After the layout for the first level was underway I began construction of the second. I knew that this level had to be quite a change visually and tonally from the first.

  The first level was bright and inviting, this level was going to be dark and a bit hostile. I took inspiration from Super Mario Bros. for the NES. World 1-1 was a bright happy place that was above ground. However, as soon as you get to world 1-2 the Mushroom Kingdom was no longer so inviting. And that was the tone I was attempting to convey with this level.

   Level 2 is where the difficulty begins to ramp up slowly. The player will have to use everything they learned from the previous level in order to progress. The player faces a series of platforming sections and simple puzzle solving.

  Level 2 is where the gloves come off a bit. Players will now have to face an array of challenges that will test their abilities and reflexes. This levels also builds up to the final confrontation with the T-Rex from the previous level.

   Once the player reaches the bottom of the elevator shaft they may catch a glimpse of their boss attempting to talk to them through a TV. Before the player gets a chance to hear what the boss is trying to say, the monitor explodes. The player can't go left so as they must continue on their journey by heading to the right.
   As the player moves toward the right they will encounter the first health vent of the game. The health vent will heal the player gradually as they stand in its healing breeze.

   Once the player gets near a large fan they are contacted by the Boss via the walkie talkie on their hip. The first obstacle they face will be a large fan is blowing air that is so powerful that the player can not get though. The solution to this puzzle is to freeze the fan blades causing it to fall apart.

   In the forklift area the player must jump up and down on the steel crates to reach the catwalk overhead. Inside the workstation we can overhear some NPC characters talking. If the player continues forward they will set off an event where the T-Rex will appear and eat an NPC in the background.

    Now that the boss can no longer reach the player with his TV monitor he will use the walkie talkier on Frosty's hip. The Boss will tell the player over the walkie talkie to get to the shutoff valve room. This is the player's ultimate goal, reaching this area will end the game and result in a victory for the player.

   The boss will act as a sort of guide for the player. He will dispense directions/tips/hints through the walkie talkie and will help the player get to their ultimate goal.

   At the very top of the vents is the first checkpoint of level 2.  This checkpoint is implemented in this are because the vents will have few spots where the player can die, frequent checkpoints will prevent the player from becoming frustrated.

   Now that the player has reached the checkpoint they encounter the first real danger, a icicle pit. There is a small sign on the inside of the vents that will remind the player to use their dash ability. Dashing is the only option because the vents do not give the player enough space to jump.

   After the spike pit we encounter the second danger of this level, Falling Icicles. With some careful maneuvers the player can avoid being hit by the icicles altogether and continue on their journey to safety.

   The last thing the player will encounter is a running man NPC inside one of the vents overhead. The player then drops down into the next section of vents.

   Once the player is in the new area they will have to dash over another spike pit and avoid another group of falling icicles. This area has two checkpoints very close to each other because the risk of dying is very high is this section.

   As the player nears the broken steam pipe area there is a group of NPCs below him. Once the player is able to make it past the steam and event occurs. One of the NPCs in the vent below the player loses his grip and slams into a wall of icicles. He is impaled on the wall as the player drops down to the second checkpoint in this area. The second checkpoint in this area is near a large icicle pit.

   This is one of the trickiest area in the game. As you enter this room, the Boss will tell the player to find a way out. When the player reaches the center platform under the health vent they will be told to find "Tim's Office".

   There is a large Kill zone volume underneath the center platform. If the player were to fall inside it would send him back to the checkpoint at the start of this section, outside of the vent on the wall.. If the player were to stand on either of the platforms going up or down they will be taken into a kill zone volume.

   This area of the factory is all about moving the player along quickly. This is achieved by having the player walk into an air vent. The vents will quickly propel the player into the staging area with very little trouble.

   The staging area has a brief interaction with some NPCs (The B-team Commandos). Once the player engages them they will be treated to a brief cut scene. After the cut scene the player walks through the door and the level ends.

- Danny Q
@Dannylv100

   In this installment of "Level Design 101" I will go over the first level of the game Freeze-E Frosty's. I worked on this project for 9 months back in 2010. I was the lead Level Design and I designed 3 levels and the boss battle.

   I will be discussing each section of the fist level, going through my thought process and talking about the decisions I made and why.

   The first level of the game serves as the tutorial that will teach the player everything they will need to know about the game.

   This is where were introduce a few of the game's characters, we do some foreshadowing and we establish the world and atmosphere of Freeze-E Frosty's. It was very important for us a team to quickly establish the world and get the player in the game as quickly as possible.

