Introduction


Factory is a first-person project focused on spatial communication.

My goal is to create a level where the player can understand the level, its language, and its vocabulary cohesively.

Project Details


  • Level design 
  • Unity
  • WIP
  • Blockout


Preproduction

References


Researching references for the location, an old industrial factory..

Concept 

 Old Industrial Factory


Exploring an abandoned factory  

Objective:
Reach the tower

 Gameplay Affects
Mystery, exploration

Game Mechanics:

 Jumping
 Crouching
Opening doors




Level Breakdown

Objective introduction

Landmark -> Tower

1st Challenge

 The player's first challenge

Closed door -> Find a way out

Introduction to Game Mechanics

- Crouching

- Jumping





New area

Discovery of the Machinery Room

The player realizes where they are, an abandoned factory.


Different Points of Interest  

The player suspects they must head to Point of Interest 2, but there might be something behind that door... (Point of Interest 2)

Frustration & Reward  

The player attempts to reach the door, but it's closed... The player feels frustrated, but upon turning around, they are rewarded with a poster in the distance, impossible to miss, on their way back to the stairs.

Environmental storytelling 

The purpose of this poster is to help the player understand where they are situated. The poster gives the player the impression that they must be somewhere in the USSR, in an old factory from Stalin's era.

One can also notice that the pipes placed directly to the left while descending the stairs are meant to hide this information from the player. The player can discover it by turning around after trying to open the door or by descending the stairs directly.





The Destination  

The player approaches the machines and notices a light in the distance. The player knows they must head towards this point of interest.  

Guided Trajectory  


Crates are used to block the player's view of what awaits them below. They also help the player take an optimal trajectory when descending the stairs by directing them towards the right to have a better view of what awaits them below.

Guided Trajectory 


Crates are used to guide the player towards the metallic door. Since the player cannot go directly to the door at the back, they are forced to pass by this new model of door.

Door closed 

 The door is closed and requires a key to be opened, the player advances into the next room

Highlight

A key is placed under a lamp.

 New area 

The player accesses a new area.  

 Challenges

  • This is an opportunity for the player to once again utilize the various mechanics learned before.
  • It's also a chance for them to encounter new obstacles such as steam.



Environmental storytelling

The player enters a new room:

  • This room serves to enrich the level's lore, as seen previously with the Stalin poster.
  • Tags are present on the walls, furniture is overturned. There seems to have been an incident here.
  • The furniture in the center of the room is positioned to guide the player, creating a circular path. This leads the player back to exit the room through where they entered once they have explored the room.




Final area

  The player accesses a new area.

Exit this way ! 

The player catches sight of the exit.  

Exploration

The player can choose to continue exploring the area before taking the exit.

While exploring, the player comes across another piece of lore information on the ground.



A special point of view

The player is also rewarded with this elevated point, allowing them to have another perspective on the room they just traversed before taking the exit.