The campaign version of Coltec, has come a long...long...long way. A map started back in 2017 in the style of Chernobyl, was quite the challenge for me. The style and setting of Chernobyl, first coming across my radar with a game called S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl, as it was the pinnacle of my fascination with the eeriness of a desolated environment trapped in time. Before I joined Reperio Studios to work on Brainbread 2. I was a community mapper, creating all kinds of levels for Counter-Strike: Source's Zombie mod.
As I always state, "Joining a mod, allows me to really hone my skill and produce something more detailed and strive for excellence, where I would've given up". BBC_Coltec, was mainly designed as the third campaign level within Brainbread. Starting development in early 2017, it consisted of having a more linear style of design with the smaller feel of bbc_termoil. As much of a daunting task it would be to create a more detailed environment in the vein of detail pushed forward in my early and later works. The best thing when creating a level, is to get inspiration and produce environments based off of real-world images and that of other games. I can't image the hours I spent watching YouTube videos online of Chernobyl and watching/replaying the trailer for the cancelled Half-Life 2 mod," Raindrop". As a smaller map, it allows the player to complete the objectives in a timely manner, while giving them the ability to search and explore the limited ruins. In Termoil, you have a random set of objectives and in Coltec, it's no different. There are 3 main buildings and each, spawn 3 random objectives. For example, the first time, a vile can be found in the middle building. The next match, that same vile, can be found in another building. As for the final boss, its kinda tricky to create a boss that fits the environment and within the source engine limitations. So the church acts as the final destination and with it, a preacher with a Winchester. He's tough as nails and takes allot of damage. Once defeated, you need to head beyond the the area and make it to the underground before the nuke goes off. Early Screenshots from Coltec's Development
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Bbc_Swamptrouble, is an extension of the map "bba_swamptrouble". The idea was to create an objective map that encompassed the theme of the bba version, while providing different various objectives. A large sprawling map that focused on a A-Z style progression instead of a central location such as Termoil. This level started around a year and a half ago. With an idea of creating a larger map and expanding upon new ideas in terms of gameplay, objectives, and story. As the story developed upon creation of the map. It turned out different then originally designed. The picture above, known as the train section. Was the actual starting point for Human players. The story was focused around a broken down train in which, players must secure the location and explore ahead. Though, the idea didn't seem that well in terms of the gameplay department. The starting location was later scraped when the more I designed the areas ahead, the more the maps vision grew. Development eventually started from the train section, followed by the swamp area, tunnel area, underground (sewer) area, street section, and then ultimately ended up with the motel as the starting area. The motel area by far, is my favorite part of the level. This is due in part because I've never attempted to go outside my comfort zone. I generally design large scale buildings and typical city style buildings. This area, allowed me to create a more visual style setting and further expand upon detailing the section as well. This includes the small lightings near each of the motel room doors, including the first time I applied a lower Lightscale map which creates more sharper lighting instead of the blockyness of typical lighting within the source engine. Also added was some small details such as items within the main check-in building, a room where a slaughter happened, and the overall texturing choices within the area. I wanted this area to provide some small story elements, that expand upon the people that once used this location as shelter during the Cybercon outbreak. One note that can be found within a motel room, consists of a family leaving a touching note for their dear father that passed away before they had to escape. Another one, is a story ripped from a young girls diary. Among the dead bodies that lay in the parking lot and the various military equipment that still plague the area. As this area was once a base for those trying to escape the city. For players, this was a small arena for them and once completed, the next area would unlock and force them to progress forward. Once being home to military equipment such as Humvees and tanks. I had an idea to block the road ahead with concrete barriers and for players, to use the tank and interact with the environment around them in order to proceed forward. Players would have to collect items such as gas, keys, and or ammo. In order to use the tank to blow the barricade blocking their way ahead (As seen below) As players moved passed the motel area. I wanted to introduce the swamp theme in order to create the feeling of uneasiness and desperation that once cluttered the area. Roads area blocked with vehicles and dead foliage. Adding to the story element of the level. Although a swamp style map, the new section ahead helps introduces the sewer section of the map. A more close quarters section with a slew of small objectives and creepiness'. Players must progress through a small sewer system to see light once again. (Seen Below) Elements of the sewer system contain an essence of claustrophobia, dampness, and straightforwardness to say the least. Players are tasked with 3 main specific objectives before exiting the underground area. Starting with turning off the power to the electrified water via a switch encompassed by a small area where zombies roam free. Turning off the power will disable the electrified water and thus, the player needs to maneuver through the flooded water and find a valve that is needed to drain the tunnel. As the become de-flooded, prepare for more zombies to prevent you from getting to your next objective. Upon making your way through the now accessible door, you'll find yourself in the deeper part of the tunnels with yet another blocked door. Player's, must find a valve in order to progress to the next area and out of the tunnel. Out of tunnel, players enter a new spawn area and this allows players as well as human controlled zombies. New areas to explore. The new open area is the other exit or entrance path to the collapsed tunnel you saw before you entered the underground. While this area is more open to the player. It is encased in swampy goodness and parts of the area, will slow down the player. A new objective is presented in which, you must build a raft to cross the river and escape to the other side. There are (7) items such as barrels, pieces of wood, metal sheets, and so on in which, are needed to build the raft. (Seen below) Once crossed, players need to find a blow torch in order to access to smaller drain tunnel. As this blow torch is an important tool, as it helps access the next area and a extra door for players to traverse. As players find the train area, they are tasked with a new objective. Find the needed train parts in order to escape this retched place! The last area needed to explore is actually our Arena version of the map, "bba_swamptrouble". This area was added due to development time, but also to help state that both areas take place in the same location and not unique or different styles. Though this area is tough. Grab the needed parts and head to the train to escape. Defend the area until the train is ready to depart this terrible place.