   The game opens up with a brief cinematic. At the end of the cinematic the player enters the room. The cinematic introduces the player to the world of the Freeze-E Frosty's Ice Cream Factory. It has a bit of humor and is very light and colorful. We establish early on that this game is going to be a lighthearted 2D adventure.

   Once Frosty (the player) enters the factory, he stands in front of a large sign in the background. That sign in the background is a billboard that tells the player how to walk left and right in the world (A key to to move left and the D key is to move right).

    As the player gets to the door they encounter the one of the many NPCs in the game, the receptionist. The door is locked but as soon as the player gets close it will be unlocked and they will enter the next area and begin their adventure.

   As soon as the player enters the walkway there is a wooden crate obstructing their path. We have an encounter with another NPC, "The Foreman" who will instruct the player to click on the left mouse button to use their "Freeze Gloves" to freeze the empty wooden crate, shattering it and clearing their path. On the wall behind the player we also have a sign with the picture of an NPC using their freeze gloves as an arrow clicks down on the mouse button, to help guide the player.

   Once the player freezes the box in front of them they are rewarded with an audio cue of "Good job kid, just like that!" from the foreman. To enforce the freezing mechanic with have another freezable wooden crate in front of the player being held by two NPCs. The player must freeze the crate they are carrying to continue moving forward.

   The next obstacle that the player comes across is a forklift that is moving its forks up and down. At this part we have a sign on the wall informing the player to use "W" to jump. The player will then know how to jump, this means that they can now jump onto the forks of the fork lift. The forks on the fork lift only lift the player high enough to know that they can get onto the ceiling of the walkway. In order to continue forward they must once again use W to jump onto the walkway.

   Once the player reaches the top of the walkway they can go left and interact with some NPC characters. If the player goes right they will run into a group of NPC characters who are trying to fix a malfunctioning crane holding a steel crate. The player is supposed to fire their freeze gloves at the crane which will cause the crane to drop the steel crate and move out of the way. Here we reaffirm the two things the player learned, 1) They can use their freeze gloves with the left mouse button 2) They can use "W" to jump over obstacles. The player also learns something new, they can not freeze a steel crate. Steel Crates are reinforced and will not freeze or shatter when you fire upon them with the Freeze Gloves.

   Once the player gets down from the top of the bridge there will be two NPCs talking amongst themselves in the background. As the player progresses further they will see a fellow worker use their freeze gloves to extinguish an NPC who is on fire. If they player chooses to they can either freeze the worker to get through or simply jump over them, either way we further reaffirm the skills they just learned.

   The player will get off the walkway and proceed to move right toward an elevator. In this area thy will find a large glove hand that will point them toward the elevator. If the player continues to go right they will see an image of Frosty's Boss appear on a nearby monitor. He will then inform the player to get back to work (to get on the elevator and go up to the next level).

   Now that the player has reached the lab area they have two choices. They can go left to interact with a group of NPCs or head straight toward the lab.

   If the player heads into the lab it will suddenly lose power and the frozen T-Rex will begin to awake from his icy slumber. After the power is restored the door on the right opens and the player can continue to the next area of the factory.  

   It is important to note that at this part of the game we did not want to stop the player from moving because we believed that if the event in the background is interesting enough then the player will naturally slow down and stop to watch rather then forcing them to sit still. Forcing the player to stop even for a few seconds can separate them from the game world.

   After the factory meltdown there is an event with the T-Rex. He breaks free from his frozen slumber, eats an NPC and storms off into the bowels of the factory. His escape and rampage are foreshadowed by the loss of power in the earlier sequence.

   After Meltdown: The elevator button has an event tied to it, at the moment the elevator will not go anywhere until the factory begins to meltdown. Once the factory has gone into meltdown mode the elevator will take the player to the second level and level 1 is completed.

  This are is where we introduce the player to their new item, "Dash Boots". Once activated the player is told to use the "S" key to activate and use their dash ability. Ahead of the player are high pressure water jets shooting out from a few broken pipes. If the player attempts to use his gloves the water will become ice and form a temporary barrier. If the player attempts to just simply run past the water, the pressure will knock them back. The only way to get passed the water is to use the Dash Boots. The player needs to get through two more wall of waters before they can continue on. This is done to help reaffirm the dash mechanic.

The player eventually runs into a malfunctioning bridge. Here they have two options, 1)They can either dash across with proper timing, 2)jump over it using the W key. Once they reach the other side they will reach the first checkpoint in the game.

