Catherine Booth
Level Designer
w2-CatBooth2.JPG

CGMA Temple

 
 

KEY INFO

Platform: PC
Release: Portfolio piece
Timeframe: 1 week
Tools: Unity
My role: Level Designer

CGMA - Temple Level

 

In this level I aimed to explore geometric shape, considering positive and negative space, rules of perception and how shape influences player behaviour and experience. These concepts were incorporated into a space that was intended for exploration, with the object of the level being for the player to find the yellow treasure box with an appropriate challenging feeling.

 

Conditions:

  • Staying roughly within the size constraints of the terrain object (60 x 60 meters)

  • Using only the prototypes provided in the scene, but free to duplicate and use them in any way

PROVISIONS:

  • The third person player controller setup

  • ~ 5 geometric shapes to create the blockout

  • Some reference/inspiration images (see left)

 

MY PROCESS:

  • I used the temple and the ethereal looking diamond orbs in the air above it to immediately draw the player’s eye to that area when they enter the level

  • I created a bait-and-switch using the temple - the treasure isn’t there, but the location of the treasure (and not the path to it) is visible from the top of the temple. The player is rewarded with the new information despite not finding the treasure there (see far right).

  • I created some little shrine shapes and left them in strategic places in the level after introducing it immediately as the player enters the space. They’re used as mini-rewards as the player explores (see near right).

  • I used the soft rolling terrain to create some interest and contrast against the sharp geometry of the space

  • I incorporated some platforming traversal to get to the treasure location

 

Post-FEEDBACK CHANGES:

  • Originally, the level was quite busy, with a lot of labyrinthine exploration required, which wasn’t the main intention of the space. I removed a lot of excess positive space to allow more breathing room and make the level feel more open. See the before and after top-down on the left, with the original on the far left.

  • I incorporated a little occlusion on the right of the player entrance to create a grander reveal of the temple

  • I broadened some of the platforming to make them feel smoother (some of this is to do with the way the player controller is set up).

  • The orientation of the treasure box was rotated 90 degrees to make the find feel a little grander