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Ajax & Argo is a character driven first person shooter, developed in the UT3 engine. You play as Argo, robotic defender of Ajax; a super weapon that contains the AI of the robot race. Argo has an energy shield on his arm that can absorb different enemy projectile energies, and then transfer them into Ajax to fire back -- effectively acting as mobile cover. It was completed in approximately four months with a six man team, including myself.
I was responsible for some of the level design, all of the writing, and the front end.
I apologize for Youtube's immaculate video quality. The intro trailer was written by myself, while all other machinema and editing credits go to Sam Irwin.
Vertical Slice is a vertical scrolling platformer developed for Flash with a twist — you must successfully hit enemies in order to use the game’s core mechanic: jumping. By mousing over an enemy demon your ninja will jump towards him, slashing him to demon dust if the hit is successful or plummeting to the forest floor if you lock blades. But all is not lost if your ninja falls; by collecting falling ninja stars he gains a boost icon and can activate a mid-air jump for a last-minute save with a left click; but don’t be shy about using your boost — you’ll need it.
This project was completed in approximately seven weeks with the Ajax & Argo team.
I was responsible for developing a level design theory which allowed the entire team to contribute levels that fit into difficulty levels and felt congruous, as well as the front end and the in-game heads up display.
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Snapping a screenshot of Vertical Slice is like trying to get a good picture of speeding traffic. Do the game justice and see it in motion for yourself, it's a quick download.
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One of my duties while working on Ajax & Argo was formulating, filling out, and maintaining the design documentation. It was a tremendous learning experience, although our development cycle fought hard against the sort of document we had learned to construct. Things like level design changed at such a rapid pace that anything beyond topdown sketches posted on our wall became wildly inefficient. Other sections that appear incomplete were completed for development purposes in paper copy.
Since then I have been working hard to improve my documentation skills (organization, formatting) as well as my technical writing. Check out the article below for the recent skills I have absorbed and am now applying to personal projects.
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Name: VFS Level Design Final Project
Engine: Unreal 3
Game Modes Supported: DM, TDM
Goal: Create a map with three very different levels of play, connected by one central hub using the Necris theme from UT3.
Note: The map is lit to appear otherwordly, and in-game comes across as a twilight; the compressed Flash video looks a bit darker.
With about three to four weeks to plan, create, and balance the map during and outside of the VFS level design course, this was my first map created for UT3, and scheduling was very tight. To create an arena setting and allow players to target each other from across the map and from different height levels, the map is circular in design -- of course BSP systems are not friends with circular shapes, and I feel this really stunted the map's production. Fiddling with the BSP (additive) became a chore, and only left time for limited bot pathing.
Nonetheless, I feel that the map succeeds in creating an interesting mix of height levels: the very bottom level is small and dangerous, but provides access to the central hub (a tower) and is protected from fire from the levels above by a crackling purple energy field. The minigun and shock rifle are found here, but there's a good chance you won't make it out alive in a heated battle.
The second level can be accessed through teleporters from the bottom level, or by swimming through the Necris 'nanoblack' goop that fills the tower. The second level is much more open, with a central area and a more protected outside rim. Generally speaking, this is where the conservative player is going to want to stay. The rocket launcher and the link gun are found here.
The third level can be accessed by jump pads located in the inner circle of the second level and provides the more adept player with additional armour and the sniper rifle, although you're quite exposed when going for the jump pads. Higher ground means more protection and more ground to survey: players should do their best to deny others access to the third level.
Name: Snow Level (Thrilling title, I know)
Engine: Unreal 2.5
Game Modes Supported: Single Player
Goal: Create a map on an island where a headquarters building can be accessed.
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While the initial goal for this level was to create an environment for a single player mission, the HQ building turned out to be extremely dull -- there was not much time allowed on the project, so instead this turned into more of a lighting, physics, brushing, and height map test as I became more familiar with the engine.
To create the illusion of harsh arctic lighting, two 'Sun' lights, essentially large directional lights, are placed opposite of one another. One projects a strong white light over the environment at an angle, creating a slight natural shadow as well as imitating the placement of the sun. The second light source simply projects a frigid blue from the opposite direction.
Having had more experience in RTS editors, I just had some fun with the heightmap and brushing. Unreal Engine 2.5 was a bit of a pain to work with, as the undo function was left out in the terrain editor by the tools programmers at Epic -- any mistakes made had to be hand corrected, or would require loading a previous save file if the error warranted it. Lots of fun.