   After Meltdown:  The player back tracks through this area heading back toward the elevator. The first dangerous thing they encounter is the malfunctioning bridge, which has now collapsed, revealing a large pit of spikes. The player can once again dash over the gap or with some skill, clear it with a well timed jump.

  We introduce the pit of spikes here so we can teach the player the consequences of death. If they player were to fall into the pit they would die, but be respawned nearby via a checkpoint.

  After the player clears the gap they will then have to dodge some falling rocks. The rocks do moderate damage to the player and can easily be avoiding by a well timed dash. Once again, this is here to teach the player that they will face dangers in the environment.

   Once the player reaches their workstation they are prompted by  "The Boss" to activate the workstation. They will use the "E" key to activate a series of switches that will then in turn activate a machines in the background. Once all the machines have been activated this will trigger an event where the machines malfunction and the factory begins to meltdown. At this point the player is prompted by their boss to head toward the elevator outside the T-Rex lab so the player can escape the dangerous factory floor.

- Danny Q
@Dannylv100

  Hey everyone, it has been a while since I last had an update to my blog so in this post I am going to talk about something I have been working on for In Ruins. A few months ago we decided to incorporate a crossbow into the game. As the game designer it was my job to pick a crossbow and design the mechanics and gameplay around it.

   I looked at a bunch of different crossbows but I couldn't find one that made sense in this world. I needed something that was strong, versatile and had a distinct silhouette. I finally came across this amazing crossbow known as the TAC-15. This would become the base of the crossbow we plan on incorporating into our game.

   The purpose of the crossbow is to give the player a weapon that would allow them to take out opponents stealthily and effectively. We already have incorporated stealth mechanics in the game such as strangling opponents and crouch walking. It only made sense for us to incorporate a weapon that would help players be stealthy.

  Since the projectile is an arrow the rig does not need a bone in the muzzle. Typically when I rig a placeholder mesh I add three bones. I add one in the base of the grip, one under the barrel and the last one at the muzzle of the gun. This place older only needed two bones as this weapon doesn't have a traditional muzzle.

   The counterpart of the crossbow is the sniper rifle. They are both long range scoped weapons capable of hitting targets that are hundreds of feet away. According to my research, a crossbow such as this one is accurate up to 100 yards. The sniper can strike targets up to 256ft in game but it does suffer from significant bullet drop.

   The sniper rifle has the most range of any weapon in the game. In theory the crossbow would easily be able to match it's range but it would be too powerful. To counter the power of the crossbow I have added a longer reload time and a charge up time(something like the Torque bow from Gears of War) before the crossbow can be fired. You might think that this makes the crossbow useless but to give the crossbow another strength we also made it silent. Enemies will not be able to hear it when fired, allowing players to eliminate targets from a safe distance without the enemy players noticing anything.

  The player can carry up to 24 bullets for the sniper rifle and the reload time is a few seconds. The player can only carry 8 crossbow arrows. The arrows are almost always a one shot kill to unarmored targets and the range is effective up to about 160ft. After 160ft the crossbow arrow will begin to lose power and begin to drop quicker and quicker, losing accuracy and stopping power. The crossbow might start out with less ammunition but it has the unique distinction of being the only weapon that can have it's arrows recovered (off of walls and the bodies of slain enemies) to replenish ammo.

- Danny Q
@Dannylv100

   Welcome to Level Design 101! Today we are going to be taking a look at a Vehicle Capture the Flag (VCTF) map I made a few years ago called Terra Firma. This map was made in about a week a few years back for my Level Design 101 class. This was my first attempt at designing a VCTF map and therefore has some major issues and flaws in it's design. So with that in mind please understand that my knowledge of UDK and level design has vastly improved since the creation of this map.

   The idea behind this map was to build a level on an alien planet that is in the early phases of being terraformed by a group of colonist traveling through space in search of a new Earth. The sky would be cloudy and gray while the ground would be barren and rocky. The red and blue team would be two competing factions fighting for control of this planet.

   With that idea in mind I set out to design the biggest map I had created. I made sure to build the entire map solely using the terrain editor inside of UDK. All the structures in the level are made out of either preexisting assets inside of UDK and BSP.

   Terra Firma is huge and is designed with vehicles in mind. There are a few different routes for players to take to reach the opposing teams base with one direct route leading straight to the opposing teams base in the center of the map that runs under the bridge through a valley.

   The terrain is rough and can be hard to navigate. Players are strongly encouraged to use a hover board when not in a vehicle. Running around on foot will leave you at a huge disadvantage.

