Ascension is a three-part puzzle built for Portal 2 utilizing lasers, tractor beams and faith plates to ascend and reach the chamberlock. |
Team Size: 1 Role: Level Designer Software Used: Portal 2 Map Duration: 3 weeks |
Game Design:
- Created a prototype using twin-stick shooter controls to present and pitch the game idea to the team.
- Designed and placed tools (Turrets and Jump Pads) around the level to allow players to gain an advantage over the enemies for a limited time.
- Balanced enemy attributes (health, movement speed, damage), so combat encounters present a fair challenge for the player.
- Designed an in-game economy in which the player earns points for each enemy killed and use those points for upgrading Turrets.
Combat:
- Pitched and designed 3 enemy characters with unique attributes: Speedy, Grunt, and Heavy.
- Designed Speedy character to be more difficult to spot compared to other enemies and sneak up on the player.
- Designed Grunt character to impose a moderate threat to the player.
- Designed Heavy character to be easily spotted and escapable from, but also to be most destructive in a tight area.
- Placed cover objects around the level to have both wide-open and narrow spaces.
- Scripted enemy AI to chase the player at all times around the level.
- Designed enemy AI behavior to put constant pressure on the player and to have challenge aesthetic while maintaining fast-paced action.
Scripting:
- Player Input (Twin-stick shooter controls for movement, rotation, aiming and firing)
- Top-down camera
- Enemy AI behavior
- Custom HUD (health, points, number of waves, remaining enemies and match time)
- Unlimited number of enemy waves
- Scripted both the player and the enemy characters' attributes
- The number of each type of enemies spawned at the start of every wave varies
Level Design:
- Placed Turrets and Jump Pads around the level to add variety to the gameplay.
- Adjusted lighting to attain final quality.
- Placed enemy spawn points across the level.
- Designed level layout to feature a variety of combat encounters.
Level Map: