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Infiltration

Playthrough

Focus

Level design & blockout

Team size

1 person

Time

2 weeks, summer 2023

Engine

Unreal Engine 5

CONTENT

Level Design

What I learned

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Summary

Infiltration is a third-person stealth game where the objective is to sneak into the enemy base and steal the blueprints for their weapon. But be careful not to get caught by the guards or fall into the abyss.
 

This was a solo project during the summer aimed at improving my general level design and blockout skills. I set a deadline of 2 weeks to limit myself and avoid overscoping, allowing me to see what I could come up with in that time.

Tools

Advanced Locomition System
Blockout Tools Plugin

Level Design

I aimed to focus on providing the player with multiple choices so that they could have the freedom to overcome challenges in their preferred way. I wanted to make the player think and give them the satisfaction of feeling clever when making progress.

Planing & research

I began by using Miro to brainstorm ideas and create a reference point. I also searched for game references and researched the basics of third-person stealth.

Brainstorm.png

Not all of these made it into the game, due to time and interations

Layout & progression

2. Bridge: In this section, I present the player with their target and provide them with an opportunity to observe from a safe distance. They can identify multiple paths to choose from, giving them the freedom to approach it as they prefer.

4. Home stretch: Once the player has found the blueprints, their objective is to make it out. Using the paths and information they've gathered earlier, they can choose their route back. However, they must remain cautious to avoid getting caught.

1. Tutorial: I begin by introducing the mission and then guide the player through a sequence where I teach them the basics of movement in the game. I introduce the mechanics one by one, gradually increasing the complexity. I start with basic climbing and crouching, followed by a safe jump. Afterward, the player must tightrope and jump, and if they fall, they can explore an alternative path.

3. Base: With the player now inside the enemy's base, they are closer to the guards and must be more aware of their surroundings. They need to observe the guards' patrol paths and find an opening to slip by. In this section, the player will utilize all the mechanics they have learned previously

Guidance

To guide the player forwards and draw their attention I did various of things.

  • Torches
    I placed out torches around the level to shine light to paths and draw attention.

  • Enemies
    I gave the enemies torches to easier notice them both for awareness and make the player look there.

  • Colors
    I colored the doorways, doors and balconies different colors that stand out from the rest to highlight them and direct the player.

Enemy patroling

When placing out the enemies patroling paths I tried  avoid 180° turns as much as I could.  180° turns can be unfair for the player. Not having them helps cathcing the player off guard when it is not their fault. 

The player can observe the enemies and analyse their paths from a safe distance or angle. The player can then easily make up a plan and sneak by, enforcing the stealth aspect and the satisfaction of passing a enemy without being noticed.

Feedback & iterations

Exact same area, but now with walls and clear doorways and windows that are obstructed also a lot brighter.

After playtest and getting feedback I went back and iterated. What I focused on was removing invicible boxes and making it more clear where the player can climb but also lighting.

After this I decided to try to never use invicible boxes and instead focus on making levels that supports blocking areas. Which ties into making spaces that seem climbable/passable actually be climbable and passable.

Before my level was extremely dark so I baked the light and made it slightly brighter which helped with vision.

What I learned

Even though this was a short project, I learned a lot from it – not only about myself but also about techniques I use in my work. Here are some of the key takeaways I can point out.

Disciplin

When I started, I didn't have a set schedule for when to work, and I quickly realized that I wasn't accomplishing much. I had to set out predetermined time for work and stick to it.

Team work

I wanted to undertake this project solo to see what I could achieve, as most of my previous projects had been done in groups. I found myself missing the opportunity to bounce ideas off someone and receive quick daily feedback.

Metrics

At the beginning, I hadn't established specific metrics and scales, which led to things becoming inconsistent in size. It quickly got out of control, so I started using set scales and measurements as much as possible. This made the blockout process much easier

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