   Players must also be careful to avoid the large vortex that hovers over the center of the map. Any vehicle that gets too close will instantly be destroyed. This vortex was added to keep players from simply flying straight over to the other side of the map.

   There are three vehicles for the player to choose from. The first vehicle and most useful in navigating the rough terrain of the map is the Manta hovercraft. The second more direct vehicle is the scorpion dune buggy. It has a harder time navigating the terrain but her a powerful cannon for long distance encounters. The last vehicle is the Cicada bomber. This airship can fly over enemies and rain a salvo of missiles down on them.

   Vehicles are located all over the map. Players spawn near hangars and garages where vehicles are spawned. Cicadas are harder to find and are spawned on landing pads. Both bases have vehicles that can only be accessed by their respective teams. Any vehicle spawned outside of the base is neutral and can be accessed by anyone.

   Every player comes equipped with a hoverboard that can be accessed by simply pressing the "Q" key. The hoverboard can easily be combined with the jump pads in the level for quick speed boosts that will help the player escape danger.

   The center path is essentially a valley that traps the player. It should have been made with a few different exits that lead to either side and lead the player to the vehicle depots on. As it is right now the center path does nothing but act as a direct route to the opposing team's base.

   Having a valley design isn't a bad thing if done correctly. If the valley is designed where there are ambush points on top and exits/retreat locations in the valley we could in theory design a very fun combat area in the map that will give players an interesting dynamic to play around with.

   Compounding these problems is the lack of any noticeable landmarks. Much of the terrain is just spread out unevenly, nothing on the map sticks out as something noticeable or useful. The central bridge is made to be something of a landmark, but the bridge itself is completely uneventful/useless. Noting of interest takes place on the bridge and there is very little reason for anyone to go there.

  With no clear routes but one and with the only real landmark on the map being completely useless. The problem with this map is that it wasn't built with the bridge or any landmark in mind. If this map was built with the bridge as it's centerpiece we would see every path/route flow into it, making it an important and essential area to control in the midst of battle.

   Most of the time the terrain just becomes an obstacle for the player to deal with. Most of the time the manta is the best option for traveling because it can ignore the rough terrain. Luckily this map is heavily populated with mantas. The cicada is a viable option, but it is a support vehicle and can not properly engage targets for combat.

  The map is designed specifically for vehicular combat but this is all brought to a stand still when players are forced to carry the flag back to base solely on the hoverboard. With the way the map is designed (wide open spaces for vehicles.) we end up with areas that become shooting galleries. It takes luck rather than skill for a player to return back to base.

  The map has no areas that gives players on foot or hoverboards any sort of advantage. The map should've been designed with this in mind. At the moment it just suitable for the manta and no other vehicle. This makes retrieving the flag a very tiresome chore.

   Combat is vehicle heavy and is played in the traditional CTF style of one team trying to steal the opposing team's flag while guarding their own.

  The problem with the combat is that is is uneven and at times lopsided. If the player is not in a vehicle they are at a complete disadvantage. As stated earlier, the lack of cover for vehicles and people is very noticeable. Combat therefore feels as a bit of an afterthought. There is no real though into how to approach the opposing team. No matter which way you go you're almost always visible. There is really no lines of sight on this map as everything is exposed.

   There are some large hills and mountains around the map but those do no good when enemies can simply fly over them while in the manta. The overall tone of the combat is boring because the design of the map just leads to rushing. Players don't spend time trying to controls the bridge or vehicle depots. Areas like that are barley even distractions. Combat is direct and boring, it doesn't reward the player for trying a new approach or tactic.

  The theme of this map was supposed to be something along the lines of two factions fighting for control of a fertile planet. Sounds good? Sure does, but whats that? Yeah somewhere along the lines we ended up with a map that is mostly gray, distorted and has some questionable art choices.

   Looking back at this map I can honestly say that I had a great idea but time constraints and lack of know how lead to something that was less than spectacular. Fortunately we can learn a lot from looking back on our past mistakes. I see now that this map had potential, but without a properly thought out plan the execution will almost be flawed.

- Danny Q
@Dannylv100

P.S. - I have one more of my old levels to be analyzed for Level Design 101. I should have the next blog post up in about a month or so. I would like to do a mail bag post where I answer game/level design questions. Please feel free to comment/ask questions. Thanks for reading.

   A few months back I was in charge of designing a campaign level for a project. The level I was working on was going to be a tutorial that slowly taught the player all the basics of the game. It would start out with teaching the player how to take cover, move, vault and to use a weapon. After that the level would transition into a stealth segment.

