Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Core project contributions...
Level Designer I | Crystal Dynamics | Proprietary Engine
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Technical Implementation: Collaborated with Engineering to implement and showcase new water physics technology within complex side-tomb puzzles
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Key Responsibilities: Visual Scripting, Combat Encounter, Level, Puzzle, Traversal Design
Level Breakdown Video
Aqueduct Challenge Tomb
One of the featured side tombs I was able to work on. This puzzle highlights the use of water physics with the use pulleys and the raft's buoyancy. I'll go over the puzzle below. If you prefer a video playthrough I've made, please look for the above video.
Starting position of the puzzle
highlighting critical path elements to complete puzzle
Lever resets once it has filled the lower level
Starting position of the puzzle
Puzzle Introduction
When the player enters this space, we highlight the final destination. (aqueduct entrance) We also hint at the suspending platform followed by the dilapidated scalfolding forming our critical path. We placed the water lever at the same floor as the player to incentivize them to interact with it. When used, it would fill the chamber with water.
First Chamber
The lower floor contains four objects of interest. From the image provided, we see that there's a wall lever that activates the sluice gate. This will remove the water from the chamber. The furthest wall contains a barrier that can't be removed from this side of the level. To the right, a door that can't be opened by normal conventional means. Off to the right, a raft that floats to the dynamic surface of the water. The goal is to navigate the raft into position where the player can tie the door to the raft. Once you fill the chamber with water, the buoyancy of the raft will lift open the door, leading the player to the second chamber of the level.
(top left to bottom right) sluice gate and lever, barrier, hatch, raft
Once chamber has been filled with water, the raft will lift open the hatch
After pathing through the hatch, you arrive to an unreachable opening
Water is removed by activating the sluice gate
There is a water current that now brings the raft to the shallow water
After pathing through the hatch, you arrive to an unreachable opening
Second Chamber
As the player surfaces for air, they will have arrived into the second chamber. There's an opening the player can't reach yet and with the water in place, they cannot remove the barrier. Located below the opening, a lever with another sluice gate is available to use. By draining the water, the barrier can now be removed, gaining access to the first chamber. The next step is to retrieve the raft and position it in front of the opening found in the second chamber. By retracing their steps back to the water lever found in the start of the level, they can fill both chambers with water and climb up on the raft to reach the opening.
Waterwheel Beat
The opening eventually leads the player to same level as the first water lever. Here, the player can activate a second water lever. When activated, the water rises up to the player's feet. The lever handle also breaks, letting the player unsubconciously know removing/adding water is not necessary for the rest of the puzzle. The player looks over where the first chamber was and sees a waterwheel in the distance. They can't reach the top of the water wheel without the use of the raft. By attaching the raft to the waterwheel, the player can hitch a ride on the raft to get up to the waterwheel level.
Critical path is now closer and more clear to the player
4 elements: - raft - vine scalfolding - suspended platform - water wheel
The Final Stretch
As the player turns their attention to the suspended platform, the raft gets carried off slowly by the current. It eventually circles back to shore to the left. Meanwhile, the player can connect the suspended platform to the waterwheel, lifting the platform in place to form the critical path. However, if the raft is not in place, the player cannot reach the island the scalfolding resides at. This is a timing puzzle where the player positions the raft in the current. Next, the player quickly connects the platform to the waterwheel. The player must quickly get onto the raft and then get onto the island the scafolding is located. They quickly scale the scalfolding and jump onto the suspended platform and then jump towards the temple entrance, reaching their final destination.