The Hidden Cult
A Third Person Adventure
Introduction
The Validus is a secret criminal cabal, that uses threats, bribes even murder to gain political influence.
The player will need to infiltrate to steal information from one of their subsidiary's facilities. That is located in the server room
This level is designed non-linear and focused on player agency.
Summary
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An individual solo project spanning 4 weeks half-time (4 hours/day)
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Focus on level design and encounter design
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Basic Scripting
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AI placement and AI patrols
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Encounter Design
Asset used:
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Interaction With Advanced Locomotion System v4 (Jakub W Patreon, Epic Marketplace)
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Blocking Starter Pack by Xavier Loux
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Mi8T Hip (East) by Vigilante
Level Overview
Level Overview - Optional Paths
Level Flowchart
Start - Cave
1
4
Story-Telling
7
Key-Card
10
Pool Area
Reveal
2
5
Climbing to vantage point
8
Hidden path to basement
11
Point of interest
3
6
Balcony - First Encounter
9
Server Room
Escape
Design Techniques
Reveal
The reveal is set up so that the player is presented with a beautiful view of the location while being introduced to several options for entering the facility. This also serves as a vantage point.
Path 1
The player has the sneaky element to hang on the side of the truck and get further into the facility. This will allow the player to jump wherever they want, but it can be harder for the player if they get detected earlier.
Path 2
This path leads to the Point of Interest and requires more stealth as guards are patrolling the area with limited visibility for the player.
Point of Interest
When you go inside the temple you will get a preview of storytelling. I used this section to showcase the zipline as a potential route for the player and provided hints, such as breadcrumbs, to indicate that they can climb up the temple.
Vantage Point
The player will be in a safe spot where they can observe the surrounding area from the tower. Moreover, this spot provides a vista, allowing the player to see the route to the helicopter, which will help them build a memory map for the later segment
Bathroom
Here is the secret path to the basement where the prisoners are held. The player will need to find a clue on how to get there, as the server room is located in the basement.
Checkov’s Gun
The helicopter serves as the escape route, which I showcased earlier to demonstrate to the player its purpose. Once the player completes the task, the helicopter can be used as a means of escape
Encounter Design
Enemy 1
The yellow guards got a pistol and a knife. The enemy is more agile and trying to get more closer range for the pistol range. This will encourage the player to get closer to the enemy. This guards patrols alone and gives the player an easier encounter.
Enemy 2
The Red guards got a rifle, pistol, and knife.
This enemy have longer range and will keep the distance from the player. They do more damage and they have always someone with them when they patrol.
First Encounter
Here, I introduce the player to the snackkill of taking down a guard. Upon successfully taking down the enemy, they will drop a weapon that the player can choose to pick up and use. This not only teaches the player a new way to eliminate enemies but also presents a decision to make as using the weapon will increase the noise and potentially attract more enemies.
Server Room
In this segment, the player must download a file while receiving a warning on the screen about incoming enemy guards entering the server room. The player will enter a combat and they will have to fight off the guards until the download is completed.
Pool Area
This area I focused on is to make sure the player gets a natural cover when they enter the pool area. The player has still an option to move to the bar to take cover to close the distance with the guards, but it will be harder because it will be a tug fight for that spot with the closest enemy to the bar.
The Naturally place would be straightforward forward where the player can get to cover, take the fight and feel safer and have a good line of sight if an enemy is trying to flank.
This segment focuses on combat. The player will get a visual view of the helicopter. The enemies positioned places where they don't have so good covers while the player has a good cover.
Reflections
This project has been a really fun and valuable learning experience for me. I faced many challenges while trying to balance the gameplay and focusing on the level design.
Through this experience, I learned a lot about game design and would love to continue iterating on the building. I plan to make it even bigger with multiple floors and more sections and to introduce a variety of different challenges such as puzzles.
Furthermore, I would like to make the environment more interactive for the player, allowing them to use certain objects to make the gameplay even more engaging and interesting.