  Dev Note: This level is designed to average around fifteen to twenty minutes for most players. The time can vary depending on how the player decides to play the game. (Stealth, Combat, exploring etc).

- Name: Welcome to the Jungle
- Single mission/Tutorial

- Unexplored Island off the coast of Japan
- Present day abandoned ruins of an old feudal era Japanese House
- First part of the map is interior and second half is exterior

- On a remote Island off the coast of Japan a young and brash explorer Jake Valdez ventures into the jungle to find the rumored lost civilization of the Sun Emperor. On his adventure he not only discover the ruins of this forgotten civilization but he discovers a group of militant mercenaries that are destroying any evidence of this society. Anything of value is being taken and they burn down the rest. As Jake tries to escape he is capture and knocked unconscious. He now needs to escape captivity and find out who sent these mercenaries here in the first place.

- The story within the level consists of a captive Jake tied to a chair and locked in a room trying to escape from his captors. The player needs to escape confinement and escape the makeshift prison. Along his way he must eliminate any mercenaries he encounters or he will be killed on sight.

- Decaying ruins of the Japanese Minka house
- Evidence of the house being torn down by the intrusive mercenary forces
- Contrast between the shipping containers/crates of the mercenaries and the natural quaint look of the Japanese architecture.
- The exterior of the house has a lush jungle that is contrasted by steel shipping containers.
- Makeshift guard towers and other structures brought in by the mercenaries

Start: The first part of the mission is where we introduce the players to the world and setting. As the player begins to explore the environment they are slowly being taught to interact with the environment and use their abilities (sprinting, vaulting, taking cover, shooting etc). The only enemies encountered are equipped with a pistol.

Middle: The pacing picks up during this section. More enemies begin to engage the player and they player has more room and options on how they could handle the enemy encounters. At this point we introduce newer enemy units (machine gun and shotgun mercenaries) and new weapons (AK-47 and M500 shotgun).

End: The pacing slows down significantly, players are introduced to the stealth aspects of the game. They are encouraged to use stealth to take down the enemies in this area of the map. The layout of the map is still suited for a player that would rather run and gun. We encourage stealth but we make sure the player has options. 

- Teach the player movement/traversal (Running, walking, vaulting, climbing etc)
- To teach the player how to open doors and pick up items
- Teach the player how to take cover and combat
- Teach the player how to use weapons and melee
- Teach the player how to use cover mechanics for stealth
- Ensure that the player has learned all the game mechanics needed to play the game.

   When the levels starts the player finds themselves locked in a small room. In the room there is  table with a pistol on it. The player is instructed how to walk (W,A,S,D) and when they reach the table they are instructed to pick up the pistol using the E key.

   The pistol is currently unloaded and when the player reaches the door they can see into the other room. The door is jammed and can not simply be opened. The payer is then prompted to Melee (F key) the jammed door to open it. 

   With the door open the player is free to explore the next room.

   In this room the player can peak through the doorways and see that there is more areas to explore. Every possible exit is blocked by large crates and the player must find another way out.

   The stairs are also blocked by a few crates. It is at this point where we teach the player to take cover on these crates and then to vault (Shift key) over them so they can go up the stairs. Once the player vaults over these crates they will land on some pistol ammo and load their weapon as they head upstairs.

Dev Note: We wanted to keep this first half of the level really linear so we can ensure that the player does exactly what we want them to do. We make sure to quickly give the player more options as they progress through the level.

   Once upstairs the player has a few options on where they can go. They can head to the left of them or to the right.

Dev Note: The ceiling in this first area is completely intact. I though that the idea of having the ceiling open up as the player is moving through the building as a subliminal message. The more the move forward the more the sky opens up until they have learned all there abilities and are free to use them however they use.

   Before the player can make any decision they are confronted by an enemy that emerges from a room to their right.

   The player can take cover on the railing as the enemy stands in the open and opens fire. The player is taught how to aim and fire their weapon.

   With the enemy defeated the player is now free to explore the second floor. They can head into the room where the enemy emerged from or they can head to the doorway. Either route they choose they will be lead into the next encounter.

   If the player heads into the room nearest the stairs they can find a crate to vault over. If they do this they are rewarded with some ammo and a new weapon.

Dev Note: Weapon caches and collectible items are hidden around the levels to help encourage exploration.

   After finding the new weapon the player can continue moving forward and enter the next area of the level.

  If the player decides to head to the room before the first enemy they will find themselves overlooking the next area and will find a weapon (AK-47) tucked  neatly in the corner for them.

