Preview
Goals
1. Study the linear spiral structure and how it brings a new experience to the player for the second visit.
2. Introduce puzzles into the level.
3. Provide more play style (stealth/boss fight/puzzle).
4. Utilize the open area in the Carian Study Hall.
Analysis and Research
I measured the scale by using the game character as a reference. I am assuming the character is around 1.8m tall. Then I get all the scales from the level.
I recreated the Carian Study Hall in Maya so that I could study it from any perspective. I am using my own game footage and some walkway screenshots as references to rebuild the Carian Study Hall.
I maintained the layout in general but I split the level into three parts and each part serves different design goals.
Puzzle Design
The very basic interaction I came up with was using a puller to trigger a huge gear to rotate, but then I found out it would be more interesting if the whole platform is moving. I also brainstormed several other approaches:
For example what if the shape is triangular? quadrangular? hexagonal? then I found out that it has to be at least octagonal to provide enough combinations.
I introduced a puzzle that let players explore the vertical space in the game because this is one of the features of our top-down game. In this case, I designed a two-layer mechanism that lets the player operate on the top layer, then execute the result on the bottom layer.
This is the final outcome, a duo-layer rotator that would form a route to the next level. The player has to tweak each rotator to find the correct path.
Playtest
After playtesting with friends, I received some feedback.
1: camera blocking.
2: it doesn't feel like a soul-like level,
3: the puzzle is too easy.
Solutions
Camera-blocking: I realized that there is some design in the original level that doesn't fit my game because my character is in a stylized shape and the game POV is top-down. In this case, I set up some camera switches to trigger when the blocking can't be avoided. When the player falls down from the left green edge to the red area, the camera would be blocked. So I set up a trigger to change POV.
I rethought what makes a level "soul-like", then I came up with some features: unexpected enemies, unexpected places, short-cuts, and muti-path. I redesigned the route on the second floor, where I provide three different paths with different play styles, each path has it's own unique features.
I created three paths to meet different play styles. I added a hidden door, enemies who hide in blind angles, and a shortcut after the player reached a certain point.
For someone who likes to test their skills
An elite enemy is waiting for the player in the middle of the bridge. The fight shall be a challenge but it is the shortest way. There are groups of enemies along the way.
For someone who likes to sneak
The maze has three layers, each layer would rotate on its own to create a new possible path for the player, while the entrance and the end remain the same. The uncertainty of the layout and the surprise it caused could enhance the exploration experience.
For someone who likes surprise
This route contains some enemies that would attack from an unexpected angle and a hidden door that leads to the treasure box. The player would be drawn into battles suddenly. There is also a hidden door in this route.
