San Saeon
Personal Project - Unreal Engine
Summary
The Republic intercepts a rumor of a data drive guarded by General Draven, ruthless leader of a Brotherhood-held city, containing secrets that could shift the tide of the bio war. Agent Shadow is dispatched behind enemy lines to infiltrate Draven's stronghold, eliminate him, and retrieve the drive. The fate of the war now hinges on the data it holds.
About the Level
Developed over 6 weeks
Unreal Engine 5.4.4, Illustrator, Photoshop
All static meshes modeled in engine
IWALS v1.1 Combat Kit
~15 minutes of Gameplay
Intentions
Showcase Mission Design, Scripting, Level Design, Modeling, Stealth Route Design, and Combat Space Design Skills
Script utility that functions to make the level ideal of playtesting and sequences that guide the player along the golden path
Design Exotic Vistas that showcase the breathtaking scale of the level both vertically and by landmass
Loading Docks
This area begins with a boat ride which was scripted to activate on begin play. The script calls a sequencer which moves the boat that the player is riding to the docks. The script also calls an audio sequence which plays sound attached to the player to deliver the narrative intro which was an audio text to speech I recorded and converted to a .wav file which was then imported into UE5 and converted to an audio queue.
The giant red walls you see in this image are invisible in game, but act as a shell to keep the player in the playspace. When the boat passes past a certain point a final wall raises behind the boat to keep the player contained
Route 1 is in yellow and allows you to take the crane sequence, route 2 is in green and allows you to repel down from the roof
The intro Boat Ride Sequencer is called when the player spawns on a trigger box which triggers the boat movement sequencer and an audio queue
This Crane Cart movement is called via a trigger box which activates a timeline that (1) shrinks the size of the wire holding the cart, (2) moves the cart up on the z axis, up on the x axis, and then down on the z axis, and (3) stretches the pole back out
Route 2’s grapple descend into the Maintenance Building
Water Treatment Facility (Offices)
Immediately after jumping into the water system from the docks the player will find themselves in a water maze. Traversal here requires swimming strategically to find the fans blocking your path and the power switch to turn the fans off. After disabling the fans the player can swim into the water treatment facility and is immediately met with their first mandatory taste of combat. The player can fire their gun at the enemy or alternatively can sneak up and stealth takedown the first guard. On the second floor the player is given the option to kill another guard or to find the hidden path which requires climbing up boxes to sneak into the manager’s office.
Facilities Sewer Tunnel leading from the docks to the Water Treatment Plant
First Floor of the Water Facilities Offices. The player emerges into this room from the sewer passageway
Rotating fans blocking the path to the water treatment facilities which can be turned off with the machine next to them
Water Pumps feintly moving in the area to give periphreal movement to the scene
Route 1: Climbing the Boxes to get to Manager’s Office
Route 2: Taking the hallway to the stairs and making your way through the office space
Directed Camera Sequencer which plays when you pick up the key and checks a boolean on the player character setting the player as having the key
Water Treatment Facility (Outside)
After exiting the offices the player has there first open area which branches to multiple routes. This area allows the player to adventure and play how they want to. If the choose to climb on the rooftop they’ll have access to a sniper and a shooting range before them, if they want to jump into the water there’s a hidden swimming route, and if they want to follow the golden path the key they picked up before will allow them to enter the nuclear facility doors
Water Purifiers Rotating hiding the secret path to the energy facility
The middle section of the water purifier swimming section creating separation between the second and third swimming sections
Three Primary Routes (It’s possible to mix and match them in a playthrough)
Yellow: Exit the offices and head to a second swimming route through the water purifiers
Green: take the left route at the split which similarly takes you to a different entrance of the water purifier route
Red: Climb on the rooftop where a sniper waits for you and take out the guards before proceeding to the nuclear energy facility
Sniper alley if the player chooses to climb up on top of the rooftop
A player stopping the Fans to enter the secret path
Nuclear Energy Facility
Players who picked up the key and went into the nuclear facility will be greeted with two paths to the left and the right of the entrance surrounding the nuclear fission pool. The right route leads to a shortcut through the vents allowing them to skip the next big firefight. The left route leads to the main door which provides a direct path to the energy plant and the next big firefight.
This area acts as a more interactive hallway with branching paths directly to the energy facility (left) or a shortcut through the ventilation shafts (right)
Interactive grates that appear when the player is close enough to reward the explorative players and to hide the path from far away
This area provides the opportunity for stealth or close quarters combat with tight corridors and 3 enemies in the area
Electrical Power Plant
Players who took the swimming route or walked directly into the energy plant will trigger an alarm, leading to a firefight against six enemies. A sniper near the entrance offers a ranged advantage for those who spot it. Players who used the ventilation shaft instead will avoid the alarm and reconnect with the main route in the offices. Inside, a button shuts off the alarms, triggering a camera sequence showing an opening door—with one final guard waiting behind it.
Three routes exist to the button which turns off the alarm that triggers when you enter this area:
Yellow - safest route, provides lots of cover and high points
Green - fastest route, very exposed with little cover
Red - the alarm did not trigger on this route because the player entered from the ventilation shaft connected to the nuclear power plant
After the firefight the player will find the door locked. The button in the offices will disable the emergency alarm and unlock the door allowing them to proceed
When the player enters this area from any direction except the secret path the alarm turns on and a big fire fight ensues with 6 enemies with varying weapons including enemy snipers
Guard Tower Wall
(Left) On the guard tower wall the player can utilize a sniper here to take out enemies. Once they take the elevator down they can either climb up the ladder where the enemies were previously or (right) run to the end where a connecting elevator exists. Both routes offer a chance for a nice vista show off. Both routes end at the same place right before the guards tower.
