SHIPWRECK CAMP
Specifications
Engine: Unreal Engine 4.27
Perspective: Third Person
Gameplay: Single player, non-linear action RPG
Inspiration: Borderlands
Time frame: 4 weeks half-time, i.e. 4 hrs/day
Asset sources: "Spaceship Interior Environment Set" by Denys Rutkovskyi, "Lava Field Collections" by Quixel Megascans, "Advanced Locomotion System V4" by LongmireLocomotion, all from the Unreal Marketplace
Intent
My goal was to create an area that would feel like it could be part of a large, non-linear (possibly open world) action RPG, allowing for multiple play styles and rewarding exploration. Additionally, I wanted to limit myself to one set of modular pieces and environmental assets, respectively.
Level Overview
Level Flowchart
1.
2.
3.
Entrance A
Eastern Campgrounds
Western Campgrounds (Entrance B)
4.
5.
6.
Shipwreck First Floor
Shipwreck Second Floor
Shipwreck Third Floor
7.
Boss Tower
Design Decisions
1. General Layout
The main gate at entrance A serves as framing for the boss tower. This is a basic but very effective image composition concept.
Overall, the area is relatively small and employs a clear loop structure as the player is allowed to simply jump back down after defeating the boss. Some structures, such as the one on the left, block the view in places to divide the camp and make it feel larger.
Other image composition elements include rhythm, repetition, and leading lines, as shown here in both the curved support beams and the angle of the ship hull and the mountain side itself. Naturally, the bridge leading to the boss tower to the right becomes a leading line of sorts in itself.
A
B
C
To allow for different play styles and character classes, as well as both singleplayer and co-op multiplayer tactics, multiple distinct paths are required. Here, players can flank the enemies through paths A and B, while a collectible hints to a stealthy solo player to try path C, circling around the enemies entirely.
2. Enemy Placement
In the first half of the level most enemies are spread out and not necessarily aware of the player as they have just entered the camp. This enemy will notice a player who charges up the stairs into the shack, but players who circle around the back are given a safe stealth kill, potentially using a backstab ability.
About half of the enemies are placed where they can duck behind cover in order to create more varied battles. This scenario could either be a massive shootout, or a player could sneak up on the enemy to the right, shoot the left ones from behind the wall so they can then safely crawl beneath the middle enemies.
The inside of the ship is more cramped, and at this point the enemies are aware of the player's presence. Here, one enemy is placed beneath the light by the stairs, the obvious point of attention, while another waits to the right to ambush the player.
Another ambush awaits the player as soon as they climb the stairs to the second floor. However, the enemy behind the player servers an additional purpose: he forces the player to turn around and notice the stairs leading to the third floor, which is an optional area.
The third floor is the dormitory. To reinforce the idea that this is an optional area, two enemies that can be seen from the stairs have not noticed the player yet, expecting them to go straight for the boss. However, two more enemies are initially hidden from view, and will notice their allies being attacked.
The boss will spot the player behind his lackeys if approached from the bridge. The arena is small but two boxes allow for cover and looping. From the third level, the player can instead have a sniper battle with the boss, but the lackeys will give chase into the ship.
3. Collectables and secrets
The larger loot chests are all hidden, but hinted at. In the top left image, the player initially sees only a small section of the ramp. In the second image is the view of the platform when the player turns around, but the chest itself is obscured by a rock in order to further increase the player's curiosity (click images to enlarge).
The dormitory functions as an alternate approach to the boss, but to encourage exploration, this chest found at the far end of the area can be seen from the top of the stairs. Again, the techniques framing and leading lines are used here, as well as a small light and the chest being deliberately tilted and placed on rocks to stand out better.
This chest is simply placed at the back of a building the player isn't required to enter, but when approaching it the player is made aware of a hidden path that allows them to crawl beneath a pair of enemies shown in the second image in the section on enemy placement.
As was also shown in the last image in the general layout section, some of the regular loot caches are used to make the player aware of areas they may not otherwise notice or realize that they can reach. In this case, crawling underneath this platform is a good hiding place in this combat section.
