Trailer: Club NUKE
Club NUKE
A Third Person Combat-adventure
INTRODUCTION
I wanted to create a level that has a little connection from previously played missions (in this case, from the previous Portfolio Project).
I wanted this level to start with a WOW feeling, so why not a nightclub.
Or even better!!
A decommissioned nuclear power plant that has become a nightclub
The inspiration comes from a few different games that have nightclub levels, the Afterlife Club on Omega the space station from Mass Effect, another club Afterlife from Cyberpunk 2077 which is a morgue converted into a nightclub, but the biggest inspiration comes from Club Hölle from the Hitman series.
I welcome you to the neon-lit underground nightlife, where the
ever-pulsating rhythm of techno music echoes through the air, where the towering speakers spew out a thumping bass in time with the flashing lights.
Welcome to Club NUKE.
PROJECT DETALS
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Developed time: 4 weeks
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Engine used: Unreal Engine 5.4
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Additional programs: Blender
Sketchfab
Audacity
Epidemic Sound
Mixamo
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Combat and atmosphere design
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Assets used: AGLS IWALS v1.2.0 Which I reused from a previous project, re-modified so that the previous features would fit into the feeling I was looking for in this level experience.
Why a Club NUKE?
Why Club NUKE, because as previously mentioned I wanted to make a little connection to this level from the previous one and why stop there, give the club a name that hints at what is going on. You get an order or a mission in the previous level to get to this club and investigate, infiltrate and do everything in your power to stop what is going on.
Neutralize those involved and shut down a reactivated nuclear reactor (hence the name Club NUKE).
The Club area
Welcome to Club NUKE, the ultimate blend of clubbing, mystery and danger – a place where power, fun and danger coexist under a neon-lit roof. Inspired by legendary clubs from across the gaming universe, Club NUKE combines the excitement of Mass Effect's Afterlife, the exclusive feel of Cyberpunk's Afterlife and the fast-paced, pounding feel of Club Hölle from Hitman 3.
The Reactor area
The second part of the Club NUKE level begins when you discover the forgotten ventilation duct and make your way through to the back of the club.
When the pumping techno music fades and a quiet industrial noise takes over, you feel that something is lurking behind the scenes.
An armed guard with a drawn rifle walks past, into the seemingly abandoned parts of the building. A quick disarm to keep quiet
and a quick scan of the surroundings shows that it was once abandoned but not anymore.
Between the two reactor rooms is an old control room that is now used by the villains as some kind of weapons storage but also storage of other stuff.
Player walk through a collapsed wall that again shows that it has been abandoned for a long period and now we finally get a glimpse of why we are here.
The combat area and the use of Pete Ellis principles.
In my attempt to design a level that will largely be a combat level with some interactable elements that trigger scripted events.
And to save time, I made the choice early on to just copy the club space and turn it 180 degrees and add a small space between the club and the actual area where you have to get past to get to your end goal to sell that you have left the club environment and are now inside something more industrial parts of the building.
And since I made the choice to use the club space for my second area as well, I looked at design principles from a Mr. Pete Ellis who has worked on titles like Last Of Us 2, Killzone etc.
In my attempt to design a level that will largely be a combat level with some interactable elements that trigger scripted events.
And to save time, I made the choice early on to just copy the club space and turn it 180 degrees and add a small space between the club and the actual area where you have to get past to get to your end goal to sell that you have left the club environment and are now inside something more industrial parts of the building.
And since I made the choice to use the club space for my second area as well, I looked at design principles from a Mr. Pete Ellis who has worked on titles like Last Of Us, Killzone etc.
Spatial Awareness and Flow
One of the principles that I see as crucial, besides the fact that "Spatial Awareness and Flow" is at its best so that the player doesn't get lost and feel confused.
Is that the location and behavior of the enemies should challenge the player, encourage tactical thinking and different approaches.
The AI should be smart enough to adapt to the player's tactics, which makes the battles feel dynamic and intense.
And then a small NOTE: now to the critical part of this argument, is that I have worked with an AI that I have a fairly good knowledge of how it works, but not the knowledge of how I can control it to how I want it to work depending on how the player plays.
What I did instead was to think more about where the enemies were placed, are they alone or multiple and what types of weapons they had. But also whether they have high-ground, level-ground or low-ground.
The placement and behavior of Ai
I wanted combat spaces to feel natural to the environment I chose to work with, while allowing for both vertical and horizontal movement.
Players would be able to intuitively understand where they can and cannot go, while encouraging them to explore.
I had the idea of having a mix of wide open spaces and narrow corridors. I also wanted to design the area to allow for both long-range engagements and close-quarters combat. Cover placement in the form of unpacked crates is crucial to controlling player movement, providing safe zones while encouraging them to move between covers or take risks as they advance.
With this design and giving players the option to play more aggressively or defensively, it provides a tactical experience where positioning is key. It gives the player the choice to (should I back away or should I move forward, because it is not safe for me in my current position).
Pacing and combat intensity
The combat sections should be designed in such a way that they build and release tension effectively.
There should be a balance between intense high-pressure encounters mixed with calmer moments that allow the player to catch their breath and plan their next moves.
For this, I did so that the enemies spawn in different waves.
In different numbers, with different weapon types and at different elevations in level.
And the way the different waves are triggered is that when you start and activate different things on the "Reactor",
the next wave of enemies is triggered which is a little more difficult than the previous one.
Except for the last enemy group that actually open the door that the player is supposed to take out, they are spawned when the player uses the reactor console in the control room.
The starting enemys (Grunts)
The second wave (Alerted Grunts w Sniper support)
The first wave (Alerted Grunts)
The third wave (Attacking Grunts w explosives)
Sightlines and Visibility
Combat spaces should be designed with different lines of sight. Some open, some blocked.
Players must manage their visibility and position during firefights. This forces the player to consider how they are seen and where enemies may be lurking.
To create tension and make the player constantly aware of their surroundings, force the player to work and control their lines of sight to avoid being flanked or ambushed.
And with that, I get into my little reflection on this level.
Reflection
My reflection on this level is as follows.
It is not easy to design combat spaces, to get them balanced with a game flow that feels comfortable, natural but still challenging so that players have to think tactically, use possible cover, retreat if overwhelmed and advance forward if brave.
Some more things I think about in this reflection is that I hindered myself more by using an exact copy of the club area.
If I had been more observant, I would have made small changes to both the layout and size, maybe even added more opportunities
for the player to be able to use the verticality in a good and more tactical way.
But the biggest reflection that I have to address with this level is that with the idea of the size of the surface, there was neither thinking power on my part nor space in the level to actually have some form of path where both the player and the enemies can flank each other.
However, I chose to actually go in and make this small change to show that with a small change to level decorations, you can make the area much larger without changing the level itself.
Combat space without flanking route.
Combat space with flanking route.
