Uncharted Block Out Level
For this assignment, I designed a level inspired by Uncharted’s cinematic adventure style. I set the level in an abandoned copper mine in Cornwall, England, where rugged natural landscapes meet mysterious pirate legends. This setting allowed me to create a guided yet immersive experience, blending environmental storytelling with carefully placed clues. By balancing exploration with structured narrative moments, I ensured the level remains manageable while still offering plenty of freedom and excitement for the player.
Environmental Design & Navigation
Cinematic Vistas: The level uses framed environmental shots to enhance immersion and player direction. When Nate reaches a cliffside, the camera reveals the abandoned mine below, letting him survey his route, while a dynamic camera pullback during a climb showcases the Cornwall cliffs and hills.
Traversal & Player Choice: Players navigate through multiple paths, choosing between vertical scaffolding or debris-filled tunnels. The level’s layered traversal design encourages exploration while maintaining a clear directional flow.
Sully’s Guidance & Escape: Sully provides remote support over the radio, using a map to guide Nate through the mine’s decaying structures. When Shoreline arrives, they blast open a new entrance, forcing Nate to adapt while Sully warns him of the chaos unfolding above. The level ends with Nate sprinting to Sully’s waiting truck, escaping just in time.
Creative Decisions
Layered Pathways & Exploration: Staying true to Uncharted’s design philosophy, the level offers multiple routes through the mine, allowing players to choose between ground-level traversal or an upper path. At the mine’s deepest point, players enter one of two prospecting crosscuts, which both lead to the same treasure chamber, reinforcing a sense of player choice while maintaining level flow.
Environmental Variety & Pacing: The level balances open, cinematic vistas with tight, enclosed spaces to create a natural rhythm of exploration and tension. A nature walk through the Cornwall cliffs eases players into the environment before transitioning into the confined, atmospheric spaces of the mine, making larger chambers feel expansive by contrast. This design also supports varied enemy encounters, giving players room for dynamic engagements on their way out.
Obstacles & Combat Flow: While the level lacks detailed set dressing at this stage, crates, barrels, and debris piles serve as both navigational barriers and cover points. These environmental obstacles subtly guide the player’s movement deeper into the mine while also shaping combat encounters on the return path. The level’s dilapidated structures, including broken walls and collapsed roofs, reinforce the sense of abandonment while providing natural sightlines and flanking opportunities for both the player and enemies.
Designing the Treasure Chamber & Escape
Layered Entry to the Treasure Cache: Nathan can approach Captain Moody’s treasure chamber through one of two prospecting crosscuts, reinforcing Uncharted’s tradition of multi-path exploration. This design keeps the journey nonlinear, allowing players to feel like they’ve discovered the chamber organically, even though all paths converge at the same point.
Navigating the Crumbling Elevator: The descent into the mine’s depths is punctuated by a tense elevator sequence, where the rickety structure gives way just as Nate reaches the bottom. This scripted moment adds a brief cinematic thrill while subtly reminding players that the mine is old, unstable, and dangerous.
Shoreline’s Forced Entry & Escape Route: Rather than relying on a traditional combat arena, the escape sequence is triggered by Shoreline blasting their way into the mine, creating a new exit path that wasn’t accessible before. This destruction forces players to adapt on the fly, navigating the wreckage-strewn tunnels before emerging onto the cliffs where Nate races toward Sully’s waiting truck.
Far Cry Primal Block Out Level
For this assignment, I designed a level inspired by Far Cry Primal, with an open-world approach that leverages naturalistic environments to create immersive gameplay. Understanding that open-world games thrive on exploration and organic progression, I chose to set the level in a valley with a cave network. This choice allowed me to balance a sense of freedom with a guided experience, keeping the scope manageable while ensuring a strong narrative and gameplay flow.
Level Planning
River as a Central Spine: The river serves as a natural guide that pulls the player into the valley. Disabling swimming was a deliberate choice to constrain the player's movement, forcing them to engage with the environment by finding creative ways to cross the river. This design decision enhances the traversal gameplay and makes the level's pacing feel deliberate and intentional.
Traversal Challenges: The rock-hopping section and the fallen tree crossing were included to build the player’s confidence in interacting with their surroundings. These moments also create opportunities for the player to pause and appreciate the level's natural beauty while subtly guiding them toward the waterfall.
The Waterfall Blocker: The waterfall provides a visual climax, teasing the goal of reaching the tribal camp above. By blocking the player's direct route to the camp, I encourage exploration and add depth to the level design. The nearby cave entrance feels like a natural solution, rewarding the player for observing and interacting with the environment.
Creative Decisions in the Cave
Atmosphere and Tension: The vast cavern of stalactites, which appear to collapse as the player enters, introduces a sense of danger and urgency. This change in mood keeps the player on edge and prevents the exploration from feeling monotonous.
Combat Escalation: The bear fight adds an element of unexpected danger, breaking up the traversal-heavy gameplay. By placing this encounter in a confined space, I force the player to rely on strategy and skill rather than mobility, creating a memorable gameplay moment.
Narrative Context: The cave paintings provide environmental storytelling, grounding the level in the world of Far Cry Primal while rewarding the player’s curiosity with lore.
Designing the Tribal Camp and Climax
The Sneaky Approach: Offering a hidden path to the far side of the camp gives players agency to choose their playstyle, whether they prefer stealth or direct confrontation. This choice empowers players and aligns with Far Cry Primal's emphasis on freedom in combat scenarios.
Introducing the Bow and Arrow: The bow is a thematic and mechanical upgrade that ties into the prehistoric setting. Placing it alongside the relic ensures that both the narrative and gameplay objectives are met simultaneously, creating a moment of gratification and empowerment.
The Final Chase: The tribal leader’s escape creates dynamic movement and urgency, contrasting with the more stationary combat in the camp. The chase through the woods utilizes the valley’s natural constraints, maintaining immersion while directing the player to a dramatic final confrontation. The brush fire serves as a compelling environmental obstacle that heightens tension and forces a climactic standoff.
In the bustling market neat the ancient pyramid, vendors sell exotic goods under the hot Egyptian sun. Adventurers and locals haggle over prices for artifacts, spices and weapons, all under the watchful eyes of the towering stone gods. The vibrant chaos of the market serves as a stark contrast to the looming, mysterious pyramid that promises hidden treasures and untold dangers within.