Nightclub and it's mission....Where do I start with this level? The map for one, is a recreation of an interesting and unique map that caught my eye while searching YouTube. That title would be none other than Namco's, "Dead To Rights 2". Brainbread 1 mod for Half-Life 1, included many of levels in it's repetwah, including that of a map called Nightclub. The level was small in scale, but created a interesting atmosphere none the less.
The warehouse area is more meant as a stopping gap to keep the players in one area and focus them on defending the individual, blow torching the door to gain access to the upper levels seen from the dance floor below. When players move about in the upper area and open the doors to the gentlemen's room that lays ahead. The original concept from DTR 2 was the inclusion of a boss area in this part of the map. So this gave me the idea of a stripper being the stand in for the boss encounter and those bodies that lay at the door, her previous customers. As her boss fight would be inspired by the map Junkyard, where Johnson is teleported back into his train cart after taking x amount of damage. As this system, would help up the difficulty and possibly give the players a chance at a unique boss fight. After the boss is killed, players move to the backstage area where essentially is a powder room, followed by a mirrored showroom. Trying to match textures where the fun part about this specific area. Keeping the purples, blues, and reds persistent throughout this section. As the players move towards the elevators, they are given the same old, "oh the elevators broken, go fix it". While so, defending the area until a person is able to re-establish electricity to the elevators via the side room section. Creating this objective although similar in many of our other maps, keeps the players defending a certain area for x amount of time. Once the elevators whisk the players to the next area. I wanted to include the section of DTR2's area that acts as a simply put, "Porn shoot area", in a sense to keep Brainbread's unique sense of style. This area took quit some time in terms of playing with the area's lighting, textures and simply it's layout. This area would act as the new spawn area for humans, as the area's ahead, would need players focused on the upper portion of the map. The area is small and meant to keep action and gameplay tight. Players then find the access card key and move onto the more interesting area of this level. This was the most interesting area in the map (Porn video shoot room). This area, as reflected in the map it's based off of, showcased a different atmosphere and allowed for a proper final send off in the map. The idea is that a director in the control booth room, still wants to direct a sexual movie and now has his newly acquired talent; Being you. Player's must survive the endless waves including both Fred boss's. As the objective is accomplished, players in order to escape the level. Must find their way through their previous travels and escape via the beginning spawning area outside (Main street/first objective). As our game has a side quest system, it was even more evident to fill the map with optional side objectives. Thanks to fellow developers on the team. Option objectives that keep with the theme were needed. Idea's such as collect, x amount of cocaine, x amount of magazines, and find a girls special friend. Basically, jam packing the level with things to do in both the optional and mandatory sense. Final Thoughts....Not hiding the fact that this map is heavily based and inspired by Dead to Rights 2 map and level design. I wanted to recreate Brainbreads 1 map, but create a whole new environment and expand it's original vision. Some custom textures where created for this map such as money piles, green screens, neon signs, and custom posters with a sense of humor. As always....I love to end the blog with images that show the best and the worst of the map. Showcasing what a developer see's before, during, and after the maps release. Thank You and See You In The Club(Images taken from Early in Development ) Something in the oven....With the release of many projects over the course of 6 years with the mod. Comes another attempt at creating an Objective map based off of the arena map "bba_Swamptrouble". A map such as this, takes allot of time to create. Given the map has a layout involving both inner and outer areas. Though, it does seem like a promising attempt at something unique to my level design style.
As they make their way out of the sewer system. The player is met with one last dark area that then, funnels them towards the bright and sunny environments on the other side of metal doors blocking the way. Once they exit those doors, they area met with the other side of the for mentioned collapsed tunnel. The bright shine from the darkened tunnel, draws the players eyes with the idea to press forward. The fog is a strong point in this respect. The orange color of the fog, is used to not only hide the road ahead, but the eerie feeling of what's ahead and is lurking beyond the collapsed trees. As they make their way through the swamp like area, they find a river (swamp) blocking their progress and must find a way across. Idea's such as this, camp from Left 4 Dead's campaign map based in the swamp. Idea's to help cross this path would be either items found across the map in which can used as a bridge or the occasionally, find gas and power the floating platform across the harsh swamp. Once they make their way across, they must find a blow torch and cut through the sewer plate and make their way to the abandoned train. As the one more thing idea. They must find gas or items in order to start the train and finally escape or end the map. Final Thoughts....As a level designer, I always want my players to have fun and in doing so. The most important thing is the environment in which they spend countless hours replaying and doing the same missions over and over. I've made many maps over the years and frankly, they've been solely based in city's and not in open or varied areas. This map is unique in that, I get to create something outside of my comfort zone. As creating the potential for new and different objectives. As for being a level designer, I feel it is always good to show the map at it's worst and it's best. So below are some extra images showing some progress in the development side or just something extra in general. Thank you for your time fellow braaaaaaaaain eater......(Images taken from Early in Development ) |
AuthorA place to see what's new with Brainbread 2's level design. I'll talk about a maps progress or what's on my mind within the development or gaming community! Archives
February 2022
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