Name: Lava Level (The name game continues)
Engine: Unreal 2.5
Game Modes Supported: DM, TDM
Goal: Create a Deathmatch map.
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This was my attempt at creating a Quake/UT 99 motif in Unreal, that old-school deathmatch feeling. You know, skulls and lava, the works. The Cinder Factory level in UT 99 was of some inspiration in terms of gameplay; many interconnected rooms with weapons and narrow hallways that encourage surprise close-quarters confrontations as players move from room to room snatching up the good weapons. Fairly simple, but definitely old-school. The map isn't as open as Cinder Factory, but does feature two elevators leading to a small upper level that allows quick, unseen transit and access to a shield power-up.
This was also more or less my first introduction to particle systems, and after creating the lava spurts (the yellow, conical sprite in the screenshot) for the level I developed a much deeper understanding of particle spawning, life times, accelerations and other variables integral in the tweaking of a particle system.
Oh, and yes -- that is lava, on the ceiling. Don't ask how, it's just awesome ;).
Name: Egypt Level
Engine: Unreal 2.5
Game Modes Supported: Single Player
Goal: Create a physics based puzzle level as part of a streaming, multiple level puzzle.
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Now this was fun; in Unreal Tournament 2004 there is a race called the Nahkti, who hold their ascension rites to their throne through the Liandri tournament, so this became the underlying theme for my part of the group's puzzle, and the puzzle in general. Yes, I found a way to inject story into a puzzle exercise; call me a nut.
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A rectangular room, you say? Nay! Those blocks you see in the screenshot above can be pushed into a golden smelting pool below, where the player rides the blocks (using the beam from the link gun's secondary fire) to the end of the level, trying their best not to become covered in molten gold. You'll notice that several layers of static meshes are used to create a sense of depth and scale, along with the gold bricks adorning the walls to communicate distance.
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I have no idea if the ancient Egyptians ever smelted gold in this fashion; it seems quite inefficient, but then if you posses a literal lake of molten gold, efficiency isn't your concern, is it? Here the player drops on to one of the teetering stones they have knocked down, and push it through the gate (jumping over the gate, and back onto the stone) where they bound over a small golden waterfall to the end of the level (and into one of the other group member's level).
Now we're moving into the level design theory section. This topdown map is part of a level breakdown for the Gears of War map Gridlock, completed as a project at VFS. Everything from cover, weapon placement, geometry choice, level flow and player tactics are covered in this analysis.
Each of the numbers are used as reference points in the level document.
Gridlock Level Analysis Document
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The following topdown and beat chart were also completed as a project for VFS, wherein we had to propose a level layout for construction. I decided to try something a bit different and designed a level that would play out on the back of an oriental dragon.
Player metrics are an invaluable tool, and in this exercise I record a Call of Duty 4 match, pull it apart into individual player actions, and analyze it. Included below is the final document, and the cut up movie file used for the analysis.
Call of Duty 4 Metric Breakdown
In an article written for VancouverGameDesign.com I describe the difference and usefulness of good and bad flow in level design.
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Writing is something I find to be both cathartic and fulfilling. This section contains both short stories as well as anything pertaining to narrative design in games.
Descent On Caelum is a short story I was inspired to write after being exposed to the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and especially the concept of Space Marines. These superhumans are analogous to medieval knights, and in 40k lore are frightening warriors.
Descent On Caelum attempts to detail the Space Marines as I see them: Stoic, fervent warriors; silent giants who speak only in a terse and laconic manner, carrying out their duty for glory on the battlefield and for the God-Emperor. The story follows three Space Marine combat squads (composed of five Marines each) as they single-handedly attempt to control an oncoming Ork invasion on the planet Caelum. In the Warhammer tabletop game, so few Space Marines would not stand a chance in this situation. But as I see them, the Space Marines, like medieval knights, exist only in the thousands. They are an elite few, and so in this universe fifteen Space Marines are a force to be reckoned with.
A sample quote and a .PDF download of the first chapter are available below. Chapters two and three are currently being written.
"They wait for guards to change, and then they strike. As of late however, there has been no rhyme or reason to their assaults. The beasts throw themselves at the walls, itching with a lust for battle but unable to sate their thirst. Bolter rounds satiate this lust for them, shattering their skulls in a shower of splintered bone and wet flesh. They seek to overrun us, but lack the mental strength to organize. There are only five of us defending the port with the Guard, but we are enough to dispatch these mindless attackers."
