Level Design Test

For this test I was given a brief to create a stealth level concept with a maximum of 3 mechanics within 4 hours.

Premise:

The player is a ninja and must rescue a villager that has been captured by bandits who have taken up residence in an abandoned temple. The player must use stealth to remain undetected so that the bandits can’t sound the alarm to call for reinforcements or harm their hostage.

I started by deciding on the mechanics.

In stealth games I feel that player mobility can be incredibly empowering, like Blink in Dishonoured and the Shinobi Prosthetic in Sekiro, so I wanted the player to have a grapple hook. This would be used to reach vantage points where the player could scout out locations and watch for enemies patrolling below.

The second mechanic involved using cover and obstacles to hide from enemies and break their line of sight if spotted. The player would be able to hide on trees, torii gates, in bushes and behind rocks.

Thirdly, the player would be able to ambush enemies if they took them unawares. Because what kind of modern stealth game doesn't have takedowns?

I then went on to map the level out with Photoshop, taking into account the various player abilities.

I made the first section linear with plenty of cover so the player could get used to the mechanics.

The second section is much more open with multiple patrolling enemies. This would give the player more of a challenge while also allowing them to explore their stealthy toolset.

After mapping out the level I created an asset pack in Blender.