Player to use two routes to traverse the map.
Routes: Hardcore, Casual
In order to balance Gameplay, the Hardcore route was a quicker way to the end goal with a high risk i.e. player death, whereas the Casual route was quicker and safer however the route was longer. But the Hardcore route is a quicker way to end the goal with a high risk.
The Hardcore route rewards players who mastered the mechanics. Having the two routes opened up replayability to the levels, allowing players to go back and try the new route once they had played and learned the game more.
Goals:
My Goal for this level is to create a level that the player wants to play again and again but also be challenging for the player for all skill levels.
Main Focuses
Goals
-
Make the map have replay Value.
-
Have a casual and hardcore route at least each checkpoint.
-
Make the map fun to play with.
-
Make the map Unique map
-
Have hidden Routes
Elements
-
Vehicles (Flying Cars)
-
Gravity
-
Stairs
-
Billboards
-
Building
Sequence
-
The level starts as the player sees two clear paths to take
-
At the first checkpoint, players decided to stop their running moment to a different path
-
The level ends with the player jumping a long distance to a building
Level 1 - Map layout
Starting Point Composition
 The blue box represents the casual route and the red box represents the hardcore route |  Theses are Key points of the composition that guides the player. Redbox-place holder is object that |  |
|---|
The goal of this composition was to show the player a clear goal and showing the player two paths.
Hardcore
Casual
This is an example of a casual route and a Hardcore route in game. The casual route is more easy route but a longer path. The Hardcore route is more harder also it offer a faster path for the player.
Hidden Paths
I chose to do hidden routes in the game because players love finding hidden paths in the video game. I put 2 blocks to the building to show a sign that the player can go through here.
|  Picture3 |  Picture4 |
|---|---|---|
 Picture5 |  Picture6 |  Picture7 |
 Picture11 |  Picture12 |  Picture10 |
 Picture14 |  Picture13 |  HighresScreenshot00034 |
 Picture9 |  Picture15 |  HighresScreenshot00035 |
 Picture8 |  Picture17 |  Picture18 |
Level 1 Play Though Feedback
Feedback
-
I just some boxes on the so it is easier for the player to climb on.
-
some object to make more space for the player to run
-
Just some spaces when a player jumps to the platform
Art build Test Play through
My thoughts
-
It plays smoothly.
-
Good frame rate going at 60 fps.
-
Ready to get the full art pass.
Level 1 Art Pass layout
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |
Once the set-dressing was completed, the Art Team proceeded to give me a build. In this build I looked through the Level to ensure the work produced by the Art Department did not affect Gameplay. I then passed the build back to them, bug free to maintain the vision of the Level so the Art Team could proceed onto an Lighting & Shader Pass.
Level 2 Map Layout
Planning:
Game Refining
Main Focuses
Goals
-
Make the map have replay Value.
-
Make it easy to start the map so the player knows the end goal
-
Make the map fun to play with.
-
Make the map Unique from the other maps.
-
Have a nice game flow fast.
Elements
-
Vehicles (Blimp or hot air balloon)
-
Gravity
-
Broken Glass
-
Arrow Signs
Sequence
-
The level starts as the player looks at the view of the map and sees clear objectives.
-
The player wonders want the best path to take. To get the best time.
-
The level ends when a player jumps on a Blimp.
When Blocking out the map I wanted a clear composition map to show players their objective.
Images of the map
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
 |  |
 |
We decide not to do an art pass for the map. Just test the game, and fix bugs in the last 2 weeks we had left. So we can deliver the best game possible.
Next Project
