Keepers of the Trees
A Couch Co-Op Puzzle Platforming Game
Role: Level Design Lead, Project Lead
Software: Unreal Engine 4, Perforce, JIRA, Maya, Blueprints, Photoshop
Keepers of the Trees:
Keepers of the trees is a couch co-op two player puzzle platforming game designed by Studio Chili. It revolves around platforming puzzles that must be solved by two players working together to manipulate the natural plant life around them. Keepers can plant beanstalks to climb up to higher ledges, grow dandelions to float across ravines, water starflowers to affect the other plants in the level and so much more. All these mechanics work in tandem with each other, creating a unique co-op puzzle experience that is whimsical and fun.
Responsibilities:
Coordinating and managing a team 21 interdisciplinary developers, including designers, producers, artists and engineers.
Responsible for overall game flow and pacing throughout the levels of the game.
Worked with programmers to design and create constraints for tools to be used by the other level designers on the team, including a camera volume system allowing our Level Designers to change the camera’s behavior in the 3D environment throughout the game.
Designed action blocks to test and iterate on the puzzle mechanics of the game.
Responsible for the second level of the game, including design, whiteboxing, set dressing, lighting and optimization.
Used blueprints to design a spline-based platform creation system used by technical designers and level designers.
For this game, I was responsible for setting the pace and overall flow of the gameplay through the level design. I helped design our initial vertical slice level, as well as setting the vertical target for the level, set dressing a majority of the level, as well as lighting it. I had minor help from two other teammates wth some detail set dressing, as well as some final passes at the lighting.
I was also responsible for the overall design and implementation of puzzles of the second level of the game. I introduced new mechanics into the game including the dandelion plant (A tool used by the keepers to float), wind volumes (a way to enhance the dandelion, and also an obstacle if facing the wrong way) and smog (a way that blocks plant growth). I also had to increase the difficulty of the puzzles from the first level, making sure the gameplay was continuing to escalate throughout the level with more and more complex solutions to each puzzle, combining more and more mechanics. I oversaw to other level designers who came in to assist me with set dressing, and the initial lighting of the level.
I also assisted with scoping down and set dressing and lighting the very first level of our game to make sure we could finish by the ship date. I made initial set dressing passes, and helped with the final lighting passes of the first level, while working with the original level designer to make sure I was still executing his over all vision for the level itself.
Process
Action Block Demo
We started by designing action blocks. These small chunks of gameplay allowed the team to quickly test gameplay and puzzles without going through the entire set dressing process.
This brief video showcases some of the action blocks I designed, and some that were designed by other members of my team. A handful of these were iterated on and now are in the final levels of our game. Feedback was given between team members and these action blocks were improved, and I was also responsible for the final approval of all action blocks shown in this video.
Set Dressing and Lighting
First Pass
Set dressing began with testing the art assets inside the level once the gameplay was finalized. It was here that the visual target began to be realized. I played with the scale of the objects as well, to make sure that they made the keepers and players feel small in this big magical world.
Lighting
When desiging the second level, we wanted to make it feel distinct and different from the first one. When lighting the second level I wanted to contrast the coolness of the night colors and blues with the warmer lights leading the players along the level.
I also wanted to emphasize the whimsical and magical feeling of the game with the lighting by using a variety of different pockets of color tied together with particle effects.