Chapter 2: And We Shall Know No Fear
Chapter 3: Success, Measured In Blood
The Way The World Ends is a fan fiction piece written in the Gears of War universe and released to the fan community a few months before the game was released. It recounts the story of a COG soldier named Jonas on Emergence Day and his run in with the Locust.
A sample quote and a .PDF download is available below.
"The creature came down heavily and the two hit the ground with a thud. Jonas pushed and twisted the blade, which had struck the beast directly in its unprotected throat. It tried to release a menacing roar but could only seem to manage a gurgling cough as blood mixed with saliva and ran down its chin. Getting up from his back he pushed the beast down, staring intensely into its emotionless eyes and let all his weight bear down on the pommel of the knife.
The creature went slack, its eyes staring at something in the distance that did not exist. Jonas got up from his knees and the blade slid cleanly out of the beast’s grey, fleshy neck."
Into The Underland is a new original story I'm working on now. The goal is to tell a very sci-fi story in a simple, primal epic style.
A sample quote and a .PDF download is available below.
"We scavenge their food – they have plenty, and eat none of it – and rely upon their riches for survival. But it is said that something else lies in the Underland, something of great and terrible power. It is said that it was once ours, and the dark things would stop at nothing to deny us our power. It is said that one day, we will have it again. It is said that a brave warrior will use its power to destroy the dark things, and deliver the Underland and its vast riches to our people. It is said, that this brave warrior, will be me."
Falcon's Hollow is a fanciful recounting of my very first Dungeons and Dragons session. Our party was a bit wacky, and so I thought they deserved this story -- a bunch of misfits in a very serious and dangerous world, who somehow manage to get things done, albeit with heavy casualties.
A sample quote and..hey, you know the drill by now.
"'Birds! Fuck off, evil birds!' was the only warning the party received as the front of their column was hit by, well, evil birds. At first a bit discombobulated, the cleric slashed unsuccessfully at one of the birds. The rogue, fumbling with her slender rapier, barely managed to draw her sword; and when she did draw it was so covered in feathers and blood that she couldn’t make out anything in front of her. Meanwhile the monk was attempting to grab one of the four birds, and the young sorceress was firing off bolt after bolt of magic."
Falcon's Hollow
Forlorn Hope is a videogame narrative I worked on while attending VFS. Established in an alternate 17th century Europe where gunpowder and magic are one and the same, two factions vie for the now ruined land that lies between their kingdoms. Once a fertile riverbed, it has become known as The Rift. The story follows two brothers who serve in the forlorn hope; a near-suicidal unit that absorbs the initial shock of frontline combat. The youngest, Leon, must save his brother, watch as his comrades die for him, and ascend to the right hand of the throne as he follows his hero's journey.
Completed are two Powerpoint presentations, the first outlining the story, the second Leon's character arc along with an overmap and an individual mission. You will also find a dialogue exercise with all of the central characters, who I feel are all well-crafted and strong characters that stand out because of their unique mannerisms and speech.
The Story of The Forlorn HopeThe Mission of The Forlorn Hope
Forlorn Hope Dialogue
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I'm no artist, but I enjoy pretending. Creating user interfaces is something I just plain enjoy, because there are really no limits to how creative you can be.
Below is the front end I created for Ajax & Argo using Photoshop and Epic's UI Kismet scripting system. The control panel acts as a persistent navigation bar, while the red lights turn green once a page is selected, in order to act as a breadcrumb. All of the text options act as rollovers, and the interface was laid overtop a static camera Matinee shot.
You'll find higher resolution images in link form below this shot.
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I prefer to sketch simple wireframes on paper first (flows are done in Visio) and then rapidly iterate on the design; once I'm comfortable with that I'll move into Photoshop and get to work. I realize the idea of a wireframe is to hand over nothing but functionality to the UI artist, but I believe that a user interface benefits greatly from art that fits tightly with the functionality.
Below are some wireframes with callouts that I created for a project at VFS and is intended to function as a PC game front end. It uses a persistent tabbed navigation with static screens for selection pages, such as selecting a difficulty for the game.
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I'm currently working on a faction proposition and balance document for Company of Heroes, detailing the introduction of a Russian faction and how it would fit into CoH.