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Gameplay demonstration showcasing level layouts, Blueprint interactions, HUD elements, and custom assets for the 'Core Challenges' assessment.
Overview
Overview
This project page features the first assessment of my 'Games Creation' module at Teesside University (Year 1, 2024). It was focused on applying Unreal Engine fundamentals to level design, blueprinting, basic 3D modelling, and UI implementation. The goal was to prototype core features for a 3rd-person adventure game within my chosen theme of 'Abandoned Industrial Estate'. The project start file was provided by the lecturer.
Key Features
Key Features
Level Design
Level Design
Structured Level Construction: Designed and built playable spaces, both adhering strictly to provided floor plans and creating custom layouts. Ensured engaging gameplay by incorporating elevation changes and avoiding long, straight sightlines, demonstrating understanding of level flow and pacing principles.
Themed Environment Prototyping: Created simple yet effective environments to reflecting the 'Abandoned Industrial Estate' theme, utilising deliberate asset placement and sound effects to establish atmosphere, informed by research and reference imagery. This was made possible through effective research, and referencing of existing industrial estates.
Level Gating Design: Strategically placed obstacles and designed level paths to implement multi-stage player progression gating, controlling the player journey through the environment.
Basic Asset Creation: 3D modelled several custom prototyping assets (e.g. doors, fences, pylons, and crates) to enhance my chosen theme. As a programmer, the focus was on creating clear silhouettes that effectively communicated object purpose.
Technical Features
Technical Features
Interactive Environment & Sequences: Developed multiple button-activated gates, including controlling a crane to lift a container and triggering a pre-defined camera animation for a barrier gate. Implemented other interactive objects like a button-controlled lift and doors utilizing Flip Flop nodes for simple state changes.
Player Character: Created a player-controlled character with it's own custom mesh, allowing traversal of the stage. Implemented a Health System where the level resets if health reaches 0.
Blueprint Interfaces (BPI): Created a pickup and door unlocking mechanic using BPI, allowing the player character to interact generically with different key and lock actors.
Quest Giver: Developed a quest giver functioning as an interactable note which paused gameplay while being read and provided necessary information to progress.
UI: Key information is conveyed through the User Interface, such as player health, current objective text, and displayed notes.
Audio: Integrated sound cues to provide audio feedback for player interactions.
Floor Plans for the Following Project
Floor Plans for the Following Project
Technical Breakdown
Technical Breakdown
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Language: Blueprints
Core Concepts: Level Design Principles, Player Controllers, Interaction Systems, Game State (Objectives), Health Systems, Basic Material Editor, Basic 3D Modelling
Tools: Maya, GitHub
Challenges & Lessons Learned
Challenges & Lessons Learned
This assessment provided a practical introduction to Unreal Engine, presenting several key challenges that significantly accelerated my learning in game creation fundamentals:
Learning Unreal & Blueprints: Adapting to the Unreal Engine environment and its visual scripting system, Blueprints, was the most prominent challenge. Finding the right nodes, understanding event flow, and managing communication between actors (BPI) required significant effort but provided a solid foundation in Unreal Engine and visual scripting.
Technical Implementation: Implementing the smashable window was a complex task. Researching the appropriate fracturing tools within Unreal and fine-tuning the physics forces to achieve the desired effect was a tricky challenge, but solving it enhanced the level's interactivity and my understanding of the engine's physics capabilities.
Camera Cutscenes: Determining how to animate a camera sequence required diving into Unreal Engine's documentation. This was a valuable lesson in independent problem-solving and leveraging technical documentation.
Level Design & Pacing: Designing a level from scratch without a predefined layout proved particularly challenging. Balancing engaging gameplay, appropriate pacing within the target timeframe, and logical flow required an iterative approach through thorough testing and careful consideration throughout the design process.
3D Asset Prototyping (Software Adaptation): Transitioning to Maya for basic 3D modelling, compared to previous experiences with 3ds Max and Blender, involved adapting to a new interface and workflow while also focusing on creating clear, functional prototype assets under deadline pressure.
Time Management: Balancing the diverse requirements across level design, scripting, and asset creation within the assessment timeframe underscored the importance of effective time management and prioritization in game development.
Grade
Grade
ICA Grade: 89.1%
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