LAZARUS
LEVEL DESIGN / STRUCTURE 

"A FIRST-PERSON HORROR EXPERIENCE INSPIRED BY ALIEN: ISOLATION, WHERE THE PLAYER TAKES ON THE ROLE OF AN AGENT TASKED WITH BREAKING INTO A BIO-ENGINEERING COMPANY CALLED PROMETEO IN ORDER TO EXPOSE THEIR UNETHICAL PRACTICES. HOWEVER, THINGS TAKE A TURN FOR THE WORSE WHEN THEY REALISE THAT SOMETHING HAVE GONE HORRIBLY WRONG MERE MOMENTS BEFORE THEIR ARRIVAL..."

FOR THIS PROJECT I WANTED TO WORK WITH OTHER TGA STUDENTS IN ORDER TO CREATE A COMPLETE WHITEBOXED LEVEL.
I TEAMED UP WITH GABRIEL HECTOR (TECHNICAL-/GAME DESIGN), ANTON BERNGARN-WALLERSTEDT (CHARACTER ART), JOHAN JERGNER EKERVIK (VEGETATION ART) AND EDGARS KAULINS (ANIMATION).

PROJECT DETAILS

• CREATED IN 4 WEEKS HALF TIME USING UE 4.26
• EPIC STORE ASSETS USED:
  - BLOCKOUT STARTER PACK (XAVIER LOUX)
  - IMMERSIVE DARK AMBIENCE MUSIC PACK
  (W.O.W SOUND)
  - ADVANCED LOCOMOTION SYSTEM (LONGMIRE LOCOMOTION)

GOALS

• CREATE A FULLY PLAYABLE WHITEBOX LEVEL.
  
• USING LEVEL DESIGN TOOLS CREATED BY GABRIEL
• USING ASSETS CREATED BY OTHER TGA STUDENTS
  
• USE SOUND AND SEQUENCERS TO SET THE RIGHT MOOD AND TENSION.

I WANTED TO CREATE SOME KIND OF GREENHOUSE, TO REPLICATE THE SUDDEN CHANGE OF ENVIRONMENT AS THE ONE IN RESIDENT EVIL 2.
THE FEELING OF BEING OUTDOORS WHILE STILL INDOORS PROVIDED A NICE JUXTAPOSING ENVIRONMENT THAT INSTILLED FEELINGS OF UNEASE.

REFERENCES & SKETCHES

WE LOOKED AT VARIOUS GAMES (RESIDENT EVIL 2, ALIEN: ISOLATION, BLAIR WITCH, AMNESIA AND QUADRILATERAL COWBOY) AND WHILE GABRIEL STARTED WORKING ON THE ALPHA TOOLS AND FEATURES, I FOCUSED ON PAPER PLANNING AND CREATING TOPDOWN SKETCHES FOR THE LEVEL AS WELL AS CREATING THE STORY AND SETTING.

THE ALLEYS:
THE PLAYER STARTS OUT IN AN ALLEY ADJACENT TO THE PROMETEO BUILDING AND ITS PARKING LOT.

THEY WILL THEN PROGRESS THROUGH THE ALLEYS WHICH SERVE AS A TUTORIAL AREA, TEACHING THE PLAYER THE MECHANICS (ABILITY TO SCALE AND MANTLE OBJECTS AND USING THE HACKING-TOOL).

GETTING INSIDE:

A MINOR PUZZLE IS PRESENTED WHERE THE PLAYER HAS TO UNLOCK BOTH THE MAIN DOORS AND A DOOR INTO A SECURITY STATION IN ORDER TO TURN OFF SOME LASER DETECTORS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PLAYER HAS TO DISTRIBUTE ENOUGH CHARGES  FROM THE HACKING-TOOL TO BOTH SET OF DOORS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT INTO THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT BEFORE THE DOORS AUTO-CLOSE. FAILURE IS POSSIBLE, SINCE YOU COULD ALWAYS OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE AND START OVER.

ACTIVATING THE ELEVATORS:

HIDDEN AROUND A CORNER IS A VENTILATION SHAFT THEY CAN CRAWL THROUGH. INSIDE THE SHAFT, SOUNDS AND SEQUENCERS HELP BUILD UP TENSION (THE PLAYER FINDS A CORPSE AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE).

THE VENTILATION LEADS INTO THE BARRICADED ROOM, AND AS THE ELEVATORS ARE ACTIVATED VIA USE OF THE HACKING TOOL ON THE TERMINAL, MORE SOUNDS CAN BE HEARD FROM INSIDE THE WALLS.
THE PLAYER CAN THEN HEAD DOWNSTAIRS AND ENTER THE ELEVATOR DOWN WHICH ENDS ACT I.

