Project Summary

  • Time frame: 3 weeks

  • Engine: Unreal Engine 4.21

  • Other Software Used: Adobe Photoshop

  • Asset Packs Used: Infinity Blades Ice Lands, Infinity Blade Fire Lands, and AI Enemies - Soldier

This project was another challenge to myself to build a level for a First Person Shooter and Co-Op experience. My inspiration for this level was Borderlands 2, as it encompasses both forms of game play quite well. The game also has a distinct aesthetic I could strive to recreate with limited assets. I also wanted to create both outdoor and indoor spaces as an extra challenge to practice lighting. The level also includes a couple scripted events, one for gate opening and another for triggering a trap in the level. For enemy placements, I used the AI Enemies - Soldier asset pack in order to get a better feel for how combat would play out in the space.

The Game Flow

Below here I will describe, in detail, the level’s game flow I had in mind when creating this portfolio piece.

When I started planning the level, there were a few details I had to consider:

  • Borderlands 2’s character roster and their play styles

  • All the gun archetypes (snipers, assault rifles, pistols, rocket launchers, etc.)

  • Environmental Hazards (such as the exploding/acid/shocking barrels and traps)

  • Loot

  • Enemy placements

With all this in mind, I created a scenario where the players are sent to clear out a nearby bandit encampment for a mission. Upon nearing the encampment, the players find a barricade set up guarded by a few of the bandits. Upon clearing them out, players can raid the small encampment and also take a peak at the village from a vantage point. This allows any sniper/long range players to set up possibly take out some enemies early, or just get an initial scope of the area.

Continuing down the main path, the players reach the main entrance of the village. This area is the start of enemy waves that must be cleared out before progressing through the golden gates in the back of the village. Here, I structured the village to accompany as many play styles as I could. There’s plenty of open space to allow Axton to place their turret, or allow Salvador to go berserk with his guns. There’s also different areas of high ground for snipers to take advantage of. The buildings and rocks provide some cover for protection and for sneaking (if the player is Zer0). To help weaken mobs, there are explosive barrels placed near barricades in case an enemy is proving too difficult to hit behind cover. Though players must also be mindful of their location and their teammates’ locations when exploding these barrels since they will also affect friendlies. Upon clearing out the area, players are free to loot chests and boxes and the golden gate in the back can be opened. This can be done by interacting with the magic rune in front of the gate.

Walking past the gate, players have two paths. The left path leads to what looks to be a storage room that’s guarded by a few enemies. Clearing them out, players can safely access the hidden chests for more weapons/ammo. The right path leads the players to a set of stairs, which a few more enemies will bombard the player party. Since this area is mostly long, narrow hallways, players can utilize grenades to take out enemies in these close quarters. Maya could also use her Siren abilities for some crowd control, or Gaige can send in DeathTrap as a distraction and pick off distracted enemies. Zer0 could use the hallway before the stairs as cover to use his Stealth ability and sneak behind the enemies and take them out swiftly. After defeating these enemies, the village is cleared out and the players are now safe from bandits.

There’s an ammo chest at the top of the stairs to the right, and to the left is one more hallway that leads to a Forge Room. This room would be equivalent to Borderlands 2 vending machine areas, and since the asset pack does not contain anything vending machine-like, I made due with a Forge Room instead. Here players can restock on ammo, sell any loot they don’t want, and heal up. This should clue the player that a boss battle is coming up. In this room there is also a death trap to the right of the forge. There is a trapped chest that if anyone tries to access, a grinder will come falling down and kill the unfortunate player.

Once the player and the party are set, they can use the magic rune to open the gate and start the boss fight. There’s very few high ground options, and sparse cover. I wanted this area to be more of an Arena to allow for more open fire and explosive usage. Minions will spawn periodically to the left and right of the main castle gate to provide players the chance to get an easy Second Wind kill if they fall in battle. Once the boss has fallen, minions will stop spawning and the mission is complete!