DeathMatch: Dust Storm
Time is running and you have no idea how hard have been these last days for me. A lot of pressure and final projects to submit, and also, a lot of lost thoughts in my mind. But this is life and we need to go fight for it. So, here I am again to quick present – at 4AM lol – the most recent level that I finished for the Environmental Level Design Class, the DeathMatch: Dust Storm. So grab your chair and prepare for a flood of images and a video at the end of the post. 😉
As described in the Student Resources and Management System, the Environmental Level Design Class is a supplement course to level design 2. Environmental level design focus on the artistic side of level design but from a level design perspective. The goal is to take the fundamentals of Environmental level design and use it to adhere to the map gameplay that has been set out and use 3D art to decorate it.
So, considering it, for this project we received a whitebox/template of a level, and it was required from us to prop dress the level from start to finish. We received this whitebox and the goal was to fully decorate it, according to the principals and guidelines taught in class, maintaining the core gameplay of a DeathMatch Level in this map. You can check bellow the template and paper layout that we received from Damien Le Lievre.
Paper Layout and Template made by Damien Le Lievre
Dust Storm
Basically, what I decided to do in this DeathMatch was to create something that I could use my new techniques of Terrain in UDK. As I was practicing a way to create a Desert Terrain, I just decided to follow with that and be able to develop a big and warm environment, in the middle of nothing. I got a lot of references of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, trying to capture some of the light aspects of the game.
For this project we were evaluated in the following requirements: Visual appeal, Gameplay Integrity, Landmarks, Theme, Continuity, Lighting, History, Contrast, Believability and Level of Detail. The instructors asked us to try to create the most believable background for the level, complementing and developing a story and a good theme.
The main highlight of this level is the large central tower in which the player can get the rocket launcher by traversing into the access points in the side of the tower, or cross through it by using the jump pad at both far ends, and landing in the opposite end. So all the gameplay was needed to be studied around it.
Finally, as we also had another project in Level Design 2, in which is a Single Player Level, I just decided to start my level in the same desert, but in the down area, guiding the player through another paths and reaching a Old Maya Temple. This way I could practice even more the Terrain Tools of UDK, and the warm lighting. For the Single Player Level, I will update my website soon with more info.
And that was my DeathMatch that I did in Environmental Level Design Class. I hope you guys enjoyed. Any commentary or suggestion, just let me know right here in this post, ok? I will be updating the website soon enough with more details and more things about the Term 3. We are almost finishing! WOW! For now, check the video that I recorded of the level. I’m sorry for the low quality this time, I really don’t know why I lost so much resolution this time. So, for the real quality of image of this level, check the pictures that I posted before, ok?
Have a good week, guys! Stay tuned in the website and please comment. THANKS!