APPROACHING PROMETEO:

AFTER THE BRIEF TUTORIAL, THE MAIN OBJECTIVE IS FIRST PRESENTED TO THE PLAYER. THE PROMETEO BUILDING AND A PARKING-LOT FULL OF CARS.

WHEN THEY REACH THE ENTRANCE, THE PLAYER FINDS THE FOYER DESERTED WITH NO ONE IN SIGHT.

A INCONVENIENCE:

WHEN THE ENTRANCE-PUZZLE IS COMPLETED, THE PLAYER FINDS THEMSELVES INSIDE THE DESERTED FOYER. THE ELEVATOR TO THE LAB (GOAL) IS PRESENTED STRAIGHT AHEAD BUT IT IS CURRENTLY OFFLINE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE PLAYER HAS TO FIND A WAY TO ACTIVATE THEM. SUDDEN SOUNDS FROM AN OFFICE UPSTAIRS LEADS THE PLAYER TO A SEMI-BARRICADED ROOM WITH A TERMINAL TO UNLOCK THE ELEVATORS, HOWEVER THEY HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER WAY IN.

A DARK DESCENT:

AS THE ELEVATOR COMES TO A STOP AT THE BOTTOM FLOOR, A CORPSE FALLS TO THE SIDE OF THE OPENING ELEVATOR DOOR.

WHEN THE PLAYER EXITS THE ELEVATOR THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN YET ANOTHER PRISON-CELL AREA WHERE A NEW, MORE CHALLENGING PUZZLE AWAITS.

A LASER-GRID IS BLOCKING THE WAY FORWARD AND HERE BOTH GRIDS NEED TO BE TURNED OFF VIA TWO DIFFERENT TERMINALS. THEY RUN ON TIMERS HOWEVER, AND WILL ONLY BE INACTIVE FOR 5 SECONDS EACH. IF THE PLAYER GETS TRAPPED IN BETWEEN THE TWO GRIDS THEY ARE TRAPPED AND CANNOT PROCEED ANY FURTHER WITHOUT TRIGGERING THE ALARM. AS WE DECIDED ON USING A CHECKPOINT SYSTEM, WE DEEMED THE PUZZLE NOT TOO UNFORGIVING.

LOCKED OUT:

THE BIOLOGY CHAMBER IS CLOSED AND CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM INSDE A SECURITY STATION. AS THE PLAYER ROUNDS A CORNER TOWARDS THE DOOR, THEY FIND IT LOCKED AND HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CRAWL INTO ANOTHER VENTILATION-SHAFT DESPITE KNOWING THAT SOMETHING IS CRAWLING AROUND IN IT.

A NARROW CORRIDOR:

THE PLAYER EMERGES INTO A NARROW CORRIDOR BEHIND THE CHECKPOINT. SUDDENLY, A BODY FALLS FROM A VENTILATION PIPE IN THE CEILING AND SERVES A JUMP-SCARE. AS SOON AS THE BODY HITS THE FLOOR, MORE MOVEMENT CAN BE HEARD FROM THE VENTILATION ABOVE AND THE PLAYER CAN FOLLOW THE SOUNDS OF MOVEMENT INTO THE ADJACENT ROOM.

THE PLOT THICKENS:

WHEN THE PLAYER PASS THE PUZZLE, THEY WILL FIND THEMSELVES INSIDE THE BASEMENT LOBBY WHICH SHOWS SIGNS OF STRUGGLE AND SEVERAL BODIES CAN BE FOUND.
MORE SOUNDS CAN BE HEARD FROM THE VENTILATIONS ABOVE AND AS THE ONLY LIGHT IN THE AREA BREAKS, THE PLAYER WILL HAVE TO RELY ON THEIR FLASHLIGHT IN ORDER TO NAVIGATE.

INTO THE VENTILATION:

THE PLAYER STUMBLES UPON LARGE SPINNING VENTILATION FAN WHICH NEEDS TO BE TURNED OFF VIA A BREAKER ON THE WALL. THE FAN OPERATES ON A TIMER, WHICH MEANS THAT THE PLAYER HAS TO TIME THEIR PASSAGE THROUGH IT IN ORDER TO AVOID GETTING MAULED. 

A WAY IN:

INSIDE THE SECURITY STATION THE PLAYER CAN FINALLY OPEN THE LAB DOOR. AS THEY DO - A SHADOW OF SOMETHING STANDING IN THE AIRLOCK APPEARS.
- AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS, THE FIGURE LEAPS INTO THE VENTILATION AGAIN AND THE PLAYER CAN NOW RETURN TO THE LOBBY VIA THE PREVIOUSLY LOCKED DOOR IN THE SECURITY POINT.
THEY CAN THEN HEAD INTO THE AIRLOCK TO END ACT II.

