PORTFOLIO
Welcome to Into the Fray, a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi co-op shooter set in the devastated island country of Valenthia. Team up with up to four players to survive relentless zombie hordes, uncover the origins of the asteroid-borne virus, and navigate a crumbling industrial facility filled with danger. With intense survival mechanics, immersive environments, and gripping narrative-driven gameplay, Into the Fray challenges you to strategize, solve puzzles, and rely on teamwork to survive in a world where every decision matters.
Aims and Objectives
To develop a third-person, 4-player co-op shooter game that combines intense survival mechanics, collaborative gameplay, and immersive storytelling in a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi fantasy world. The goal is to deliver a dynamic experience that challenges players to strategize, solve puzzles, and work as a team to survive waves of enemies and progress through interconnected levels.
Objectives
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Design survival-based gameplay with resource collection, combat, and puzzle-solving.
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Create varied levels with exploration, combat, and narrative elements.
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Implement mechanics requiring team-based cooperation and communication.
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Embed visual storytelling and lore throughout the levels.
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Introduce tension through jump-scares, ambushes, and escalating challenges.
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Encourage replayability with hidden routes and replayable elements.
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Provide a climactic finale with intense battles and strategic resource management.
Conceptualization
This game is a third-person, 4-player co-op shooter set in a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi fantasy world. Players work together to navigate challenging levels, battling enemies, solving puzzles, and collecting resources to survive. The design balances tight spaces for tension with open areas for exploration, incorporating hidden routes and replayable elements for depth. With a blend of futuristic and industrial aesthetics, the game emphasizes teamwork, strategy, and immersive storytelling to create an engaging and dynamic experience.
Ideation
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Ideation process involved in deciding what type of gameplay the project will adapt to.
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Game engine and software oriented decisions for prototyping.
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The critical gameplay mechanics were drawn out
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Plot of the story was devised into quest system.
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style of the game had to be drawn out
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Documentation of every step began as well as began forming Game Design Document.
Narration
Set in the fictional island country of Valenthia, [Game Name] presents a gripping story of survival and resilience in the aftermath of a catastrophic asteroid impact. The narrative unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world where the asteroid's fallout triggered a zombie apocalypse, leaving the nation in ruins. Players navigate through hostile environments filled with destruction, decay, and relentless zombie threats as they strive to survive and uncover the remnants of Valenthia's story.
Storytelling Approach
The narrative is delivered through immersive environmental storytelling, where every level reflects the devastation and struggle of the post-apocalyptic setting:
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The Parking Lot: A chaotic scene filled with broken cars, overgrown plants, and abandoned shipping containers, symbolizing the onset of societal collapse.
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The Factory Reception: A haunting area featuring a ruined display of the asteroid that caused the apocalypse. Objects scattered throughout the reception tell the tale of futile resistance, while the dim moonlight and thick fog amplify the eerie atmosphere.
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Thematic Tension: A constant fog, both indoors and outdoors, serves as a visual metaphor for the uncertainty and dread that permeate the game.
Key Highlights
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Immersive Environments: Levels like the parking lot and factory reception are intricately designed to showcase the destruction and chaos, reflecting the broader themes of the game.
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Narrative Depth: The settings tell the story of Valenthia’s fall, with clues and environmental details hinting at the human struggle to combat the zombie threat.
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Atmospheric Design: Dull lighting, natural moonlight, and omnipresent fog create a constant sense of tension and unease.
Thematic Depth
At its core, the narrative of [Game Name] is a story of perseverance and survival against insurmountable odds. Through exploration and engagement with the environment, players experience the destruction of Valenthia and the efforts of its people to resist the apocalypse. This combination of atmospheric design, interactive elements, and environmental storytelling ensures a memorable and immersive experience.
Documents
GDD
Prototype Tool
Problem & Solutions
Narrative: Balancing Complexity and Player Perception
Challenge: Crafting a believable and immersive narrative for a post-apocalyptic game required addressing the origins and progression of the zombie virus in a way that felt realistic and engaging. The challenge was to explain the emergence of the virus caused by the asteroid impact while ensuring it tied seamlessly into the game’s setting and lore. Balancing scientific plausibility with creative storytelling was key to creating an impactful narrative that resonated with players.
