Carter Greene
© Carter Greene 2023

The Shadow That Pervades

LEVEL DESIGN

For Shadow That Pervades, I was tasked with developing a fully playable level and gameplay mechanics themed around an urban gated community.


A level highlight reel of the final Gated Community demo

RESEARCH

When I first joined the Shadow That Pervades team, I was assigned to create a playable demo level based on a previously-created gated community concept. I used this early test map to inform the metrics and basic structure of my level layout – a central thoroughfare dividing the community and two backyard sections.


The original art test lacked gameplay elements other than our prototype dog character. It was my job to draft and implement meaningful interactions that fit our game’s urban residential setting.


In the early development phase, I set out into the northern neighborhoods of Chicago in search of inspiration, taking reference photos of intriguing architecture and scenery I came across (a handful of which are shown here). These photos helped inform the layout decisions and set-pieces I included in the level.


The gated communities I studied were often tucked away between taller structures, and emphasized economy of space as a result. I attempted to reflect this in my design, striving for a compact feel that was authentic to what I observed in the city.


Exploring Chicago also allowed me to visit nearby urban parks where I could observe dogs interacting with their surroundings off-leash. This is what sparked the incorporation of level interactions like squirrel chasing and digging for buried treasure.

CONCEPTING AND DRAFTING

When developing ideas for a level, I typically start by cataloging all of the player’s affordances. For instance, Rose the Dog can move, jump, sprint, push boxes, hold objects in her mouth, dig, and (later in development) climb certain structures. I drew upon my research in uptown Chicago to draft level set-pieces with these core abilities in mind.

After brainstorming various mechanics, I worked with our team leads to narrow down my list of design concepts based on the desired project scope.


My initial layout envisioned a full city intersection with multiple locations such as a Schoolyard and Parking Garage, the Gated Community comprising a tutorial area. For the purposes of the demo, however, this idea was limited to encompass just the gated community.


Upon receiving feedback on my early prototypes, I restructured my original level concept to use a cul-de-sac as its structural focal point, and added an annex that created an L-shaped bend in the nexus between the houses. I created a few 2D layout diagrams for approval before moving to Unreal for blockout.


Although the general level structure was finalized from here, a lot of details were removed or further iterated upon throughout development.

A walkthrough of my first gated community blockout. This version utilized an early version of the dog character, and many of my level elements were still being prototyped at this stage.

BLOCKOUT AND BLUEPRINTING

My first grey-box prototype (seen above) conceived the gated community as a short tutorial area rather than the main setting of the level. While unused, this version allowed me to create practical demonstrations for many of the mechanics I implemented in the final level such as Bash Gates, Dig Spots, and Trampolines. It also let me create a concept proof for our game’s Quest system framework, which I heavily utilized later on.

The second blockout I worked on aligned with my reimagined cul-de-sac layout, and acted as the foundation for the rest of development on our level.


Achieving the right balance of spacing to encourage exploration in a compact urban setting posed an interesting challenge when we introduced the expanded thoroughfare. I wanted the setting to feel vast and explorable yet condensed enough to pass for an authentic city neighborhood.

An early layout sketch for the Cul-De-Sac concept

After establishing the general scale of the play space, I began scripting level interactions for each section of the level starting with Rose’s backyard – finishing one area as much as possible before starting another.


This approach helped me account for our team’s iterative production style, as I could make adjustments and additions based on feedback and introduced ideas, as well as adjust my plans for future areas accordingly. Doing so helped ensure a consistent design balance throughout the level as programmers introduced more features to implement.

Upon completing each section of the map, I would pass it along to our Environmental Artists who beautified the space, replacing temp assets with high-quality static meshes and foliage actors. They also introduced out-of-bounds set-pieces that breathed even more life into the setting we aimed to establish. I communicated with artists to adjust these assets as needed to highlight and prevent obstruction of level elements.

QUEST DESIGN

In addition to developing the level's layout and mechanical interactions, I was responsible for writing and implementing the narrative throughline of the experience using our team's Quest System framework.


For reasons unknown, the people that once inhabited the world of Shadow That Pervades have faded away – not entirely gone, but trapped as shades in a state of mournful limbo. Rose, a dog whose owners suffered the same fate, has become a stray and must now wander the city that's been left behind… helping the ghosts of its former denizens as she searches for a new home.

Each quest I designed is meant to teach or reinforce Rose’s core affordances. For instance, the first quest has Rose search the backyards for food scraps and bring it to the shadow of her neighbor, whose last memories were of starvation. This objective teaches players how to pick up small items in the overworld and dispel shadows by decoding their cryptic woes.


The level’s main quest, given by the only human character in the game, has players search the level for toolboxes that they can use to unlock the front door of Rose’s nearby house. One toolbox requires completion of a platforming challenge, while the other requires that players dispel a second shadow who guards a toolshed (shown above).

DESIGN TECHNIQUES

LEADING THE PLAYER – At the start of the level, Rose encounters a glowing spirit who beckons her to follow it. This orb acts as a diegetic visual indicator to guide players toward the level's main objectives and points of interest. As the level opens up, I limited the use of this element to emphasize player freedom and exploration.

INTRODUCTION AND COMBINATION – In the opening section of the level, I individually present the player two mechanics that they can employ during gameplay: Block-Moving and Digging. Both are used as skill gates for access to the main street. I then present challenges throughout the level that require the player to use these mechanics in combination with one another.

DENIAL AND REVEAL – The opening section of the game has Rose in a confined backyard, with only the tops of the nearby buildings visible over the surrounding fences. The player must then make their way through an even more constricting crawlspace, creating a "funnel" that contrasts with the eventual reveal of the expansive cul-de-sac on the other side. Limiting exploration in the opening also helps maintain tighter focus on the introduction of level mechanics.

NON-LINEARITY – Once the level opens up into the cul-de-sac and adjacent zones, the player's objectives become much more open-ended. I included elements throughout the map to spark curiosity, such as the squirrel who reacts to Rose approaching or the step-stones that breadcrumb towards the entrance to the second set of backyards. The two toolboxes needed to complete the main quest of the map can be found in any order the player wishes. I also included several shortcutting routes back to different areas.

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