THE LAZARUS VATS:

AS THE PLAYER EXPLORES THE GREENHOUSE, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY FIND THE SEALED RESEARCH CONTROL ROOM.
AS THEY ACCESS THE DOOR INTO THE LABORATORY, THEY COME UPON A ROOM FILLED WITH STRANGE CREATURES IN VATS LINING THE WALLS.
THROUGH A BROKEN SECURITY DOOR, THE PLAYER CAN FINALLY REACH THE MAINFRAME FROM WHICH THE DATA REQUIRED CAN BE DOWNLOADED TO THE HACKING TOOL. HERE THEY ALSO DISCOVER THAT ONE OF THE VATS ARE EMPTY.

GET OUT:

AS THEY DEACTIVATE THE GRID AND HEAD INTO THE ELEVATOR TOWARDS THE MAIN FLOOR FOYER, SOUNDS FROM THE ELEVATOR SHAFT CAN BE HEARD. SOMETHING IS RACING THE ELEVATOR THROUGH THE SHAFT, AND AS SOON AS THE DOORS OPEN INTO THE FOYER, ONE OF THE CREATURES ARE WAITING FOR THE PLAYER, WHOM UNFORTUNATELY MEETS THEIR DEMISE AND THE LEVEL ENDS. (END ACT III)

THE GREENHOUSE:

ONCE DOWN ON THE GROUND, THE PLAYER WILL HAVE TO FIND THEIR WAY THROUGH THE MAZE OF TREES AND VARIOUS VATS. 

SEVERAL BODIES LITTER THE GREENHOUSE, AND SHOULD THE PLAYER FIND THEM ALL, THAT WILL GIVE THE PLAYER A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT WENT WRONG. 
THOUGH THE REMAINING ACT CAN BE COMPLETED WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE, CURIOSITY AND EXPLORATION IS REWARDED IN A "SOFT" WAY.

INTRUDER(S) DETECTED:

AS THE PLAYER DOWNLOADS THE DATA NEEDED, THEY ACCIDENTALLY TRIGGER AN ALARM WHICH RESOUNDS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMPLEX. EVEN WORSE, THE NOISE FROM THE ALARM WAKES ANOTHER CREATURE WHICH BURSTS THROUGH THE VAT AND START TO CHASE THE PLAYER. I PLAYED AROUND WITH CAREFULLY PLACED LIGHTS TO CAST HARROWING SHADOWS OF THE PLAYER RUNNING OUT OF THE LAB, WITH THE CREATURE CLOSE BEHIND.

NOW THE PLAYER HAVE TO RETRACE THEIR STEPS BACK TO THE MAIN ENTRANCE, ALL THE WHILE BEING CHASED BY ONE OF THE EXPERIMENTS.
THEY HAVE TO MAKE A RUN FOR THE GREENHOUSE ELEVATOR, RIDE IT UP TOWARDS THE RETRACTED SKYBRIDGE WHICH CAN BE EXTRUDED FROM THIS SIDE AND MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE AIRLOCK INTO THE BASEMENT LOBBY AGAIN.
WITH ALARMS BLARING, AND THE ENTIRE LOBBY BATHING IN RED LIGHT, THE PLAYER HAS TO SHUT DOWN THE SAME LASER GRID, BUT THIS TIME WHILE BEING CHASED.

NEMESIS AI

THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO ONLY USE SEQUENCERS TO HANDLE THE NEMESIS CHARACTER, BUT I SOON REALIZED THAT ONLY USING SEQUENCERS WOULDN'T WORK AS IT WOULD'VE BEEN TOO EASY FOR THE PLAYER TO CIRCUMVENT CERTAIN SITUATIONS IF THEY SAW THROUGH A COMPLETELY SEQUENCER-BASED ENEMY.

INSTEAD I DECIDED TO CREATE A VERY SIMPLE AI, AS I COULD USE SEQUENCERS FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE THE NEMESIS WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE AN ACTUAL THREAT AND AN ACTUAL SCRIPTED AI THAT COULD CHASE AND ATTACK THE PLAYER AT CERTAIN MOMENTS.

THE ANIMATIONS PROVIDED BY EDGARS WERE ALL USING ROOT-MOTION, SOMETHING I HAD NEVER WORKED WITH BEFORE.

I SET UP THE NEMESIS ANIMATIONS USING ANIMATION BLUEPRINTS AND ANIMATION MONTAGES IN UNREAL.
DUE TO MY INEXPERIENCE WORKING WITH ROOT-MOTION I HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH EDGARS TO GET IT FULLY FUNCTIONAL.
I ALSO BOUND A LOT OF SOUNDS THROUGH THE ANIMATIONS (FOOTSTEPS, VOCAL SOUNDS AND ATTACK SOUNDS) WHICH MEANT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE HANDLE SOUND THROUGH OTHER BLUEPRINTS (BEHAVIOUR-TREE TASKS, AI CONTROLLER ETC.).