Level Design

 

Jose Bidegain  Page 1  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Level design document

Forbidden_City

Jose Bidegain

November 19, 2009

V 1.0

Level Design

 

Jose Bidegain  Page 2  

Overview

Forbidden City is a level for a first person shooter in the Unity Engine. The

following document describes the approach taken to determine the gameplay,

environment and visibility.

The level has been designed for a COD MW (Call of duty Modern Warfare) type

of shooter. Keeping in mind the type of gameplay, spaces, visibility and

environment used in that kind of game. Environment has been inspired by the

real Forbidden City (China).

1 

1.0 Story and goal .............................................................................................................................................................. 3 

2 

2.0 Level Walkthrough ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 

3 

3.0 Concept ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7 

3.1 Gameplay .............................................................................................................................................................................. 8 

3.2 Environment .................................................................................................................................................................... 8 

3.3 Visibility ............................................................................................................................................................................ 12 

3.3.1 Open and closed spaces ....................................................................................................................................... 12 

3.3.2 Architecture .............................................................................................................................................................. 13 

4 

4.0 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................................... 15 

Level Design

 

Jose Bidegain  Page 3  

1.0 Story and goal

The player will be put in the shoes of an American marine who together with

his captain will infiltrate into the Forbidden City through the river to the

west side of the level. Their mission is to save a number of hostages taken by a

Russian terrorist group. And retrieve Intel with information of the

whereabouts of the terrorist leader.

Area where the level begins, player will infiltrate underwater and begin their attack 

Complex of houses where hostages are kept 

Temple where Intel is located 

Level Design

 

Jose Bidegain  Page 4  

2.0 Level Walkthrough

I will use examples from existing COD levels to explain how the Forbidden

City level will play out. The level will be divided in 3 main parts with

different kinds of experiences for the player.

The first part of the level will start with the player breaking into the

Forbidden City through the river and under water. From there on the

player and his captain will need to take out the 2 guards next to the river

so they are not spotted.

= Enemies

When the player finds himself inside the Forbidden City, he will need to use

his heart bit sensor located in his weapon to locate the rest of the guards

in the large and foggy space.

Level Design

 

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In the second part of the level the fog won’t be a big problem anymore

because the spaces are going to be smaller and more crowded. Here is where

the player will need to rescue the hostages by blasting the doors and

activating a slow motion scene, which will help take down the guards

without harming the hostages.

=Enemies

=Hostages

Level Design

 

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In the third and last part of the level the player will need to battle out

with a large number of terrorists from a lower position giving the enemy

the upper hand. The player needs to successfully neutralize all enemies and

secure the Intel inside the temple. When this is completed the player and his

captain will be extracted from the back side of the level by helicopter.

= Intel

Level Design

 

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3.0 Concept

The concept for this level has been created keeping in mind 3 important

elements which together will give the player an enjoyable experience

-Gameplay

-Environment

-Visibility

3.1 Gameplay

Paced gameplay

Call of duty games are known for their paced gameplay to try and

simulate an action film. Usually a combination of fast vs. strategic

scenes is used to keep the player from stopping the game. The

Forbidden City level will keep true to this kind of gameplay by

combining the elements all through the level.

Small spaces vs. big spaces

Just as in most or all of the call of duty games, the player will be

encountered with 2 different kinds of game spaces, which will

result in entirely different kinds of gameplay.

Small places will force the player to cover more, use short range

weapons, flash grenades and to be a little bit more aggressive.

Large spaces will be influenced by weather, large objects and

architecture to help the player move to its goal. Besides that the

player will also learn to be patience and think what the best

approach is.

Co-up

The player will also play co-up with an AI partner as it is

commonly done in COD. The AI partner will guide the player

through the level, give instructions and help take down enemies.

Enemy AI

The enemy AI will change depending on the difficulty that the player

chooses, making the enemy clumsier or smarter looking for cover and

better places to attack from.

Level Design

 

Jose Bidegain  Page 8  

3.2 Environment

The environment in Forbidden City is based on the architecture

from the real Forbidden City (China)

Reference from the actually blue print of the location will be used and scaled

down so the level is not too big and matches typical COD sizes.

Level Design

 

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Building blocks will be used all through the level to make

modeling’/texturing an easier task. This will be achieved by creating the

smallest size of building blocks as possible and build from them.

For example the roof’s

Building sequence

If we tare the roof apart we are left with about 3 unique materials bamboo,

cement and wood. The most important one being bamboo.

Multiple bamboo sizes will be built and textured with a ink push technique in Modo to save time

and give more variety to the roof.

Level Design

 

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The bamboo mesh will then be used to construct the roof in a straight position.

Then will be modified with deformers to replicate desired shape.

The final high poly mesh will be used to transfer normal, color and specular maps into a low poly

mesh, reducing the poly count by 10 times. This low poly mesh will be used and modified by

deformers in the level when needed.

Level Design

 

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The same principle will be used all through the level to create doors, walls,

floors and interiors. This way the level can reach the highest level of likeness

with the real Forbidden City without compromising performance.

3.3 Visibility

Visibility is normally used to help the player achieve its goals. But

in this level visibility will be used in more ways.

3.3.1 Open and closed spaces

The Forbidden City level will have a combination of open and

closed spaces. This will create an obstacle for gameplay to

work properly if it is not taken into account. Therefore fog

will be used all through the level, so that the player won’t be

spotted that easily in large open areas. Also the player will be

forced to the strategic approach mentioned before.

Level Design

 

Jose Bidegain  Page 12  

3.3.2 Architecture

Architecture by itself can work as a huge visibility aid for the

player, especially in fast paced games or scenes. These

architectural aids will come in several forms to guide the

player to its goal or to a safe location.

PATHS

“Build all MAIN paths tangent to the main building, in

arcades or glazed corridors, with a direct view into its main

functions”

A Pattern Language (Christopher Alexander)

There are thousands of examples that prove Christopher

Alexander’s theory and will come in handy in foggy

environments filled with enemies. The player will immediately

know where to go.

Level Design

 

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Main building

“People understand their surroundings and orient

themselves by making mental maps. Such a map needs a point of

reference. Some point in the direction of buildings which can

be very obvious, and so placed, that it is possible to refer all

other paths and buildings to it.

Without a main building, there is very little chance of any

natural points of reference being strong enough to act as an

organizer for one’s mental map”

A Pattern Language (Christopher Alexander)

The tallest and biggest building in the scene should be the

most important and most attractive in the level. Helping the

player find a way not only to the building itself but to other

places related to that large object.

Level Design

 

Jose Bidegain  Page 14  

4.0 Bibliography

-A Patter Language by Christopher Alexander

-ww.wikipedia.com