Category: Two-Week Educational Game

Responsibilities:

• Designed the layouts of the map. Modeled the entire level in UE5.

• Implemented the Environment Artists Assets (Jason Gao) and set dressed

Inspiration:

• Teletubbies

• Dystopian News

Level Goals:

This project was part of a two-week educational game assignment designed to explore how news can be manipulated and the motivations behind such manipulation. My primary goal in designing the level was to create an environment that supported the game's core themes while providing a clear and engaging progression for the player.

The concept was inspired by a blend of whimsical elements, like Teletubbies, and the darker undertones of dystopian news. Players took on the role of a local news reporter navigating a route from their home to a news agency, encountering three newsworthy events along the way. These events gave players the choice to tell the truth, embellish, or lie in their reporting, with each decision carrying its own risks and rewards. The level was designed to reflect these branching paths, ensuring the player felt the weight of their choices both narratively and mechanically.

I focused on creating the map layout and modeling the entire level in Unreal Engine 5, aiming for a functional yet visually distinct environment. Once the level structure was complete, I integrated environment assets provided by Jason Gao and set dressed the scenes to evoke a surreal, slightly unsettling atmosphere that mirrored the game's themes. The route was carefully planned to guide players from their home, through the three news events, and finally to the news agency, creating a natural flow that aligned with the storytelling and gameplay objectives.

This project challenged me to think critically about how level design can enhance educational goals while maintaining player engagement. It provided an opportunity to refine my skills in layout design, asset implementation, and environmental storytelling, while also exploring how gameplay mechanics can connect to larger, real-world themes.