The beginning of this area requires the player to climb the wall and get to the bell where they can rope swing past it to get to the military side of the wall
After swinging past the bell the player has a linear, but vertical, hallway with four guards, two on the lower deck and two on the upper floor
South Wall Vista Point (Where we came from)
The bell tower has a ropable spot allowing the player to rope past. Originally this wasn’t working due to mesh interference so the collision of the actual static mesh over the rope needed to be removed
North Wall Vista Point (Where we’re going)
Guard Tower
Taking the guard tower head-on guarantees combat, with three guards on the ground floor and a chance for a stealth takedown in the locker area before heading up the elevator. Sharp-eyed players may recognize the familiar-looking scaffolding, which conveniently leads to an open window—an alternate way in for those who prefer a quieter approach to skip the first two floors of combat. The routes meet back up on the third and fourth floors the soldiers barracks and the gym. This area includes a few more enemies and is the last hurdle before the rooftop mini-boss.
The beginning of this area requires the player to climb the wall and get to the bell where they can rope swing past it to get to the military side of the wall
Third Floor - Soldier’s Barracks (Three enemies)
Rooftop - Helicopter Boss with Four Enemies
First Floor - Guard’s Mess Hall (three enemies)
It was important to me that player who prefer stealth had opportunities in this area, so there is a pacifist option that skips the first two floors of combat by climbing to an open window
Second Floor - Soldier’s Lockers (one enemy)
Fourth Floor - Soldier’s Gym (one enemy)
Helicopter Mini-boss and Zipline
At the top of the guard tower, the player faces a mini-boss—the helicopter carrying the boss. After clearing the rooftop enemies, the helicopter retreats, and the player can give chase by ziplining to the central building.
Final Boss
Once you zipline to the central building enter a maintenance elevator and head up. It’s time to face Bowser… or general Draven. Same thing. Big Bad Guy. (but also he is just a normal enemy because I can’t alter the individual health of an enemy without learning C++ because this pack was made for geniuses and I am not a genius)
Anyways kill that totally boss-like guy and retrieve the data drive. This will start a cutscene sequence where you jump out a window and parachute to the boat you saw on the docks earlier when you started the game (yay foreshadowing!!!). Anyways good job. You did it. You’re a game in my books if you beat this level. It was fun to make. I have a lot of work to do. Okay that’s all. Good bye. xoxo
LAYOUT AND BASIC PRINCIPLES
When designing the layout for this City Breach level, I focused on creating a city environment that offers freedom of choice while maintaining tight gameplay flow. The goal was to balance multiple traversal and combat options within a compact, immersive environment, ensuring that each route provided a distinct experience.
Connected spaces: The city is divided into interconnected zones that encourage different approaches. The combat-heavy route features fortified streets and guard towers, the stealth route emphasizes rooftops and sewer pathways, and the mixed route combines urban traversal with moderate combat encounters. Each route converges at the fortress, maintaining a natural progression while supporting replayability.
Strategic traversal: Advanced traversal options, enabled by AGLS systems, are integrated throughout the level. Players can scale walls, shimmy across ledges, rope swing past hazards, swim through waterways, and zipline into key locations. Each route offers unique traversal mechanics tailored to its gameplay style, enhancing variety and challenge.
Believability: The city layout and architecture were designed with realism in mind, reflecting the story of an occupied stronghold under imperial control. From industrial areas like the docks and sewers to the residential streets and the boss’s fortress, each space feels purposeful and lived-in. Environmental storytelling is reinforced by features such as broken bridges, construction zones, and patrolling guards, immersing players in the world’s narrative.
This approach prioritizes gameplay diversity, player choice, and environmental storytelling, creating an engaging experience that emphasizes both freedom and immersion.
Reference Moodboard and Level Design Decisions
To establish a clear vision for this City Breach level, I began by outlining the city’s layout, architectural style, and environmental themes. This conceptual groundwork ensured the city felt realistic and immersive while supporting diverse gameplay styles, including stealth, combat, and traversal.
I drew inspiration from historical cityscapes, medieval architecture, and functional urban layouts to guide the design. The goal was to create a believable environment with distinct zones, such as industrial docks, residential streets, and a heavily fortified central keep. Each area was crafted with a focus on gameplay flow, environmental storytelling, and the player's sense of progression.
Iterative Design Process:
Route Evolution: Early drafts of the stealth route focused on basic sewer navigation but evolved to incorporate swimming through the moat, cliff shimmying, and rope swings past bell towers after reviewing potential traversal mechanics. These additions enhanced the route's complexity and engagement.
Environmental Storytelling: The combat-heavy route was initially designed as a straightforward push through enemy defenses but became more dynamic with the addition of a broken bridge and a distant secondary bridge. This not only increased the difficulty but also tied into the narrative of a city under siege.
Dynamic Gameplay Spaces: The mixed route, which combines moderate combat and stealth, was enhanced with rooftop access points and interior traversal through residential buildings. These adjustments provided vertical gameplay elements and reinforced the city’s lived-in feel.
Moodboard Influence on Design:
Reference materials such as industrial docks, castle fortifications, and sewer systems guided the aesthetic and structural choices. For example, the docks were designed to feel bustling and functional, while the fortress exudes an imposing, militarized presence. These visual cues informed the placement of environmental details like construction scaffolding, barricades, and abandoned market stalls, creating a cohesive and immersive world.
This iterative process ensured that every route and space contributed meaningfully to the player’s experience, balancing thematic consistency with dynamic and engaging gameplay progression.
