Level Design: Illuminati HQ Atrium (420 Blaze It 2)
Game: 420 Blaze It 2
Engine: Unity
As the Level Designer on this game, I was responsible for every level in the game. Illuminati HQ is one of our longest and most challenging levels, and has a variety of gameplay throughout.
This is a short study of one of the most iconic rooms in the level; the atrium.
The player enters the atrium after having either sneakily passed the guards as a pizza delivery person, or charging in guns blazing. They then enter a triangular room (get it? Illuminati pyramid? This whole game is so silly) where the focus is on moving in a spiral manner around the outside of the room, up to the top floor where they cross a glass bridge into the rest of the level.
Its a very open space so it provides challenge if the player is daring to cross it without cover, and a sniper rifle is provided at the halfway point, and more enemies spawn in at a distance to allow for some fun sniper gameplay - which had been lacking a bit in the game overall.
It was a challenge to design a triangular room specifically where the walls meet at angles and trying to fill those spaces with clean geometry, plus also provide an interesting flow as the player ascends to the second floor.
A lot of inspiration was taken from existing office atriums around the world. Namely We Work, Apple, and ABC Sydney.
Overall I'm very happy with how it turned out. If we had more time, I would have liked a bigger combat encounter to take place here... and that glass window is looking ripe to have enemies blow it up and drop down through it... but the rest of the level had plenty enough going on so we just kept this room as a simple combat traversal.
First sketch and planning. I wanted a triangular room, because the Illuminati symbol is a pyramid. I researched many office atriums and set on a 3 storey design. I also wanted to explore spiral movement, fighting enemies across an open space.
First greybox, noting how the design already encountered issues and changed from the sketch. The office windows are now facing as you enter, as enemies will spawn here and need to be obvious. Also the art installation was scrapped.
Another view in the greybox, looking back at the entrance on ground floor. A lot of playtesting was done at this stage. When we were happy with the results we locked it and moved to the art pass.
First art pass from our external art studio. They did an excellent job but I sent some feedback, identifying ways we can brighten the room as it feels very dark now.
First art pass
First art pass
Final version. The room is brighter, with differentiation between inner white marble surfaces and outer black surfaces, plus use of gold to frame important elements for focus.
View of the tower you are about to enter, using forced perspective to make it look taller than it actually is.
The player collects a sniper rifle here as more enemies spawn in behind the glass offices, through the A frame, and at the top of the stairs. It's a fun spot with some cover, allowing good use of the sniper. Or... the player can just charge on ahead!
Here's a link to a video of this part of the level being played