Contributions & info
AI Design
- Planned behavior
- Prototypes
- Behavior Tree
Puzzle Design
- Puzzle layout
- Puzzle mechanics
Technical Design
- Animation
Details
- Genre: Horror
- Duration: 7 Weeks
- Platform: PC
- Engine: Unreal Engine 4
- Size: 9 developers
Horror
First person survival-horror game.
Puzzles
The core gameplay loop consists of completing puzzles and then reaching the next area unscathed from a monster AI that is out to kill you.
As I iterated on the puzzle design, taking both the level layout and how each puzzle would fit into the game world was a challenge. I decided to make a rather simple sketch of the overall area design.
I divided them into four sections, Tutorial, A, B and C. Each of the sections would unlock one at a time.
I wanted to make sure each puzzle felt unique in its design. That they all continued upon the players previous knowledge from the last puzzle. I designed them to use similar patterns but with additional twists.
I also worked through a miro board, and tried to narrow down all the options available for the different puzzles. To strike a good balance between fun but challenging puzzles.
The tutorial puzzle consisted of simply opening an panel and rotating a valve using the multi-tool. Teaching the player the very basics for the next part of the game.
Puzzle A consisted of multiple smaller electrical panels. How you rewired the internal wiring inside each panel would then effect the game world. If you chose to connect all wires for section B, that area would gain electricity, same for C and so on. Only one area could be electrified at a time.
Puzzle B consisted of leaking pipes, to bypass the player would simply weld the leaking areas. As they reached the room just after, they’d be introduced to a water machine, that utilizes water sensors. They are out of alignment. Once aligned, three levers would enable and lastly a valve. Once turned puzzle is complete.
When you reach puzzle C, you repair and fix water that is flooding. You enter the main room and unscrew panels, connect wires to their correct setups and weld pipes back together. Once this is done, a large machine in the room can be ran. During it’s first time running it may cause other items to break, such as pipes that the player would weld. If the player manages this and survives long enough they could then leave section C and win the game by escaping through the hub.
First iteration cable puzzle
This puzzle was meant to be simple yet rewarding for the player. You’d unscrew a panel and then connect wires to their correct location.
Unscrewing
Player unscrews a panel. Teaches the very simple mechanic of using the multi-tool to progress in the world.
Screw issue
Since screws were interactable, we had to find a way to remove that functionality after they’d been unscrewed.
Otherwise the player could continue attempt to use the tool on an object that no longer should help them progress.
AI
Already from the very first prototype, I had introduced a basic AI that had a strong presence in the game. This was done through visual scripting. The player would be chased down by the AI and only had a set amount of time to react before the eventual death. This created a good understanding of how the AI caused different behavior patterns in the player. How the levels had to be adjusted and what kind of puzzles/stressful sections we could introduce.
For the design of the AI, I came up with many ideas of how it would use different variables around the world, such as distance from player, safe zones and when the player was closing in on a key location. All these variables would be utilized to create a dynamic AI that would move around in a unpredictable pattern, making each playthrough different in its own way. The AI would also have their speed and way of walking vary depending on these variables.
AI first draft
Shows the AI following the player when it has line of sight of player. Moves slower the closer it gets to the player.
AI Roaming
Example of the logic the monster uses while roaming. 3rd draft that kept updating as the project moved along.
Useful to playtest scenarios with the monster.
AI movement speed
This service blueprint checks the distance from player, and depending on the distance adjusts the AI’s speed. This is the speed that the monster moves towards the player with.