  In the room with the enemy the player can jump down back to the first floor. Once the player is on the first floor they will notice that they are in the area that they couldn't reach before. If they choose they can actually open the door and vault over to go back to the room they started from.

Dev Note: It was really important for us to keep this first part of the level small and confined so we can adequately teach the player the basics of the game. As the player learns more the level slowly expands more and more so they can explore and use their abilities better.

 No matter which route they take the player will end up in a large living room area. This area has many varied pieces of cover spread out and it is fairly open. Many of the pieces can be vaulted/climbed. We want the player to be constantly moving on the battlefield.

   When the player enters this new area a group of enemies will enter the room. These enemies will behave much smarter and with more tactics compared to the first enemy encountered. These enemies will use their surrounding and take cover and will attempt to flank the player.

   There will be a total of five enemies. Depending on where the player enters the room there may be two enemies on the second floor with three enemies on the bottom floor or vice versa.

   The player has a wide range of options to engage the enemy. If they entered from the bottom floor they can take cover amongst some of the crates and pick up some grenades. These grenades are useful when used to  force enemies out of cover and into the open.

   If the player took the high road they are a bit more exposed but they have the advantage of seeing where the enemies on the bottom floor are at. The player needs to be careful because they can easily be flanked and charged by enemies while they are distracted and dealing with the enemies on the bottom floor.

   No matter where the player enters from they will only be dealing with about five enemies. As long as the player doesn't stay in one place too long they should be able to handle the situation and avoid being flanked.

   Players can use the vaulting mechanic to climb certain areas in the map. The pillars in this room are easily scalable and can allow for the player to make a quick escape. Enemy units can vault over most pieces of cover but they can not climb like the player can, so putting distance between you and the enemy by quickly climbing to the second floor can be a huge advantage.

Dev Note: At this point in the level the ceiling is only covering up half of the roof. The roof coming disappearing over the players head is a symbol of freedom, it tells the player that they have almost escaped.

   The player once again has the option to enter the next area either on the second or first floor. No matter how they enter the next area they will once again be greeted by a squad of six enemies.

   Just like before the enemies will begin to spread out and try to surround the player. If the player is on the top floor the enemies will try and come around from either side as they lay down covering fire for their squad.

   From the top the player can engage the enemy from either side. Any enemy that is on the bottom floor should be easy pickings for the player. The player's main goal should be to reach the main staircase in front of them so that they can take control of the room. Atop the staircase they would have the best line of sight over the enemies in the room.

   The player is not at a disadvantage if they enter from the bottom floor. They are provided with much more cover and if they are quick they can make their way to a nearby column and climb it to reach the second floor.

   The key is for the player to utilize the cover. If they decide to just rush the enemies they will be surely be killed by the enemies on the second floor. The player must be smart about how they traverse through this level. In other words, if the player took the high route they are taking a more aggressive role and if they took the low route they are taking a more defensive role.

   From the top of the stairs the player is now in a dominant position and can pick off any stragglers left in the room. Once the room is clear the player can proceed onto the next area. There are two ways to get to the next area, there is a crack in the wall on the second floor that will lead onto the roof of a patio and there is the doorway on the bottom floor that will lead the player toward the outside of the level.

   The patio is a very wide open area that has a good mix of open space and readily available cover pieces. The goal for the player is to proceed to the jungle path and try to find a way to escape. This won't bee an easy task as another small squadron will be waiting for the player.

   The player as always is give a few options on what they can do. They can rush out and find some cover and immediately engage the enemy or they can climb one of the columns and attack from an elevated position. There aren't too many enemies and depending on how much of a commotion the player makes he shouldn't attract any back up.

   From a safe position the player can make quick work of the enemies that wander into this area. Unlike before the player is more than welcome to take a more active role and rush the enemies in this area.

   With all the enemies defeated the player is free to advance to the next area.

   While venturing up the short jungle path the player will come across a lone enemy patrolling the area. It is here where we give the player the option to use stealth to take the enemy out. The player would be told to stay out of the enemies line of sight by hiding in the bushes on either side of the path and then instructed to stealth kill the enemy as he passes.

   This is a completely optional thing for the player and the player is not punished here if they decide to just shoot the enemy.

Dev Note: With all the art assets in place this area would be engulfed in very thick jungle and would allow for the player to hide in the plants to avoid enemy detection.

Dev Note: The player has a few stealth take down options. They can quickly choke there target eliminating them or take them as a hostage. Dead bodies can't be left in the open else they will attract attention and alert all nearby enemies to you.

