QUAKE
CITADEL
When starting citadel, I wanted to work on a level that had a relatively small foot print but reused space. That way I could get more out of less, but also provide those moments of recognition when the player enters a space from a new perspective.
LAYOUT
Layout for this level was really important. Taking inspiration from games like Dark Souls, I wanted the world to feel interconnected. One of the biggest challenges was reusing spaces in a way that the player would recognize and appreciate.
BREADCRUMBING
When the player can see an item in an area that they think they can’t get to, they will wonder. Once the player gets to that location, the pay-off is satisfying, whether they guessed how they would eventually reach it or even if they were surprised.
BROKEN TOWER
Here on the return when the player is crossing the last chain, they have two choices: Drop down on the bridge or continue. Both are viable, but the second will reward the player’s exploration with a new weapon, ammo and armor. Not to mention the reward of the satisfaction of reaching that location previously sighted.
THE RETURN
When pressing the button at the half-way mark, the player will see that an object falls and blocks their entrance into the castle, blocking their way out. However, they also see the lit door at the end of the bridge open up. As some paths close, others inevitably open.
This helps signal to the player that they need to find another way forward in getting back to the door
SECRETS
A similar method is used to hide secret areas in plain sight. The first secret area, the broken wall, is not meant to be difficult to find. It is meant to be a reminder to the player that they will be rewarded if they explore the level.
The location of this wall is also placed in a location where the player could miss a shot when fighting enemies, resulting in a reveal of what’s behind.
The second secret is along the silver key path. It uses the same gating method as the golden path (breakable bars) and has the super shotgun as a reward. My hope is that players would see it initially from the early bridge sequence or recognize where they are from inside the room.
HEIGHTS
Heights is a test of blending verticality with rewarding exploration. When laying this level out, I really wanted to try and hit the pillars that make Quake so special (limiting ammo, fast paced combat and subverting expectations). Often in levels, the player sees plenty of spaces that are out of bounds. In Heights, many of the tucked away and hidden areas are secret areas.
Landmarking
Using methods like “landmarking” and lighting, we are able to draw the player to the end goal. This can be critical to ensure the player always knows roughly where they need to be heading.
Once an effective landmark is set, it’s easier to take liberties with the path the player must take to get there. Losing vision of the landmark as a result of going underground can be used to invoke discomfort or even fear in the player. Similarly, when the player returns and they can again see the landmark, they can often feel relieved and rewarded.
Subverting Expectation
When attempting to cross the span, the bridge collapses. As a result the player is forced to quickly reassess their path and use movement to get to a safe location.
These moments are not only effective at raising tension, but amplifying difficulty in a unique way. Using Quake’s difficulty system, we can choose whether this event happens per difficulty setting that the player has set.
Another example is this hidden room. When the player activates the secret wall, they are rewarded with a trove of health and ammo. Shortly after collecting it a hell knight is spawned to confront them.
Again, this is a great opportunity to leverage this event to tune difficulty. On easy the hell knight doesn’t need to spawn and on normal the enemy is instead a normal knight
Tools used
Trench Broom - Editor
Wally - WAD (Texture) Editor