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HL2 Level - "Mission of Freedom"

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    This level is a new map I designed for Half- life2 Episode Two. Players’ main goal is to destroy metropolice’s secret base and save Alyx. Players will have a gravity gun for puzzle-solving and a shotgun for combat. The estimated playing time is around 5 to 8 minutes. All the gameplay areas are inside the building and there are 6 main rooms in total. Enemy types include metropolice and manhack. The most important puzzle elements are plug and socket.

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Design Goals

1. Design the level according to the narrative story of Half-life 2.

Alyx has been caught by metropolice. Players will fight with metropolices and manhacks in order to explore the building basement and finally rescue Alyx from the 1st floor. Alyx will help players by radio and remind players of incoming dangers. 

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2. Design creative puzzle elements with clear conveyance based on the game mechanics of Half-life 2.

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All the gameplays except combat are designed based on the use of plug and socket and extend to electric water and force field. Starting from the first room, players need to learn how to use the gravity gun to pick up plug and plugin to the matching socket to activate game objects.

  

Desin Goals

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After they plug in the plug, they are more likely to see the activated button with green light from the leading lines. Therefore, they understand the feedback of plug and know what they should looking for for the next challenge. All buttons in the level share the same model for consistency and players will get used to it more quickly. There are also some power boxes near door or socket to make everything more make sense. Players need to keep looking for plugs and consider where they should plug in next to unlock the next section. Because of the consistent puzzle elements, players will get practice often and finally feel mastered in such skills.

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The most important wow moment in the level is that players can control the electric water to kill enemies. After plugging in the plug, players will be able to see some metropolice killed by electric water from this view.

Other than single plug and socket, there are two advanced plug puzzles which use two side plugs. Players need to identify the tool they need and unplug the plugs in order to grab it. Then they need to understand the lighting feedback to match the plug to corresponding socket. The forcefield which block players make the puzzle more challenging. After players understanding this puzzle, the other two side plug puzzle is much easier for them.

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3. Make the environment has the original game aesthetic, consider conveyance, sightline etc.

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  • Player start location

  • Good sightline to see where should go directly

  • Exterior environment fits the original game square style

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  • Glass windows help players preview their goal or next room

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  • Conveyance elements help players know where enemies come from and find more pickups.

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4. Design combat to engage players.

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Players will be given gravity gun and shotgun for this level. The gravity gun is mainly used for puzzle solving and shotgun for combat. However, since metropolice always appear with manhack, it is also possible for players to use the gravity gun for combat, because manhack is a good weapon toward human shape enemies. For those players who are not confident on playing fps game, it is still recommend using shotgun toward enemies.

Postmortem

  • What Went Well:  

    • Apply what I have learned in class to my own design.

    • For each milestone, most of my iterations are successful and improved from the previous version.

    • Time spent on playtesting always gives me inspiration for how to adjust that for various types of players.

    • Understand game mechanics more deeply and make something creative based on the original design.

  • What I Learned:​

    • Know how to do playtesting more efficiently and how to come up with solutions according to feedback.

    • Learned two kinds of level design presentations.

    • Good level design always needs long time to do iteration.

    • Think as a player not designer. Sometimes players will not understand designers’ design purpose easily, that is why we need conveyance.

  • What Went Wrong:  

    • Time management for doing assignments. Sometimes I know I can do better but I do not have enough time to implement before assignment due.

    • Cover placement is always my WEAKNESS. Some of those covers in my level (doom, hl2) do not as useful as I thought.

    • Communication. Didn’t communicate with stakeholder for feedback or suggestions often.

Postmortem
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