The Plaza - University FYP

This is my first blog post for this project. I want to first say that I am very excited to be working on a project I have wanted to do for a LONG time. I hope that by the end of this, I have produced some of the best work in my career (so far).

Week 1/2 -

So the first couple of weeks of this project I have been writing my proposal. With feedback from my supervisor about what the project will include, we both have a clear understanding of what it is I will actually produce by the end of the 12 weeks.

My focus is on level design, more specifically the blockout/whiteboxing of a level.

I created a smaller combat area for apex in the previous module, which helped massively with my idea for this project.

Aside from my proposal, I have been gathering design ideas and mood boards and creating set o documents that I can use for future reference. I have collected the videos and resources I used for my other apex legends inspired project to help me, as well as some new ones to help with a larger project.

I separated my research into Apex legends focused research, and overall level design research.

The apex legends research included apex legends design for combat/looting, and mechanics in game that I needed to keep in mind (such as respawning/interactable items such as survey beacons and how they influence level design/loot quality etc.)

The overall level design research included things such as combat level design, focal points, line of sight and how it effects the level design etc.

These are mostly videos which can actually show me what is being talked about.

My aim for next week is to start my initial designs for the project.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Week 3 -

This week has been quite busy for me, but it has been fun also.

I have been focusing on getting the initial designs and ideas for the level design. For this I have been doing drawn designs (top down) and annotating them.

I have done this first design by using ideas from my mood boards and own ideas, annotating, then gathering some initial feedback on it. It is annotated too to help when others view the design.

These designs are subject to change, but to have an initial design is very useful because I have a first draft on what I want the level to look like even if it will be worked on and changed.

I have also been getting myself into engine, so I can get back in touch with the software I am using. Because I am focusing on the level design, and I'm working in Unreal Engine, my supervisor recommended I use "Lyra" as a base for my project.

Lyra is an Epic Games created project in Unreal that is a base shooter game.

I have been playing around in Lyra, looking at all the game settings and mechanics, and I have done 2 things that will help me in this project:

• Lyra is naturally a 3rd person shooter, which is the wrong perspective to apex legends (1st person). Because of this I did some searching and I found a FPS plugin for Lyra, which means I can have a more 1-1 look with apex (It helps with playtesting and viewing the level too).
  

• Lyra has a full UI/menu system, with multiple maps and map selection in game. Because of this, I have been able to add my own map to the level select screen, allowing for easy access or anyone. This will help most with playtests for easy access.

My aim for the next week is to have my initial designs fully finished, and start in engine implementing the ideas into a physical design.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Week 4 -

This week I have ben focusing solely on my initial design. I have got the first draft done and annotated on paper, and have started to get the design into engine.

I got some good, insightful feedback on my project from my supervisor too, with some things I didn't think about.

Feedback on the project:

• Loot - The loot was mentioned and how it was going to be laid out in the level. The loot spawns will consist of loot bins, and ground loot spans (tarpaulin). Along with this, There will be some areas that have more loot, so when players drop in they can find a weapon easily and get into the action quickly. - You want the players to explore (a little) for their loot, but you want them to have a chance to actually fight their opponents.
  

• Spawns - With this type of game, having spawns is a bit more tricky. Players don't actually spawn into the map from set spawn locations. I do need to think about both aspects though. In terms of playtesting, I will need set spawn points (ease of use/to test power positions). However, these spawn points can be used to simulate where players will drop into the level. (Big buildings/higher loot spawn areas/power positions etc.)

• Sightlines - With sightlines, I kept them in mind while designing the initial level, using the buildings/the different areas to manipulate them. However, there is only so much this does for the level, and from the beginning I have kept in mind areas of cover and how they would fit into the level. For now I will get the initial design done, then look at the sightlines of the different areas (taking screenshots of areas, seeing if they fit my ideas for these areas, then seeing how I can change it if needed by drawing areas of cover and seeing what would work best). Constant iteration is key for this project.
  

