A Bouquet for Grandma
What Engine?
This project was made using Unreal Engine for Fortnite
A Basic Summary
This is the second level of a three-level project that I made in UEFN. The player, playing as Little Red Riding Hood, has to navigate a forest to find 10 lovely flowers for her grandma.
This project gave me some really exciting ideas for hub world design!
Solo or Team?
I was the sole developer on this project
Length of Project?
This project was made over the course of three weeks
Lessons I Learned
Documentation, Flow Mapping, Engagement graphing, Encounter planning, following a spec.
Sole Level Designer?
With me being the sole developer, I was also the sole level designer
Highlights and Constraints
Highlight
Discussing with my professor about a change to the level that maintains the narrative, system, and spatial needs from the spec. I got to create something both fulfilling and unique!
Constraint
Due to the changes I spoke about, I had to create a level that still met the same requirements. This put me at a disadvantage compared to just using the given spec.
Design of the Previous Level
Designing Off a Spec
Mapping
Part of my requirements was to make a comprehensive LDD based on the spec that I was given, including top-downs, encounters, and flow mapping.
Planning
Additionally, I had to plan every encounter and the way that the player would move through it. This made sure that all my decisions were planned and thoughtful.
What I wanted players to do
Explore!
I created a level with 3 paths branching off a hub area because I thought it would make the player truly feel like they were getting lost in the woods, but with safety present.
Rest!
Every time the player is brought back to the hub area is a moment for the player to feel safe and to recover. This makes every path the player goes down feel like a "chapter".
First Prototype
Creation
With my top-downs and my encounters all planned out, I got to work making something playable, doing my best to make sure the player knew which pathway to go down.
Some Issues
After playtesting, I saw that players did not understand where to go at all, nor did they feel like they were in a forest. They felt like it was more of a mountain.
Testing and Fixes that I Made
Setdressing
Firstly, I did a lot of set dressing to make sure that the background of the level was as alive as possible, even using a few gigantic trees and even a castle tower to really immerse.
Fencing
To make sure the players weren't going where they shouldn't be, I only had one path open. I opened the other paths using the UEFN cutscene maker.
Final Product and Conclusion
Conclusion
This project was a really cool opportunity to understand what working in the industry as a level designer really is.
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Working with a spec was an experience that I'd like to take with me as I get hired and work in the game industry, especially if I get to have a little creative leeway in how I follow said spec.
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I'm excited to see the way this shapes my process and makes me a better level designer as time goes on.