KTFR
Reiterating mission brief. Your task is locating and neutralizing Major Ajax Grey, suspected of breaking into decommissioned facility number 3682 belonging to Obsidian Blade technologies and unlawfully appropriating military grade company tech. On-site you are also obliged to destroy any remaining Class 6 records and equipment in order to prevent further misused by unauthorized entities. End of mission brief.
Year
2025
Team size
7
Engine
Unreal Engine
My Role
Level Designer
RESPONSIBILTIES
I was responsible for designing entire levels from the ground up. This included planning and conceptualizing layouts, hand-placing set dressing, designing encounters and implementing gameplay systems. I was also the Product owner and handled deadlines, spreadsheets, gameplay flow, asset aquisition and integration.
Level Design Process
I wanted to design a level with sci-fi industrial underground themes. From early prototyping I had ideas for several rooms, robotics bays, reactor room and tank production line. I was able to rapidly create a testable blockout. I used the persistent level layer system in unreal to have these blockout level as I slowly replaced them with proper assets.
Design Challenges and Solutions
With the initial blockout I had designed a viewing area where the player would be able to a large open room with moving tanks and forces. The antagonist would also be shown here and work into the narrative. The problem I faced with several playtests was that players walked past the viewing area without even looking at it. It was clearly not drawing enough attention.
Design Techniques
Performance was on our mind from the very beginning. The assets used in the game was high fidelity and performance heavy so I split the map up as much as possible. I communicated with programmers about performance and discussed how to improve performance without sacrificing quality, giving birth to the elevator system. Using elevators I was able to unload the previous level and load in the new level without the player seeing it. The elevator system also doubled as a way provide narrative.
Reflection
This project gave me valuable insight into balancing player guidance, combat pacing, and level readability. Through several iterations and playtesting sessions, I discovered how even small design adjustments—such as changes to lighting, layout, or obstacle placement—can significantly influence player flow and overall engagement. It also deepened my understanding of cross-disciplinary collaboration, as I learned to adapt design concepts to align with both gameplay goals and production limitations. Overall, the experience strengthened my ability to interpret feedback, solve problems effectively, and create a cohesive player experience.