• Power positions - Power positions, especially in apex, can be frustrating to play around, that is why this is an important topic. Power positions in apex are made up by their sightlines, loot and position in the level (also their locations on the map but for now we are focusing on the contained POI) These power positions need to be strong areas to hold (desirable for players) but balanced enough so that they are not overpowered (They allow for counter play - this could be with gun skill or legend abilities). With this level design, the power positions are the areas with lots of cover (roofs/inside buildings/under canopies etc.). These areas will ALL have counter play though. This mostly comes down to sightlines, with players holding a position having at least one area where attacking players can get angles to shoot them. Saying this all though, I want this POI to be mostly a level playing field, with player skill being the deciding factor in a squad either living or dying. This is a big thing in the apex legends community with players wanting to feel like they outplay/outkill their opponents. However I still need to keep in mind the gameplay of apex legends, where you get punished for bad positions and usually win from a "god spot".
  

• Playtesting - Playtesting will be very important for this project. I got some ideas from my supervisor about it. - Surveys are good, but need better questions than, for example "how fun was the level?". A good example of a question that is better is "Did you feel like you were killed more than you were killing others?". - In class playtests are a good idea too, getting the whole class to play allowing me to walk around and see how they play while making notes/asking a survey afterwards. - Remote playtests with people in the apex community are very good too. Trey will allow me to test the level design and get feedback from people who actually play the game and have better insights. - I can use in game stats on playtime/deaths/kills etc., and see cross reference them with who spawned where to see where power positions are.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Week 5 -

Week 5 has been a week solely focused on getting he first version/draft of the level design into engine.

The level isn't super polished, but the layout is completed and in engine. I made sure to not focus on the polishing at this stage in the project, so that I can get the layout looking exactly how I want.

(Image 1 - Top down view of level)

This top down view shows the layout of the level in engine. It is subject to change slightly if needed, however it won't change much from what it is now. It is a little rough around the edges, but now that it is in engine, I can start making the right tweaks, changes and additions.

(Image 2 - The main plaza area front view)

(Image 3 - The main plaza area side view)

(Image 4 - The main plaza area side view)

The main plaza area is the more open area with longer sightlines. Players have to be careful playng in the open here, because it is in a low ground 'pit' area, that is overlooked by (almost) all high grounds. This is only the layout however so things such as areas of cover are yet to be added.

(Image 5 - Top part of grassy area with paths and building)

(Image 6 - Lower part of the grassy area with platform)

The top grassy area of the level is a more open area, with the only cover being rocks and trees. This means players have to play around the LOS (Line of Sight) of other players. There is the building to play around, but it is only a small building with space for 2 teams (one on each floor).

The lower grassy area is a bit more enclosed, with there being a platform area enclosed by a building.

These areas are both linked together, as well as having multiple ways to get to/from each to the main areas

(Image 7 - Market area to down view)

(Image 8 - Market area front view)

The market area (once the level gets more polished) is a more close quarter fighting area, with tighter corridors and small space. The best guns here are close range spray weapons, shotguns etc.

The market area is more clustered buildings but they have multiple ways to outmanoeuvre and outplay enemies without too much risk of being shot by other areas in the POI. This is because he nature of the mare area will be close quarters and clustered buildings, LOS will be limited from far sightlines, giving a chance for more 1v1 combat without a third party influencing the fight (too much).

Overall I am happy with the level layout. Like I said earlier it isn't super polished but the layout I finished, and it will get more polished once It gets worked on during the upcoming week.

My aim for he next week is to get the level fleshed out by:

• Adding the cover

• Looking at what Lyra has to offer in terms of guns/health pickups (adding them?)

• fleshing out each section (Plaza/Market/Grass)

• Screenshots of areas, and analysing if they fit what I want (How they look visually and in terms of LOS)

__________________________________________________________________________________

Week 6 -

Week 6 was focused on adding to the (finished) base level design/layout. Because the overall design of the level was finished last week, I have been able to focus on adding to it with the things such as areas of cover, checking LOS of certain sightlines etc.