Even the initial view beyond the main gate contains a few leads for secrets. This chest is placed on a platform beneath a hole in the ship's hull, and a ramp leads off into a heap of scrap to the right.
From an overhead perspective we can see that the chest is beyond a door, which would require either a previously obtained key or a lock picking ability since this level is intended for an RPG. Regardless of whether or not the player can open the door, investigating will make them notice another platform full of loot below by the shore.
Making the Level
Pre-Production
After completing the chemical facility project, I wanted to create a level that would require different skills and show different strengths. I decided on making an area for a much more open game in a more fantastical environment, drawing inspiration from Borderlands, Elden Ring and World of Warcraft. Since those games rely heavily on reusing assets in varied ways and in different environments to create a very expansive world, I also decided to use existing asset packs from the Unreal Marketplace. Because I enjoy set dressing my blockouts when given the time, I saw this as an opportunity to show off something that could be a game-ready level.
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I started off with the idea of a settlement built around the ruins of a massive ship. Through some sketching and looking for inspiration on Pinterest I decided I wanted the ship to have fallen into a poisonous lake, and from there I started creating a landscape and some structures in Unreal Engine. As I wanted the level to fit into both an open world game and a game with separate interconnected maps, I built the structures on a mountainside. I limited myself to one set of modular assets and one environmental as a self-imposed challenge, and because having some restrictions often aids my creativity. I also added the Advanced Locomotion System V4 pack because I thought it would be more interesting than making two first-person levels.
A river by a cliff, an idea that would evolve into a lake.
The ship looked more like a typical jet in these sketches. The surrounding settlement was made of wood here, which was an interesting contrast, but building these structures out of scavenged ship parts made more sense, and was also more interesting.
Early screenshot showing the process of determining the general scale and layout of the major level features, including the ship, tower, lake and mountain, as well as the space surrounding it.
The Process
With the major elements in place, the layout of the level came naturally. Circle the lake, fight through the ship and proceed to the boss tower; a straightforward three act structure.
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As mentioned above, my vision for the location was for it to be one of many similar sites in a sprawling RPG; players should be able to recognize the buildings as one of many scavenger/bandit camps when exploring or looking for a quest objective or a certain enemy. Therefore, I built several types of structures to come up with different variations and layout that would lead to varied gameplay while remaining visually cohesive.
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Once I had a number of structures I started arranging and tweaking them to create fun spaces for combat and exploration; this is described in more detail in the Desing Decisions section above. I also built features such as bridges, stairs and fences as that type of basic infrastructure would tie the level together. Finally, I got to work on lighting that would both guide the player and add to the atmosphere, as well as adding foliage and other decor. I also imported a set of cel shaders to mimic the style of Borderlands, just for fun.
Making the buildings look structurally believable but also constructed in a haphazard way was important.
Also important was building varied elevation to create interesting encounters and make the structures fit into the environment.
Planning the layout for the spaceship meant I also had to consider things like pipes and support beams jutting out of the ship's innards, creating a believable cross-section of a spacecraft that had been split apart upon crashing.
Conclusion
While I had less time to work on this project compared to the previous one, it was very satisfying to make something I knew I would have time to make into something that looked game-ready. Considering that I was toying with the idea of making a whole open world area, I'm glad that I decided on a more reasonable scope. It was also an enjoyable challenge to piece together finished assets in different ways, which I imagine is a very effective way for talented designers to make a lot of varied areas in very large games, especially when it comes to expansions and DLC content.
The most difficult part of the project was the lighting. Deciding on the atmosphere and placing the lights themselves was very fun, but I ran into issues trying to build the baked lighting. Thanks to some helpful advice I learned some new things about concepts like light bounces, reflection captures, emissive materials, etc., and I also gained even more of an appreciation than I already had for those who specialize in such things.
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I hope you enjoyed seeing and reading about my level!
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- Bo Steen