   Aside from the single enemy in this area there isn't much else for the player to focus on. The path ahead is clear and it leads right into the next area, a shipping yard. The next area will allow for the player to fully utilize the stealth mechanics.

  The shipping yard is where we will strengthen and reinforce the stealth mechanics. The stealth option is completely optional and if the player chooses they can enter this area guns blazing.

Dev Note: It was crucial to make every area that could be stealth also capable of being combat. We didn't want to force anyone to play a certain way. The best thing is that you can alternate between stealth and guns blazing whenever you like.

   One way to deal with the first patrolling guard is to wait for him to walk near the ledge and when he is within range the player will be given the option to do a flying stealth kill.

Dev Note: The flying stealth kill can be done whenever the player is in an elevated position over an enemy. It can be done in the middle of a combat scenario but it will leave the player exposed for a few seconds until they can get back on their feet.

   When the player enters the shipping yard they need to use the cover to stay hidden. The player needs to make it to the shipping container that is propped up in the back. The player can easily sneak past the guards or stealthily take them out without alerting anyone in the area.

 When the player sneaking around the yard they need to be extra careful not to alert the guard in the makeshift watchtower. The player will need to time their movements and keep any defeated enemies out of the guards line of sight. If the player decides to go guns blazing they need to be careful to not be caught out in the open by the watchtower.

Dev Note: When an enemy is killed there body can be dragged away to be hidden. When you are dragging a body you are completely vulnerable to attack. It might be wise to take people hostage (human shield) and walk them to a secure location.

  When the player safely crosses the shipping yard they will reach the last area of the level.

   The storage room is designed with stealth in mind, but here we want to teach the player to take an enemy as a humans shield. Taking a human shield is a great tactic, you can use that shield in a moment where you don't have any cover or as a means to take a enemy to a safe distance before killing them.

   The player is forced to enter the storage room in a crouching position. This is done so they are already ready to take stealth take down the enemies inside.

   The player is in a small confined room, they need to make it out alive and they have a few options on how they could possibly escape.

   The player can just start shooting but that would be foolish. The best thing for a trigger happy player to do is to find a safe place to ambush the enemy. If the player sneaks around to the right side of the map they can find a well fortified area with a shotgun.

   Once they are in place they can make quick work of their enemies. The player doesn't need to go this route, they can just open fire as soon as they enter but that leaves them at a disadvantage. You can easily be spotted by the guard in the doorway and he will call you out as soon as you're spotted and by the time you can fire off a shot the other two guards are on you.

   I wanted to create an area where it rewards exploration. Sure some players might be able to take out all the guards no problem but I don't want to necessarily encourage the "shoot first" mentality. If the player wants to go guns blazing that is fine, I just want them to think, to set up ambushes and find the best locations to really get a jump on their enemies. 

 If you decide to go the stealth route the first thing you need to do is take out the guard nearest the door. The player needs to remain crouched so the guard patrolling the doorway doesn't spot them. Slowly and methodically the player needs to eliminate the second guard and carefully sneak outside to wait for the third guard.

  The second guard is a bit of a tricky one to eliminate. If the player attempts to take him out he may be spotted by the third guard. It is best advised for the player to take the second guard hostage and walk them away behind some crates and then eliminate him. This way the third guard wont walk in on you trying to strangle the second guard.

   With the guards eliminated the player's only distraction is the final guard in the makeshift watchtower. The player can sneak past him when he isn't looking and climb up and take him out or they can engage him in a gun battle. If the player has already eliminated him from before than the only thing the player needs to worry about is climbing up the shipping container to escape.

   The player climbs up to the makeshift watchtower and exits the level. With that the first level is complete and the player has used every single ability they have been given. The next level would have been a jungle environment that would once again give the player plenty of options on how they take out their enemies.
​

- Danny Q
@Dannylv100
​

_Hey Welcome to Game Flow! This is the part of my blog where I break down levels from games and talk about the design behind them. I did not design this map but I think as a level designer myself it is a great idea to sit down and analyze these maps, to look at why the designer made the decisions they did.

      Jacinto is a multiplayer map from Gears of War 2. It is a map that is included on disc and is easily one of my personal favorites. I spent a lot of time playing on this map and I have learned a lot of the ins and outs. Now it is time to break it down and analyze it.

     So when we look at a Gears of War map there are a few things we need to look at:
-Symmetry
-Line of sight
-Cover placement
-Communication
-Weapon Placement

   These things vary from map to map but are all key factors in the design and flow of the map. So now that we know how to break it down let's talk about it.

