SHAPESHIFTER
Introduction
The goal was to expand on my own template and put it to use it in an open world, with a lot to exlore and see. I took inspirations from a lot of games like, zelda, oblivion, witcher, etc.
Specifications
Time Spent: 4 Weeks half-time
Engine: Unreal Engine 5.2
Template: Made by me
References: Elderscrolls, the witcher
Assets: Made by me in blender and from unreal marketplace.
Animations: Mixamo
PROJECT SUMMARY
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
OPEN WORLD
This level aims to deliver a content-filled open world with always something new to explore. It's built with exploration, player choices, and combat encounters in mind. Throughout the map, players can find interesting points to explore. The town (Hub) can be seen from almost every part of the map, serving as a solid landmark to guide the player back or for further exploration. I added a questline to follow, guiding the player to their objectives. The order in which they are completed is optional, but all quests need to be done to achieve the end goal
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
PRE PRODUCTION
ROUGH SKETCH AND LEVEL FLOWCHART
I began by sketching on the computer to get an overview of what I wanted. Then i made a level flowchart to see how i could connect my areas together to create a smooth and seamless experience. To make the player feel alive in a small world it was lots to plan out. I had to create choices for exploration, content to engage in and goals through out the world.
INSPIRATION
I took inspirations from classic openworld games based in a fantasy world like elderscrolls games, witcher etc.
The inspiration helped me to find a theme to follow and to explore my design wider and faster.
BLOCKOUT TO ALPHA
BLOCKOUT
I began with a blockout, envisioning a hub and different areas for shrines/dungeons from the beginning by using my sketch as a guide. Then, I slowly filled up the surrounding area with contents like huts, small villages, enemy camps, etc. After playtesting, I changed the scale of the level and tightened it up to fit the content I had created. I also worked on getting the sightlines right all around the map and create distincs zones. Last i added alternatives routes for the player to explore.
EXPLORING THE WORLD
LEADING DESIGN
By adding clear landmarks, I made it easier for the player to build their own mental map of the level. Almost all the time, one of the three major landmarks can be seen: the tower, the old kingdom statue, and the living tree.
This provides the player with an easy tool to navigate the map and discover new interesting spots to explore.
PLAYER GOALS
By filling the level with content and goals all around the map, the player always has a goal for themselves to explore. There are all types of objectives, from the big main ones to fishing huts, villages, abandoned houses, and enemy camps spread throughout the level.
EXPLORATION
I let the player find their own way to their objectives. I added alternative routes all around the map that could be a safer option, have treasure hidden inside, or even have an enemy lurking with an ambush. It could be both rewarding and a trap to take an alternative route. This gives the player a curiosity to find other ways. They are placed so the player can take the other paths back, ensuring they don't miss out on content.
SHAPESHIFTING
By learning shapeshifting abilities, the player can unlock new areas and secrets. It provides multiple uses for areas, so returning to previously explored areas where they couldn't access certain places—like making a jump or entering a small cave in the wall—can now be explored.
FOX
The fox is small and agile, used for sneaking past enemies or crawling into holes and openings that the player otherwise couldn't fit into.
DEAR
It acts as a mount and also as a dash form. With its fast speed and long jump, players can solve puzzles and explore new areas.
TEMPLATE AND SCRIPTS
INVENTORY SYSTEM
By adding an interactive inventory system, it opens up the possibilities to gain better rewards, have an economic system, and also use items for puzzles and doors to advance the adventure. Items can be found in the world and will also drop from enemies.
COMBAT SYSTEM
I built a combat system from scratch for the player as well as for the enemies. It includes everything from attacking, blocking, changing weapons, and locking onto targets.
This added depth to the experience and a fun game mechanic.
QUEST ITEMS
By adding quests, my goal was to get players more involved in the world and make it rewarding to complete them. Additionally, I aimed to make it meaningful to explore and find side quests, giving players the option to choose their own path in the world.
ITTERATION
After playtesting the town didnt have a clear intrest point, so added a tower for the shapeshifter faction as a clear landmark.
THE TOWN
LIVING TREE
This area felt too big and had too much unused space. By adding a softlock that requires the fox ability to enter the area and resizing it to fit the content within, it felt more rewarding and fun to explore.
END ZONE
The area was unfulfilling and didn't serve a great purpose. By changing it to a puzzle area that requires all of the shapeshifting forms to solve, it now acts more like an end zone and a final challenge for the player
OLD NEW
REFLECTIONS
I enjoyed working on this project, it was fun to explore and learn more about scripting and open world design. It was really rewarding to put my template into an open world design and to build a level with the limitations that comes with it. Though I wanted to add more content as shrine/dungeons and more questline to follow I am happy with the outcome considering the timeframe. I learned a lot during my time on the template building and this project, understanding animations blueprints, ai behavior, and creating questlines that ties in with the world I wanted to create.
If I would have done anything different, I would have shifted my time so I could add more content to the world for the player to explore. I had planned out some environmental puzzles that the player would experience on their journey, but when time was running out I shifted my focus to wrap up the project and make sure that what I had was working and held good quality.