Solo Project
Genre: Third Person Action Adventure
Engine: Unreal Engine 5.7
Development: 8 weeks
Iterations: 6
Playtests: 10
Tools: Jakub W AGLS, UE Blueprints, Affinity, Miro
Iterations Overview
Blockout Iteration 1
Blockout Iteration 2
Blockout Iteration 3
Blockout Iteration 4
Polish Iteration
Project Goals
My goal was to create a cinematic, narrative-driven level that pulls the strongest elements from the games I admire: The Last of Us Part I, Fallout 3, and Silent Hill 2. It was a chance to sharpen my core level design craft through hands-on iteration, with a focus on readable, well-paced spaces while replicating a scale and layout-accurate Richmond, VA. I focused on
Using Landmarks to guide the player through the level.
Designing readable spaces using sightlines, cover, and composition.
Driving mood and tension through environmental lighting and set dressing.
Iterating from playtest feedback to tighten layout and flow.
Level Overview
The level takes place across a flooded Richmond, Virginia in 2016, 3 years after the Cordyceps outbreak. Joel and Tommy's mission is to follow a radio broadcast to a reported survivor settlement and confirm whether anyone is there.
Players move through outdoor and indoor spaces that balance exploration, stealth, and combat.
The level is linear but, player paced that rewards exploration through finding alternate paths to give you an advantage
Environmental storytelling through a settler journal and campsites overrun by infected reveals what happened to the settlement without exposition.
Midway through the level players face a faction ambush outside the Richmond capitol building, peaking the tension of the level.
Beat Breakdown
Beat 1: Exposition
Tommy & Joel start on the I-95 Bridge and hear a radio broadcast offering shelter to those running from FEDRA and to “Rebuild America.” Although Joel has his doubts, he will see this through, for Tommy.
Players are introduced to the characters and their differing opinions
Beat 2: Shockoe Bottom
Tommy & Joel slide down a broken section of the bridge into a collapsed section of the city, here the two run into infected and set up a plan for Joel to flank the infected while Tommy covers him. the two then climb out into the city.
Players are introduced to stealth elements, healing items, and combat
Beat 3: Overrun
Tommy & Joel enter the city to find a breach into the settlement and infected in the streets, as doubt grows between the two they push forward into the settlement, Tommy & Joel push through another group of infected in a campsite to move closer to the capital building.
Players are shown stealth takedowns with infected then offered multiple paths through the campsite.
Beat 4: The Capitol
Tommy & Joel approach the Capitol building to see armed people with blood stains on the walls, while Tommy thinks that they found what the were looking for, Joel disagrees and suggests they find another way around, once in they find a note from a settler documenting their last moments.
Player is introduced to human enemies and multiple paths to progress.
Beat 5: Ambush
After exiting the Capitol Building, Tommy & Joel are ambushed by the scavengers. With no where to run, the two are forced to push through while working together.
Player is introduced to combat with human enemies, switching shoulder cameras, and offering multiple cover points to advance through the courtyard.
Beat 6: City Outskirts
After escaping the ambush, Tommy & Joel enter an abandoned building to find more infected they can either sneak around, or take out.
Players get a short break after the intense ambush before a slow stealth encounter.
Beat 7: The Horde
Once leaving the building Tommy and Joel enter and open area with a horde of infected surrounding them, jumping from ledge to ledge to avoid falling down. Then climb a wall to finally reach the I-95 Bridge.
Players will have one last tense encounter that requires precise movement and good timing to complete.
Beat 8: Close
After getting onto the bridge Tommy & Joel have a heated conversation about the decision to follow the signal in the first place, leaving the level on a tense note.
Players get insight into Tommy & Joels relationship starting to fall apart before the events of The Last of Us Part 1.
Technique Highlights
Framing Landmarks
I framed key landmarks to support navigation and establish clear points of orientation across the level.
How I applied it: large, elevated structures were purposely placed to help guide players between areas and reinforce spatial understanding of the area.
Level examples:
Capitol Building: Shown multiple times throughout the level to serve as the main objective before the ambush.
I-95 Bridge: Is shown to the player before the ambush as a potential way out, then shown again, carving a path as an exit.
Enforcing Player Agency
Throughout the level, I offered the player multiple paths to progress, some allowing stealth.
How I applied it: Main encounters took place in a wider area, allowing space for multiple routes and to have those routes within sight for the player.
Level examples:
Shockoe Bottom: Introduced stealth elements while offering direct combat with infected.
Capitol Building Campsite: Campsite has multiple framed paths for the player and 2 entrances to the capitol building
Capitol Building Entrance: Narrative hints at multiple paths but suggests stealth.
Environmental Storytelling
I used environmental storytelling to communicate story beats and gameplay segments, foreshadowing dangers and reinforcing the post apocalyptic atmosphere.
