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OSCAR MONZON
Game Designer
The Purple Path
3min Walkthrough
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Overview
The goal for this solo project was to create an engaging 3D space that leads the player from the beginning of the space to the end using landmarks, lighting, and audio. No in-depth mechanic, this is supposed to be played like a "Walking Simulator", the space has both interior and exterior spaces that are traversable. This level should be able to be completed around 5 minutes of play.
Design Intent
My intent for this project was to create a sense of scale within the game world to immerse the player and by guiding the player through the use of lighting, audio and landmarks.
In order to achieve the sense of scale, the model of the word needed to reflect the size of the player so that for example, a building did not seem out of proportion when compared to the player. As for guiding the player, I focused primarily by creating paths for the player to follow, the player can break out of these paths as they are mostly there to just guide the player instead of forcing them to move too linearly through the level. I created those paths with objects and lighting to draw the attention of the player, these objects and lighting spots should always be visible along the main path I wanted the player to follow. I mainly used audio to reinforce the theme of the area the player was in, like putting the sound of running water near a river or the sound of wind while walking on the edge high on a tower.
With this guidance in mind, I initially wanted areas the player could explore but these areas would only be optional and not on the main path, however, since this is played like a "Walking Simulator", exploring optional areas would not yield anything interesting for the player and instead decided to craft a more linear experience. Since I still wanted that feeling of exploration even though it was a linear experience, I did create a moment where the player can follow an optional path, but it would lead them to an area they cannot cross directly, but with that in mind, the player would then follow the main path and end up in the area they could not go before but noticed prior. This same path takes the player underground and will eventually lead them to the main landmark when they will emerge at the end of the underground area, even though this path is linear, the intent behind it is to enhance the feeling of exploration and discovery as the player now finds themselves in an area they wanted, to get to but could not prior.
Design Process
I began by modeling the level through Maya. All the objects in the scene are modeled in Maya, to know the right scale, I created a reference for the player size to know the correct size of other objects and important landmarks in the game world.
After the level and all the other objects and landmarks were modeled in Maya, I then exported them to Unity. As for the player character, I used a free asset for the player controller and decided to use the first-person controller as it was a better fit for the level, in order to translate the sense of scale I wanted the player to feel. For each object in mind, I wanted to to add few polygons so that I can model them as one object and so that it would be easier to manage when moving or editing these objects, but still, for most objects I ended up adding several polygons so that I can add different colors to them when working in Unity.
I also exported my progress to Unity as I worked so that I could walk around in the game world as I edited the level in Maya. When I finished modeling in Maya and exported the level one final time in Unity, I added colors by creating new materials within Unity and applying them to the objects modeled.
After that, I added lighting to the scene, mostly for guidance for the player, I added the lighting spots to some torches model I made and made them a purple color, that way, since the lighting would be coming from the torch, it makes sense in the game world rather than having it as a light with no source, I also added the same lighting to crystals looking objects, implying that the purple lights that are used for torches are related to the purple glowing crystal you can see and follow throughout the game. I also changed the position of the "Sun" light from in front of the player to the behind the player so that the shadows do not obstruct certain areas and for better visual fidelity.
Finally, I added sounds to reflect to area the player is in, like adding running water next to the river, sounds of fire crackling for each torch, and wind for when the player is high up on the tower.
Retrospective
Looking back, I believe I achieved most of what I wanted to do with this project but there are some parts I wish were better. I did well in guiding the player through the level by using certain landmarks placed in specific areas in the level so that they are noticeable as the player traverses the level, I created a good sense of scale and how the player sees that in first-person.
The use of colors were good as the color palette chosen creates a the right atmosphere for this level, and the color purple as both a light and as platforms in the tower are used to guide the player
The lighting is used well for guidance but looks unrealistic in some places, not unrealistic because of the color but how the light appears in some places, when the player goes underground, the place seems too bright and the light emanating from the crystals look bright themselves but are not lighting up dark spots in the area, there is also an area within the underground where light from the outside peers through even though the underground area is closed.
The use of audio was good to enhance the environment the player is in, but is not used as a way to guide the player through the level, and I wished I used sounds in that way, it would have diversified the types of guidance in the same level and also enhance the feeling of exploration and curiosity I wanted to focus on for this level.
Aside from the guidance techniques used, the level on the exterior is well populated with the different landmarks other natural objects like trees, boulders, and hills, but also with the little village next to the tower, but the interior spaces are less populated and in a more inconsistent way as well and if I populated these interior spaces with more diverse and interesting objects, it would have more for a better experience overall.
Play the game now!
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