Rik Boerma - Level / Game Designer
OPEN WORLD PROJECT
ROLE
Level Designer
GENRE
Open world action / adventure
MADE WITH
Unreal Engine 5
This is a self-study project aimed at practicing and showcasing principles of open world level design. For this project, I am designing an open world of roughly 0.25 km² with multiple distinct locations, combat encounters and secrets to find.
The player is tasked with finding three pedestal around the world to unlock the sealing mound and defeat the monster within.
​
THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AND THE CONTENT ON THIS PAGE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Guidance
Triangle Rule
Inspired by the world design of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, I use verticality to both hide and reveal points of interest.​
This way, I can prevent the player from being overwhelmed and guide them towards certain points of interest, while also revealing new objectives when the player reaches the first, creating a satisfying exploration loop.
Vistas and framing
I use specific vistas and objects to frame important objectives. The village, which serves as a hub for the player, contains a pedestal on a hill, surrounded by menhirs that frame the major landmarks where the main objectives are located.
Radial Design
Radial Design - Puzzles
Inspired by the level design of Horizon: Forbidden West, I set up puzzle encounters by in different layers.
​
The first is the open world layer: here I include guiding elements to steer the player towards the puzzle, for instance by placing a dolmen on a hill near a road and using parallaxing from the trees to guide the player's eye.
​
Next is the entrance layer, where I ensure the player finds something of use wherever they come from. Even if the player comes from an unconvential route like approach D in the video, they will at least be able to get a peek at the reward. Even if this approach doesn't include anything directly useful to getting the reward, it provides effective motivation for the player to explore.​
Radial Design - Combat
I applied a similar approach to combat, designing the space around an encounter to offer different play styles depending on where the player comes from or which approach they want to take. The player can use their surroundings to their advantage or approach the enemy from a disadvantageous position.​
Planning & Level Layout
Planning
Before starting the blockout, I made a map on Figma, showcasing the overall world layout. This process started by drawing out traversal loops, inspired by Ben Bauer's book "A Practical Guide To Level Design". The core loop shown in red connects the town hub with the other major locations (the pink loops) which themselves are also designed as loops. A road network enforces the loops in-game, naturally guiding the player around the world and encouraging exploration.
Aside from this high-level planning, I also included details such as specific encounter setups. This helped me to plan for different approaches the player might take, crucial in an open world game. Finally, I gathered reference images and wrote short descriptions of the gameplay purpose and narrative behind every location to help inform the world.
Quest Design
Modelling
To improve the clarity of my blockout language, I modeled several simple, low-poly models of objects such as rocks, houses and trees using Unreal Engine's Modeling Mode.
Quest Outline
To practice my quest design skills, I set up a quest in which the player helps a farmer named Ronan to restore his farm that was attacked by monsters. The outline below showcases every narrative and gameplay beat of the quest, as well as its potential outcomes.
Meaningful Choices
To add weight to the quest, I wanted the player to make a meaningful moral choice that impacts the outcome of the quest.
Inspired by the quests in The Witcher 3, this isn't a clear choice between good or bad. The player has to make their own decision based on what they think is right and accept the consequences, which include the quest giver being forced to work for their rival or this rival getting banished.
Gameplay Variety
To keep quests fresh and interesting, they must offer a variety of gameplay. I therefore set up an example of a quest that showcases four main gameplay styles: Combat, light puzzle solving, exploration and dialogue choices. By spreading these gameplay styles throughout the quest as seen in the outline above, the player does not get bored or overwhelmed by any gameplay style.
Modeling Blockout Meshes
Modelling
To improve the clarity of my blockout language, I modeled several simple, low-poly models of objects such as rocks, houses and trees using Unreal Engine's Modeling Mode.