How I applied it: I placed props and decals throughout the level to help prepare players for events and deepen immersion.
Level examples:
Shockoe Bottom & City Outskirts: Fungus in each area to suggest infected presence.
Capitol Building: Blood stains, rubble, and a note to reveal what happened in the capitol building before the scavengers arrived.
Key Iterations
Pre - Production
I researched games, real world references, and other forms of media to better shape the project. This research helped guide the Beat Sheet, 2D map, and LDD.
Games: The Last of Us Part I, Fallout 3, Silent Hill 2
Real-World References: Downtown Richmond, VA
Other Media: No Country for Old Men, York New City, Children of Men
LDD: Creating the LDD helped me organize the structure of the level and clearly define the player's objectives, the narrative context, and the gameplay systems present in the level. This made it easier to keep the design focused and ensured that every beat supported the central goal of the level, It contains:
Level Objectives
Narrative & Setting (world context, themes, tone, and environment)
Gameplay Mechanics (movement, traversal, stealth, combat, and player interactions)
Enemy & NPC Behaviours
Beat Structure, flow, and pacing across all eight beats
Points of interest
Beat Sheet: The beat sheet helped me structure the pacing of the level to ensure a clear and balanced flow between exploration, stealth, combat, and narrative moments while maintaining a clear progression for the player across all eight beats.
2D Map: The map helped plan the level before blockout, defining the Golden Path. . improving spatial understanding before moving into engine work.
Iteration 1
Using Unreal Engine’s Modeling tools, I blocked out buildings and encounter spaces with simple geometry to focus on framing landmarks, readability, and movement between each section to make sure the player naturally flows through the level.
Topdown
Beat 1
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Beat 4
Capitol Building Vista
Beat 5
Beat 6
Beat 7
Beat 8
Playtester Feedback
Players felt that the level was too open and landmarks weren’t framed well, and the level lacked verticality. But it flowed nicely and was paced well.
Iteration 2
After feedback, I scrapped my first iteration entirely and started fresh. The level felt out of scope, so I took a different approach. I started integrating narrative beats from the beginning to better identify where design points of rest should sit within the level.
Top Down
Beat 1
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Beat 7
Playtester Feedback
Playtesters felt that the space was more defined and grounded than the first. They felt some areas still felt too open and lacking in verticality.
Iteration 3
I started to integrate enemy locations and fill in the combat encounters and establish cover points. This way players didn’t feel like the spaces were too large and open when they had enemies to worry about.
Top down
Beat 1
Beat 2
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Beat 8
Playtester Feedback
Playtesters responded positively to the opening cinematic and felt the stealth introduction at beat 2 was well executed. The vertical alternate path at beat 4 was called out as a strong addition for player agency. The main takeaway was that beat 6 needs more intensity to feel impactful.
Iteration 4
I started adding scripted events such as cinematics, subtitles, enemy spawns, and moveable objects to add more to the players experience and start to develop basic systems I can edit later. I also reworked beat 7 to traversing inside an abandoned building instead of going around it.
Top Down
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Beat 8
Playtester Feedback
Playtesters responded positively to the opening cinematic and felt the stealth introduction at beat 2 was well executed. The vertical alternate path at beat 4 was called out as a strong addition for player agency. The main note was that beat 6 needs more intensity to feel impactful.
Iteration 5
I focused on adding environmental detail to the Capitol Building, Shockoe Bottom, and the ambush area were each developed to support environmental storytelling within their respective beats. The ambush area was also altered into distinct sections, giving the player room to heal and swap weapons before pushing forward.
Top Down
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Beat 6 2/2
Beat 7 & 8
Playtester Feedback
Playtesters responded positively to the added environmental detail, saying it strengthened the sense of place across the level. The restructured pacing at the ambush encounter also landed well as players felt the recovery window gave intensity the weight it needed. The main note was that the vista lighting was too bright, reducing player readability.
Final Iteration
To finish things off, my focus shifted to lighting and music by drawing inspiration from The Last of Us to keep both simple but purposeful. Lighting was dialed back to better frame the vistas and improve readability, while triggered music cues were added for the opening cinematic, the ambush encounter, and the bridge arrival to reinforce each beat's emotional / narrative tone.
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Beat 4 2/3
Beat 4 3/3
Beat 5
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Beat 7
Key Changes
PProject Takeaways
This project reinforced that a core part of level design is the ability to take feedback and integrate it without losing sight of your original intent. Studying how other games, particularly The Last of Us, handle pacing, lighting, and encounter design gave me a direct reference point to apply those same principles to my own work. It was also a reminder of what focused effort can produce; the scope of what came together in 8 weeks was genuinely surprising and motivates me to keep learning and seeking feedback to better my skills as a designer.