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Scorch

Capstone Project January 2021 - May 2021

Overview

Scorch is a project I was onboarded to where the whole team worked virtually due to covid-19. I was assigned the role of Lead Level Designer and tasked with creating a new environment for the game's single player story. 

The original level was intended to be bigger but due to time constraints I decided to cut down the size of the level to produce a more believable environment that grasped the game's 1940's Noire setting. I worked with the art team closely to provide reference images that existed during the 1940's. Through this pipeline the artists and I had constant communication about not only when to expect art assets to be completed but if there were any issues with a specific art asset. The programming team and I also kept in constant communication in order to balance enemy movement and to handle various bugs/glitches.

link to steam page - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1606580/SCORCH/

Contributions

The main focus was creating a harbor environment that the player can navigate while having shadows that provide visual feedback. Shadows can provide cover for the player creating the stealth aspect of scorch. Shadows conceal both the enemy and the player so standing in light will leave either person vulnerable.

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The Process

The level went through many iterations that shaped how the player would progress in Scorch. As the game revolves around finding 6 targets to take out, the environment needed to offer numerous ways to journey across the level.

There are areas in which the player can easily hide yet it will take longer to traverse. However, there are areas which the player can quickly traverse but leave the player vulnerable to being spotted.

Areas such as the sewer and the warehouse both create more intense gameplay as you really have to check your corners and use the few lights to your advantage.

I had placed lights in specific spots to create cool visual shadows to match creating the stealth oriented atmosphere. The game can be intense as players are unable to everything at once. Through patience, timing, and the wit of the player, the game's stealth aspect comes through providing the intended noir feeling of "intensity." 

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