*Bad Magic is the team name*
Wicked Wizards is a 3D Networked Multiplayer Character Based FPS where you and three others can fight off enemies to help corrupt the world. This game was my capstone project in my Senior year, and the team consisted of about 40 people, with my role specifically being in Level Design as part of the world team.
Below you'll see a list of my responsibilities during production and my design process for the game's map.
- Redesign the prototype map with expanded areas for gameplay and visual distinctions across the map including the castle ruins and forest areas
- Concept a second map with various design docs and outlines for possible implementations
- Discuss general and world gameplay ideas and iterations with Designers and Programmers
- Discuss prop placement with Artists and the Creative Director to maintain the map's visual layout and environmental storytelling
- Discuss player/enemy movement and tower placement correlation with map design with the player, enemies, and tower teams
- Communicate and work with other World Design team members over map functionality, design, and props
Introducing the River:
After brainstorming map adjustments to the map from the game's prototype with the other World Designer, I presented the addition of a river and bridges to the map. I implemented the river and bridges to add player interaction and choice within the map, as players could cross sections of the map if they weren't near a bridge, but with a minor reduction to the player's jump hei
Visibility Issues:
The addition of hills presented an issue to players as visibility was limited while looking around the map for enemies and knowing where players were.
After concepting ideas, I presented sectioning the map with unique themes: rock area, forest area, and fence area. This inclusion would help players communicate with one another where they were and allow for differing gameplay base
Adjusting Gameplay + Map Use:
Player feedback showed that tower defense/FPS gameplay wasn’t rewarding. The former gameplay had players primarily defend a single area, causing the rest of the map to lack necessity. Reducing the map size would’ve required more time than we had at that point, so the other level designer and I presented having the objective move around the map, so players could explore
Environmental Storytelling + Second map conception:
At this stage in production, I focused more of my work on grey-boxing a second (unreleased) level and increasing the environmental storytelling through the map.
After I discussed the map's narrative with the narrative designers and artists, I began adding art across the map to add details contributing to the map's story, such as signs directing pla
Overhauling map sections:
Feedback showed that the visuals and gameplay differences in each area needed severe improvement, so I began redesigning the forest and fenced areas.
The expanded forest area would include a limited location where players would choose the best capture strategy with options of mushroom jump pads for verticality.
I reworked the fenced area into a castle ruins area; this area
Final Interactions:
Map interaction wasn’t as prevalent as it could’ve been, so after meeting with other designers and discussing improvements to gameplay, towers became map interactables, and concepts of a bomb plant to take out hoards of enemies came to life.
Tower implementation helped encourage players to move around the map near the objective. The bomb plants also incentivized players to strate
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