Level Design Project

This final individual project was completed during my vocational degree in Video Game Professions – Game & Level Design track. The goal was to apply all the skills acquired throughout the semester. The two-week project had to include stealth, platforming, and combat mechanics. The engine used was Unreal Engine, starting from a basic template containing only the character and movement. All other elements (assets, sounds, gameplay, etc.) had to be created or integrated by me.

Process

The project was structured in several phases: initial sketches to design level layouts, followed by greyboxing to quickly test dimensions and flow in-game. Then came asset placement, where interactive elements, enemies, and gameplay scripts were added. The final stage involved applying textures, visual and lighting effects, and sound. Regular testing was essential to ensure game stability after each update. The project duration was around 8 minutes, and a walkthrough video was required.

Pitch

The player takes on the role of a time-traveling thief pursued by the T.E.P. (Temporal Executive Police). Traveling through different eras, they must retrieve a legendary relic by solving puzzles, fighting enemies, and navigating hostile environments.

Gameplay

The player uses the default Unreal Engine character setup. The character can move, run, jump, crouch, attack, and collect items (relics, health kits). Additional mechanics could be added with help from the professor, but due to time and hardware limitations, I chose to focus on polishing the core gameplay instead.

Levels

Level 1 – Medieval Cave (Stealth)

This stealth level takes place in a medieval cave. The player must collect three small relics while avoiding patrolling T.E.P. agents. The level was based on a previous assignment on Uncharted that received excellent feedback. I chose to reuse it as the introduction to this project.

Level 2 – Futuristic Station (Puzzle & Platforming)

In this sci-fi level, the player faces a memory challenge: three doors, each guarded by a T.E.P. agent, with a number above each. The player must recall the number of agents seen in the previous level to choose the correct door. The correct choice leads to an elevator; wrong choices trigger combat. The elevator only activates once all guarding enemies are defeated. Choosing the right door avoids an additional fight.

Level 3 – Final Combat (Futuristic instead of Feudal Japan)

Initially planned to be set in Edo Japan, this level retained its futuristic setting due to time constraints and limited hardware performance. The player must face a powerful guardian, dodging its attacks and countering effectively. Once defeated, the room containing the legendary relic becomes accessible.

Reflection

Challenges

The main challenge was managing the project within the time and hardware limits. My laptop’s performance affected certain design choices, such as environment transitions and effects.

What I’m Proud Of

I’m proud of completing the project solo, on time, and bringing a unique time-travel concept to life with varied gameplay. I also successfully repurposed an earlier assignment into a full-level experience.

What I Learned

This project helped me improve my Unreal Engine skills, better understand game development roles, and make smart compromises while keeping the overall vision coherent.

Conclusion

I’m happy with the final result, even if some parts could’ve been refined further. This project provides a solid foundation for future work.
Languages & Tools Used:

Documents

Several documents were created during this project to support the design process. Bubble diagrams provide visual representations of ideas within areas or levels. These help organize concepts before more detailed planning. Layouts offer top-down views of levels (without textures) and include key structural and gameplay details. Level Design Documents (LDDs) bring everything together, detailing the narrative structure, objectives, design choices, and inspirations. These documents are available here:
Level Design Project LDD Level 1 Layout Levels 2 & 3 Layouts