Level Overview - Blockout

Level Overview - Sections

Level Overview - Energy System

Finalized Level in Unity

Room 1-1 is the first Room in Lumien the player enters after clearing the tutorial. The room is designed to let the player get a grasp on the game's basic controls, utilize the abilities learned in the tutorial and teach the player about the energy system.
The energy system is a mechanic in Lumien that allows the player to manipulate their environment by interacting with various switches. Level elements connected by these switches can assume one of two states. In the case of Room 1-1, these elements are pillars and platforms that extend out of the floor and walls once supplied with energy.
As the first area in the game after the tutorial, room 1-1 presents very little danger to the player. In fact, no enemies or harmful obstacles exist within the room, to allow the player to get accustomed to their abilities in a safe environment.
The goal of the player is to clear several platforming sections, using the abilities they learned in the tutorial in conjunction with the energy system and reach the end of the room.

Room 1-1 additionally contains a switch on an elevated platform in section 4/5 that can only be reached by using the lategame Hookshot upgrade. 

Room 1-1 was the first playable area to be designed in full. As such a proper pipeline was yet to be established, and I took over several responsibilities that would later be handled by other departments. 
During the concept Phase I first determined the central goal of the room, along with the mechanics it was meant to teach.
With that in mind I split the room into 5 challenges called "sections" (see images on the right). Challenges 1 and 4 combine basic platforming with using the first ability aquired by the player (a projectile that can move certain platforms) while challenges 2 and 3 teach the player the basics of the energy system, along with some more varied platforming. Finally, challenge 5 combines platforming, the energy system and the usage of the projectile.

During the blockout phase, I I created a simple mock-up or blockout of room 1-1, as well as defining how each of the challenges was actually meant to be structured. This would later be handled through detailed sketches, before the blockout phase for other rooms. The blockout was created in Blender and shows the general shape the room is meant to take, while any special elements, like switches and extendable platforms were marked to be recognizable during later stages of development. 
To better visualize the impact of the energy system, I animated extendable platforms and pillars in their different states to show the player's progression through the level.
After finishing the blockout itself, the different sections were marked, and a seperate graphic was created to show the energy flow of the energy system. This basic system was later adapted and used as the basis for the sketches of later rooms.

After finishing the room concept and blockout I handed over and pitched the relevant information to the engine and art departments. The Art department used the blockout as a base for the room to be fully designed with proper textures and finer details in the environment, after which the room was fully implemented in unity by the engine team. I overlooked this process, pointing out adjustments that needed to be made when neccessary. 

Level Overview - Sections

Level Overview - Player Path

Level Overview - World Asset Zones

Finished Blockout of the Level

Unlike Room 1-1, Room 2b-2 was designed at a point of development where a proper leveldesign pipeline was established.
As such, I primarily focussed on creating a detailed level concept with a sketch, pitching the room to other involved developers and overlooking the design process of those developers.

Room 2b-2 is located in the middle of the second level. Around it's halfway point the player aquires either their second or third upgrade, the "Timeslow Orb".
This projectile allows the player to slow down moving level elements and enemies in an area around itself.

Similarly to Room 1-1, this room was initially conceptualized in text form, by setting the players goal and writing out basic details for each of the rooms challenges.

As the player aquires an upgrade within this room, it was designer around teaching the player how to utilize this new ability. Stage 2 as a whole is focussed on interacting with moving objects in the players environment, like moving platforms and pendulum.

The first half of the room was designed to mirror the second, by getting the player used to interacting with fast moving platforms and pendulums.
Section 1, 2 and 3 mirror sections 7, 6 and 5 respectively, while Section 4 primarily serves as a safe area in which the player can test out their new ability. As an example, Section 2 contains several fast moving platforms. The player can stop these platforms by hitting a switch with their projectile. Section 4 similarly contains the same amount of platforms n the same pattern, but lacks a switch to stop them. As such the player needs to use their new ability to slow the platforms and traverse across the gap safely. 

To make sure other developers were able to use these level sketches as a reliable resource I included several variations of the sketch. These uses include, showing the level as is, with as little visual obstruction as possible, a sketch in which the level was divided into sections, one showing the path, the player was meant to take through the level and one that highlighted areas that could contain freely placed world assets.

As Lead Leveldesigner it was my task to oversee the rest of the Leveldesign process. To facilitate this, I pitched each Level concept to all involved developers in detail, answering questions and making suggestions for finer details. Throughout this process I would take a closer look over the blockouts other developers created, making adjustments where neccessary and giving feedback. I was also involved with approving world assets, room sketches from the concept art team and fully modeled rooms, but the head of the art department would have the final say in those instances.