My Role(S):
Lead Level Designer + Game Designer
Game information:
- Virtual Reality for Quest 2
A shape-shifting, interactive nature adventure.
The goal of this project was to give newcomers to VR and Video Games a wondrous adventure from the different perspectives of animals.
I designed 4 levels while collaborating with the art team and another level designer to populate each blockout with assets and lighting.
Collaborated with programming team to iterate on all animals’ navigation abilities as well as the core constellation tracing mechanic.
Level 1: Campsite and Beetle
The player starts off sitting by a campfire until they notice a dancing fire spirit that empowers the fire. Following the fire's flames the player will see an interactable constellation that on completion transforms them into a small beetle.
For all of our maps we Progressively scale the level up in actual size - to give the player a sense of size / shape shifting.
Considering the player is the size of a bug, we designed it to be a linear level with open areas as well as separate pathing that include vista points, interactable creatures, and vibrant plant life.
View of Mid Lvl from Lvl End
View of End Lvl
Beauty Shot of Map Center
Level 2: Swamp (Frog)
With the frog level we gave the player a hop and lunge feature. Opening the player up to different movement allowed for us to add some vertical play as well. With a new map size and some platforming puzzles for the players enjoyment, we thought it was a great second level that was still a great pace of skill and enjoyment correlating to the player's skill level and familiarity with VR.
Swamp - Start
Swamp - Midway
View of Lvl End from High Ground
Level 3: Underwater (Fish)
The underwater level is my favorite as it is basically a VR rollercoaster. The majority of the level takes place inside of current tubes that carries the player along multiple paths, however the level is also designed to give the player free roam pacing breaks. Those take place is 3 open ponds. Two of the three have multiple exits that take the player down differentiating paths.
With interaction points at the beginning, middle, and end - similar to the first two levels, the player tends to be familiar with the level design giving easy recognition and flow.
Fish Level Start
Large Bend 1
Large Bend 2
Tunnel 1
Open Pond 1
Straight Away 2
Constellation trace to final Level
Player Size to Environment (Player=Fish)
Level 4: The sky (Spirit Owl)
The last level in our game. The player plays as a spirit owl that has the abilities of speed and flight. The main path of the level is similar to the Fish level where the player can ride a wind currant to be carried along the designated path toward the level end. However there is plenty of space for the player to simply fly around outside of the currant. There are several sky islands for the player to land on where they can revisit some of the creatures they transformed into in previous levels. Yet as the player slowly arrives to the levels end, the sun rises from the horizon, changing the environment lighting towards day.
Summary:
- Designed constellation system
- Designed and Built 4 levels from sketch -> Gold
- Programmed Events and Level transitions
