The Mist is a puzzle adventure game made in Unity where the player must explore a post-apocalyptic world and find technology to hold back the spreading toxic mist. The player is armed with a GravNull device, which allows them to levitate, move, and throw objects with ease. Using the GravNull, the player must solve puzzles, scavenge for parts, and overcome obstacles on their way to save the world.
My role as a level designer was to taking sole responsibility of the development of one level that fit the theme of the creative vision and built upon the core gameplay mechanics while meeting project milestones. I worked with a team of five level designers to combine our levels into a seamless and fun game. The biggest challenge in working on this project was that the design and prototyping were to be done separately from the other designers in my team. After the level grey box prototyping had been done, we had to work together to fit the levels into a cohesive story experience. Some of the levels made sense together with setting and progression in mind, but there were outliers that resulted in a slightly disjointed narrative experience. Some ideas worked well together though, and we tried to emphasize those. In my level, the player’s main goal is to build a special device in the factory, however, I didn’t decide concretely what this device was because the level ends when it’s built. This actually worked out well later because a teammate’s level had a new mechanic using a futuristic device that the player finds at the beginning of that level. By putting their level after mine and making that device into the one the player builds in my level, we were able to make a creative linear narrative experience.
Pre-Production
I began by writing the Level Design Document and brainstorming setups with a new feature that built on the using the GravNull device. I decided to make a system that would allow the player to redirect power in the level and activating objects for various setups. With the GravNull device, the player can pick up large cables and plug them into empty sockets. Once connected, these cables will direct power to different objects to allow the player to use and interact with them. For example; they could power a hydraulic door to open it, a crane to access a new area, a machine to create a mission item, or the lights in a room which may reveal paths and collectibles. Also, the physics aspect of the GravNull device presented a fun challenge when trying to throw a cable and plug it in at a distance. I thought this mechanic was flexible to use in setups, and could make for interesting puzzle gameplay, so I designed the level around this feature. I chose a setting that made sense within the creative vision and the new cable mechanic; an abandoned factory.
Next, I made the LDD into a flowchart, for pacing setups through areas of the level, and fleshed out the path and main goal the player had for being there. I thought if the player had to restore power to the factory, they could need to build some rare advanced tool with specialized machines within that factory. What this tool was wasn’t important yet, but this ambiguity worked out well later on. The player would have to restore power to the factory, collect the blueprints and create parts for the device, and combine what they had collected in an automated assembly line to build the device and complete their main objective. Once I had the flowchart and enough setups to achieve the target playtime, I made a map for the level layout. I charted the player’s main path through the level and placed setups along the path to ensure there was good pacing of setups in the gameplay. I also planned the placement of important items, such as spawn points, checkpoints, collectibles, and quest items.
Prototyping
With conceptualization and documentation done, I gathered peer feedback for improvements in gameplay and possible cuts to reach the target playtime. Length of playtime in the level was the biggest concern with my design, so I simplified some of the setups and removed the turret enemies from the level. The other developers and I also started working on how to incorporate our levels together linearly to create a cohesive questline. It was decided my level would be first, which was another reason we decided to cut the turret enemies. We were also able to use the ambiguity of the device the play builds in my level to our advantage because the next level started by finding an item that would protect the player from a threat in that level. By putting that level after mine, we were able to put that device in at the end of my level instead, I continued looking for ways to refine the design while I made the white-box prototype of the level in Unity. I focused mostly on scripting, creating the power cable feature and incorporating it into scripts in the level. Making the physics-enabled cables easy to handle with the GravNull device was my biggest challenge. Through iterative playtesting, I was able to identify areas that seemed to slow the pace gameplay, refine them, and reach the target playtime. Some of these changes included reducing the number of connectors the player has to move for one of the earlier puzzles, and creating snap points where the player can easily move and place objects to create a walkable bridge.
Production
As we delved deeper into the level creation process, ensuring a seamless experience for the player became a top priority. At this phase, with the level blocked and scripted, our team used Perforce for version control and file sharing to collaboratively combine our levels into a linear experience optimized to use no load screens. Implementing Perforce enabled our team to work together efficiently, merging different components of the level and ensuring a cohesive and uninterrupted gameplay flow. We added free art assets, sound effects, visual effects, and voice lines to give the player more feedback and immersion in the environment. The inclusion of visual and auditory assets was pivotal in enhancing the player’s immersion and engagement within the game environment. These elements added depth, atmosphere, and interactivity, cultivating a more captivating gaming experience. At the same time, we continued to iteratively playtest the level with internal and external playtesters to gather player feedback. Our dedication to playtesting, leveraging the insights from playtesters, allowed us to identify and address any lingering bugs and areas in gameplay requiring refinement. This iterative approach was instrumental in polishing the gameplay and ensuring a high-quality, enjoyable outcome for the players.
Alex Hester - Game Developer Portfolio 