ACADEMIC PROJECT - GRIMFIRE

PROJECT DETAILS

Duration: 6 Months (3 Months per Assignment)

Engine: Unreal Engine 4

Team Size: 1

Tools Used: Blockout Tools (UE4 Marketplace), 3DS Max, Photoshop, Substance Painter, ZBrush

The project was split into two chunks where my duties were:

Level + Game Design
- Creating the player controller and basic enemies
- Planning the Level (Research, 2D Map)
- Blocking out and scripting events
- Applying basic textures to communicate the environment
Art Pass + Narrative Implementation + Iterations
- Create and texture models in 3DS Max, Substance and ZBrush
- Plan and implement an alternative route to support a narrative-driven decision within the level
- Change some areas of the level based on feedback
- Create a NPC in the level to give the player a moral choice in the level.

INTRODUCTION

Grimfire is a Narrative / Level Design project in which the player must retrieve an 'Artifact' and return safely without being caught. There must also be a branching narrative decision that affects the gameplay based on the decision the player makes. All assets either self-made or altered versions of UE4's starter assets.

INTRO

A gameplay video of the Blockout stage was submitted as part of the assignment.

A second gameplay video showing the 'final pass' of the game where additional changes to the level were made, narrative considerations were added and artistic assets were introduced.

PLAN AND BLOCKOUT

MAP PLANNING

Before creating the level in UE, I took the brief and tried to tick all the boxes I was given. After making some iterations I settled on a final draft, which was subject to change if the gameplay didn't flow well.

BLOCKOUT PHASE

The first pass on the level was to create the different areas with low-cost models or BSP brushes in Unreal Engine.

ART PASS AND ITERATIONS

NARRATIVE BRANCHING PATH

Halfway through the project, I was given a new assignment to create a narrative prototype featuring a branching path. With this project already existing, I felt it was best to build upon this while working on its art pass.

BEFORE / AFTERS

The art pass consisted of (mostly) self-made assets in Substance Painter, ZBrush, and 3DS Max, taking some textures from online sources and built-in materials from substance.

Tools Used:

Unreal Engine 4

Photoshop

3DS Max

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Description:

This was an assignment submitted for Games Design and Narrative Design modules at University.

To make sure my project was successful, I researched and applied simple game and level design techniques to ensure the player felt the level was well-paced, had a variety of obstacles, and challenged the player with increasing difficulty. The level features stealth-like evasion, platformer elements, and simple objectives to work towards.

Using the same level for two assignments, I tied in narrative elements in the blockout and final pass to further enhance the player's engagement with the level - things such as short cinematic cutscenes, dialogue with an NPCs, and breadcrumbing.

The assignments were split between two semesters; the first was mainly level and game design-focused which was oriented around paper design and a blockout. The second was a 'final pass' finish of the level, where texturing, sounds, UI, and any final iterations were made. A branching choice was added during this phase with a simple backstory for some narrative context.

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