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Solution:
With responsibility for the narrative progression, I worked closely with a team member to develop a baseline story that detailed the emergence and aftermath of the virus. Drawing inspiration from real-world scientific concepts and speculative fiction, we crafted a backstory where the asteroid carried dormant alien microorganisms that mutated on Earth, infecting living organisms and causing the zombie outbreak. Environmental storytelling, such as the asteroid display in the factory and remnants of failed containment efforts, was used to reinforce this lore. The narrative progression unfolds naturally through exploration and visual cues, making the story both immersive and coherent within the game world.
This approach grounded the zombie apocalypse in a plausible context, enriching the game’s narrative depth while maintaining player engagement.
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Graphics: Achieving a Unique and Immersive Style
Challenge: Designing the characters and assets for a futuristic, post-apocalyptic game required aligning with the narrative while maintaining consistency with the game’s five design pillars: player emotions, game narrative, thematic elements, functionality, and interactivity. Additionally, the goal was to create a horrifying and unsettling atmosphere inspired by World War Z and Dead Space, with a low-lit, nighttime setting enhanced by moonlight and minimal lighting. The challenge was to balance these elements within the constraints of the team’s graphical capabilities.
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Solution:
While my teammate focused on character and asset design, I contributed rough sketches and base designs to ensure alignment with the game’s design pillars. The characters were given augmented cybernetic body parts inspired by Cyberpunk 2077 and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, reflecting the game’s futuristic setting. Each design was crafted to evoke fear, unease, and immersion, with zombies designed to enhance the unsettling atmosphere. The visual style was tailored to recreate the ominous tone of the inspirations, using dark, low-lit environments to keep players on edge while maintaining narrative and thematic consistency.
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Level Design: Managing the playability of the levels
Challenge: Designing the levels for a 4-player multiplayer game presented multiple challenges. The levels needed to feel grand and immersive while remaining easy to navigate. The narrative required a seamless flow through interconnected areas—from the parking lot to the reception, offices, production facility, and finally, the hanger with the boss enemy. Additional elements, such as no-go zones, non-movable objects, hidden items, and weapon magazines, had to be incorporated without breaking immersion. Furthermore, balancing the difficulty for a team of players was essential, especially with the inclusion of enemy hordes and jumpscare spots.
Solution:
The level design was structured to maintain a sense of progression and grandness while ensuring player traversal remained intuitive. Key solutions included:
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Flow and Accessibility: Each area was designed to logically connect, with clearly marked pathways leading players from one level to the next, minimizing confusion while maintaining a sense of exploration.
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Hidden Elements: Secret items, weapon magazines, and alternate routes were integrated into the environment, rewarding players for thorough exploration.
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Enemy and Jumpscare Placement: Strategic positioning of enemy hordes and jumpscare spots ensured consistent tension while allowing players to plan and react as a team.
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Grand yet Functional Design: The science lab's grandeur was reflected in its large open spaces, intricate interiors, and narrative-driven details, such as no-go zones and remnants of the lab’s purpose, all while preserving a functional layout for combat and navigation.
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Prototyping: Companion AI and Portal Mechanic
Challenge:
As the primary designer for the levels, several challenges emerged during the prototyping phase, especially in transitioning designs from Cinema 4D to Unity. Some key issues included:
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Performance Optimization: Initial models had a high polygon count, which hindered smooth performance in Unity.
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Scaling and Alignment: Imported models were not to scale, requiring significant resizing and adjustments in Unity.
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Lighting Issues: Improper textures (SDRI instead of HDRI) caused lighting to malfunction, creating an inconsistent and chaotic environment.
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Functional Elements: Implementing animated doors, accessible hidden passages, and properly lit underground areas required additional iteration and troubleshooting.
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Surface Visibility: Using planes instead of cubes caused issues with see-through surfaces, as Unity calculates only one visible side.
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Solution:
To overcome these challenges:
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Polygon Optimization: Models were redesigned with a lower polygon count, ensuring smooth performance while maintaining visual quality.
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Scaling and Import Workflow: Scaling issues were resolved by importing models in consistent sections and fine-tuning dimensions directly in Unity.
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Lighting Fixes: Textures were re-imported with HDRI settings, and scenes were re-lit with proper adjustments to restore visual clarity and atmosphere.
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Interactive Elements: Collaboration with the programmer ensured functional doors, hidden passage accessibility, and well-lit underground areas.
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Surface Adjustments: Redesigning models with proper geometry (using cubes instead of planes) resolved visibility issues, resulting in a polished and cohesive environment.
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