I have also made the market area in the level, so I at least have the layout of it complete.

Focusing on the market area, The layout is finished. It is a mirrored design, with a close quarters style of gameplay. I did research of the in game market areas on the map 'Kings Canyon' to help with the design and took some ideas with the style of the buildings and the closed in areas.

*ADD PICTURES OF MOOD BOARD(S)*

The main ideas I took from the research I did was the layout/style of the buildings, the under cover area, and the market stalls in the centre of the market.

*ADD PICTURES OF EACH AREA NOTED ABOVE (LABELLED CAPTIONS)*

The purpose of the market area is to be a close quarters combat area. Players have access to the whole area including inside the buildings and n the roofs. However each area has a counter.

*ADD PICTURES OF EACH AREA NOTED / WHAT THE COUNTER OF THE POSITION IS*

Adding the areas of cover/adding to the existing areas in the level was fun but also challenging. I focused on the grassy area (more so on the lower part) and the market area.

These areas are more closed off/close quarters combat focused. I started with the market area and adding cover around the outside of the market and on the roofs. With the area around the market, I wanted to make it playable but players won't want to/be able to stay behind the cover forever, so the cover is used more as a temporary reset/reposition tool.

*ADD PICTURES OF BITS OF COVER AND EXPLAIN WHY THEY AREN'T GREAT LACES TO STAY FOR A LONG TIME ETC.*

The lower grassy area is a close area similar to the market, but because of the buildings surrounding it there are hardly any sightlines from the main area.

The lower part of the area is more open, with the stairs leading to the platform, and the path linking the market to the lower grassy area. The cover added helps players pushing from the path/road, but also there is cover from players playing the platform area.

*ADD PICTURES OF COVER AND EXPLAIN*

For the upcoming week I want to continue going over each area like I have done with the market and lower grassy area, adding cover etc, and have the project ready to playtest by next Thursday (class session).

__________________________________________________________________________________

Week 7 -

This week I have been unwell so I have not been able to work on the project :(

__________________________________________________________________________________

Week 8 -

Due to me being unwell last week, my lead on the project has been depleted. I am still on schedule with the project and I am not behind on work, but I am no longer ahead of progress.

Moving on though, to the work I have been able to do since I have recovered.

I had previously finished the layout for the market area, as well as the lower grassy platform area, and then extended this by adding the cover etc to both areas.

I gathered some feedback on the visuals of the two areas from the to-be playtesters about the designs of those areas, then did some tweaking based on the feedback.

*ADD PICTURES OF FEEDBACK*

I then got those same people to physically playtest (only) those areas.

On the subject of playtesting, I did have some struggles getting online playtests to work.

There was an issue with the game engines not being the same, and then some people not having an up to date version of the level file.

To fix this, it is basically as simple as it seems. As long as everyone has the same unreal engine version, and they have the level file in the same specific location, player can join the game through the game browser in game. There is also a plugin you need for actual online play, but this is only important for these small online playtests, else players can join a server from a LAN connection.

The playtesting was only a small closed test with 5 people in a discord call. We all managed to get into the

COLOUR PALLET FOR THE LEVEL (BULDINGS/CLIMBABLE OBJECTS ETC.)

Notes:

• Polishing the layout/blockout

• the sections

• scale

• lower plaza area (market) close quarter shotgun area (Skulltown type area)

• areas of cover in the level
  

Steps to download project from unreal -

zap splat - game ready sound library - audacity

get metrics in game - time survied/kills etc.

gun spawn locations OP?

different player spawn locations OP?

PERSONAL SIDE NOTES.

Loot spawns/areas that loot spawns

Player spawns

Sightlines - take CC of areas in project then doodle over

How will I get feeback?:

• Record gameplay test/any way to view it while playtesting?

• Surveys

• Look at stats (deaths to kills/time alive/player skill) - to look at overpowered positions