Missing Convoy - Cathedral
Work Breakdown
Created 2D map layouts and in-depth design documentation.
Iterated on layout based on playtest feedback.
Adhered to metrics-based guidelines for exploration and combat spaces.
Scripted enemy AI - Spawning, patrol routes, traversals, despawning.
Scripted events in proprietary tools based on trigger regions.
Placed and edited navmesh, traversals, and gameplay modules for player and AI use.
Used both modular asset kits and custom made assets for layout needs and environmental storytelling.
Placed and balanced resources supporting various degrees of exploration.
Wrote temporary dialogue to convey narrative context and provide hints.
Narrative Context
In my second layout study, Abby (the player) confirms that the missing convoy has been ambushed, and the sensitive information, along with the commanding officer carrying the information, is missing. The player must infiltrate an abandoned cathedral-turned-military base now inhabited by an enemy faction. The player’s goal is to locate the commanding officer, or his corpse, and recover the sensitive information, then escape the base.
For additional context leading up to this encounter space, please see the Missing Convoy - Neighborhood page.
Video Playthrough
My second Layout Study space was designed to showcase a wide-linear combat encounter that could be approached and played in multiple ways from multiple angles, creating a playground of paths and opportunities to generate moments unique to a player’s choices in the space.
Design Breakdown
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When conceptualizing this layout I wanted to challenge the more linear, straightforward encounter spaces typical of the genre. To do this I took inspiration from open-world game designs of enemy bases. In an open world space, it is often possible to approach the enemy encampment from multiple directions. For my layout, I wanted to maintain a linear approach, then branch into optional paths of ingress and egress for the player to use. I’ll refer to this as wide-linear, since the player still has a fixed point of entry and exit from the level. This maintains the narrative momentum and gives the player a sense of direction when pursuing their objective. It also provides variety between player experiences. In its simplest form, the player that approaches the objective from the left will have a different gameplay experience than the one who approaches from the right.
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The Approach (pre valve, no combat): The level opens with the player approaching the aftermath of an ambushed friendly convoy. Searching the bodies, a simple interact on several of the corpses, results in Abby (the player character) concluding their objective (the commanding officer, and the sensitive info on his person), isn’t among the dead and wreckage. The sounds of infected and combat draw the player closer to the large cathedral-turned-enemy base.
I wanted to establish a sense of narrative history and world building around the cathedral. Given the stability of the structure, space, and geography (high ground) I imagined the now-disbanded military would’ve used this cathedral as a base proir to the current enemies inhabiting it. This is reinforced with old military checkpoints, barricades, and abandoned military vehicles.
The player scales to the top of a military road checkpoint, from which they are able to see part of the coming encounter space. Enemies patrol the front of the Cathedral space. It’s important that the player could start this encounter from this distance, but they’d be unable to kill all the combatants without entering the space.
From a narrative standpoint, the recently completed ambush drew infected to the cathedral. The enemy faction is dealing with the last stragglers of infected when the player arrives.
The Approach (post valve, first combat): To enter the encounter space and progress, the player proceeds through an opened emergency exit on the roof of a bus. Once they drop into the bus, an infected is scripted to run from off screen (to the left) and cross in front of the bus windows. The infected vaults through a hole in the fence, showing the player how to enter the combat space. The infected is killed shortly after entering the encounter space by the human enemies.
Showcasing fighting between factions, even in a scripted sequence, helps reinforce narrative elements and creates an excuse as to why there’s gunfire / conflict near the front of the church. The human enemy faction is performing clean up duty, defending their base from a universal pest / threat of infected. When the player starts fighting, the idea is that human enemies nearby don’t all converge on the player’s position immediately overwhelming them.
As the first encounter with human enemies in my layout study, each enemy patrol path and sightline sweep provides the player with ample opportunity to isolate and quietly take out each combatant.
If the player is spotted, I created a backboard of solid cover opposite the stealth grass. This area, dressed as a mechanics tent / garage space, provides a safe pocket with resources so the player can restock and hunker down to visually sweep for threats. Here, with the high and low cover available, the player can ambush an enemy as they close in, or slip out of the side to flank around.
The Enemy Base: Given the open nature of the enemy base, a lot of design effort was focused on maintaining tension and a sense of pacing throughout the layout. To do this, I curated specific enemies in each encounter space to stay in and defend that area while others were free to roam outside of their intended encounter space. This results in an organic trickle of enemies seeking out the player once they’ve alerted the enemies in one area, while making sure no areas feel suspiciously empty of combatants.
The base has multiple points of entry/exit.
The right approach encounter space has a window the player can climb through to enter the cathedral on the first floor.
The left approach encounter space has two points of entry.
One drops the player down to the first floor (a one-way valve) .
The other allows the player to navigate along the cathedral interior scaffolding. From the scaffolding they can either descend, or ascend to the rooftop exterior.
The back left encounter space has two points of entry and a flight of stairs that allows the player to safely descend from the cathedral rooftop exterior.
The first point of entry lets the player into the bunks / sleeping area for the enemies.
The second point of entry lets the player into the back of the cathedral interior.
Finally, the remaining two points of entry / exit for the player are intended primarily as exit / escape routes that position the player with a clear line of sight on the exit to the enemy base .
For the front left encounter space, I created a quick-escape mud-slide and strong water current that carries the player to the back of the cathedral, to the parking lot encounter space. From here it’s possible the player’s approach to the cathedral objective is via these back entry points.
The first is an open doorway to the basement level of the cathedral. A flight of stairs positions players at the back of the first floor of the encounter space.
The second is a section of collapsed / sunken earth that has created a breach in the cathedral wall on the right side. From here, the player can drop into the trench, and climb out while inside the cathedral.
The Escape: The final section of the base is the parking lot behind the cathedral. This area can be accessed early if the player jumps into the water from the front left encounter space. Here, we have two separate groups of enemies.
The first group of enemies is positioned around an old medical tent, near where the player climbs out of the water. The tent and surrounding cover allows the player to deal with this first group without alerting the distant second group.
The second group of enemies is positioned near the player’s exit point. Here there are large military trucks parked, with green military crates for cover. Stealth grass throughout this area allows the player to consider their approach to the parking lot exit.
If the player as reached the objective, the enemies positioned here will move into view on approaching the exit. They then move around on high alert, sweeping for the player.
