Marvel's Avengers
Core project contributions...
Level Designer I | Crystal Dynamics | Proprietary Engine
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Live Service Map Design: adapted to live service model, the team and I developed modular and scalable hex maps that allowed us to develop daily/weekly mission map content
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Gameplay Objective Design: prototyped & visual scripted multiplayer objectives that ask the players to work together, solve puzzles and complete post content activities like "Raids" in mmorpgs
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Traversal Design: created fun and rewarded player paths that incorporate unique character traversal abilities in an open world setting
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Key Responsibilities: Live Service Content, Visual Scripting, Combat Encounter, Level, Puzzle, Traversal Design
Marvel's Avengers Level Design
- Build world maps for the live service model
- Create memorable locations players would travel to
- Design levels and activities that support 1-4 players
In order to build the levels in Marvel's Avengers, we set design goals in order to understand our limitations. These goals were:
Although there are lots of details going into the making of these levels, I'm only going over important concepts in developing the world.
Live Service: While we had content like the raid to be unique spaces, the over world was built modularly. We can quickly assemble maps in different sizes and shapes and built a system where we can change mission objectives, spawn different enemy types/sizes as well as reward types/assigning them with different locations. These changes could go live instantly when necessary.
Level Variety: Levels were built modularly and could be scalable. We also provided a variety of exterior/interior spaces as well as city, forest, canyon and tundra locations. Because these levels were built to tile, that allowed us to create multiple maps quickly while increasing variety. We also had a known faction AIM tied to the story and we were also integrating these pieces into these maps.
Player Experience (1-4): A main focus of mine was designing the game's experience for up to 4 players. This also meant to consider that players had many choices of hero abilities to use and I had to provide the player with fun and creative choices.
Level/Combat Layout Examples
- player ceiling
- player pathing
City traversal: being creative with our traversal prims, we used pole like structures as swing prims, roofs, vehicles and suspended scaffolding as platforms. Some of the VL were flat surfaces as well as yellow tarps over structures and white painted hand rails.
Cover pieces: These pieces were mainly for our enemies. They would range from vehicles, plant dividers, barricades to Hvac and chimneys on roofs.
Rewards | Resources placements: Locations varied from primary player paths as well as off beaten paths to motivate and reward players for exploring.
Health | Hazard placements: Health placements are typically placed in less traffic/safe areas while hazards were placed in areas that had heavy traffic.
Objectives: These objects require some space. Although they do vary in size and shape, we may also place some in with less relestate, making use of heroes strengths/abilities as well as spawning enemies that may expose/be vulnerable to hero class/abilities.
- wall run/cling/scramble options
- player pathing
Defining the size and shape of the world...
We wanted to build our maps on hex shapes. These hexes provided modularity, flexibility and scalability. In order to wrap our head around size, let's take a look at our character movement abilities that helped define gameplay space.
Creating player paths & flow
Marvel's Avengers contain many heroes that have many abilities to get around our world. From Captain America's wall run, Spider man's web slinging to Iron Man's flying, I helped craft player pathing and flow. Players get to string their abilities through cities, forest floors, canyons of Utah and high tech interior bases.
Resource Design
On each hex, I was able to place multiple resources along player paths as well as hazards during combat encounters. I was able to control the frequency and spawn location of these resources for live service content.