  Symmetry is very important in a game such as Gears of War. The symmetry allows for a better more balanced mulitplayer experience. The only map that is not symmetrical in Gears 2 is Hail which is asymmetrical.

  All of the power weapons are in the center of the map. There are three power weapons in the center.

    The reasoning behind the placement of the power weapons is that it will draw players from either team to the center of the map. Players will naturally meet in the center of the map, this is why the power weapons are placed there. A good multiplayer map will allow for opportunities for players to engage one another. The way this map is designed players will have top engage the other team if they want to pick up the power weapons. And if they don't then the other team will control them, giving them the advantage in the match.

     The fact that there are three power weapons seems to be intentional. It forces the team of five to divide itself into smaller teams and to direct itself to whichever weapon feels like a priority target. Two players can go for the sniper, another two toward the Boomshot and the last player can head to the mortar.

  Communication is key. If all players head to the Boomshot/HoD spawn then the other team can obtain the sniper/torque and mortar unchallenged. If one player goes alone to any of these weapons they can easily be defeated. Each of these power weapons are in areas where there is minimal cover. The cover here is from teammates. If one player goes for the sniper/torque the second player can cover them from a more covered area. If the player going to retrieve the weapon is downed they have a better chance of being revived if a teammate is nearby.

     Let's take a closer look at this section of the map. Here we can see two teams heading over to the Boomshot/HoD. We see that both team have an equal amount of cover and that they have enough space to move, take cover and flank. What is also important to not here is the line of sight. There is no piece of cover directly in the players line of sight that obscures the battlefield.

  The Boomshot/HoD is in a section of the map that isn't fully protected. The player attempting to pick up the weapon is exposed to incoming enemy fire.

   The Boomshot/HoD are located in what I call "Soft Cover". Soft cover is the kind of cover that you can hide behind but offers little to no protection. An example of soft cover is a chain link fence or column that is too thin for the player to be fully protected from enemy fire.

   The gates at this weapon pick up provide us with "soft cover" whereas the area surrounding show us "Visible Cover". The difference between the two is fairly simple. "Visible Cover" is anything that can and will provide excellent cover. "Visible Cover" should always be obvious and never hidden.

  To put it simply, a smokescreen will cover your position but you can still be shot while inside of it. Therefore it is "Soft Cover". A brick wall that is taller and wider than the character is "Visible Cover". Just don't get "Soft Cover" confused with "Destructible Cover".

    When we look at this map we have to take notice to the changes in elevation. where the mortar weapon is placed is lower than the rest of the map. When we look at the grenade placements they are higher than any other part of the map.

  The towers where the frag/ink grenades are have a nice view of the battlefield. When the player is in the tower they have a view on the sniper/torque spawn and can see if anyone is heading toward the Boomshot/HoD.

  Having these lines of sight where the player can see enemy movement is key for communication. This is a mulitplayer game and a team that keeps in constant communication with one another will have an advantage over a team that is silent and works independently. The grenade towers allows for excellent communication and the sniper/torque spawn allows the player to see anyone attempting to go for the mortar. As you can tell the mortar is in an exposed position with very little cover.

    In the area pictured above I've highlighted the types of cover in this section of the map. The blue pieces are the pieces of cover that are taller then the player and offer the most protection from enemy fire. The blue pieces are what we call "Visible Cover". The Green parts represent the places where there is cover but  it is only waist high and only provide limited protection as they can be easily flanked. The yellow areas are areas of "Soft Cover", players can easily fire through these sections and areas such as these.

  This area here is great. It has a great mix of cover placements allowing for dynamic battles between the players. The differences in cover height allows for the line of sight to be broken up slightly. Players can still spot each other and communicate enemy positions to one another while moving in and around cover.
  

  If we are talking about the flow of the map we can safely say that the flow is generated by the placement of weapons. As I mentioned before the power weapons are in the center of the map. This draws the players toward the center of the map. Once they reach the center they will be on the front lines or the "Front".

  The "Front" (highlighted in green above) on this map is located in near the sniper/torque spawn. It is in the center of the two spawn areas and has a good mix of soft and visible cover breaking up the line of sight just enough. The hub area can lead down to the mortar spawn, or toward the Boomshot/HoD area.

   Coordination and team work are a big part of this map design. The weapon placements bring the players to the center but it also makes the team work together to capture these power weapons. If a solo member of either team goes to capture the power weapon he/she can easily be taken down by an enemy. Teamwork is key in capturing these weapons so the map is designed to enforce this game play mechanics. If this map didn't enforce the mechanics then it would be an unsuccessful Gears of War map.

  - Danny Q
@Dannylv100