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CYBERPUNK AIRDROP MISSION

A First Person Action Experience

Introduction

This project takes inspiration from Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, aiming to retain its strengths while also trying to improve the design. The focus is on designing dynamic and distinctive combat encounters whilst utilizing the cyberpunk aesthetic.

Summary

  • Developed in 7 weeks half time

  • Software used: Unreal Engine 5, Blender, 

  • Made using Basic_Template by Max Forsberg

  • Inspired by Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

OVERVIEW

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Infiltration

Summary

Playing Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, I really liked the added world-building and the aesthetic, particularly the new airdrop gigs.

While playing it, I got alot of 'What-If' ideas, regarding inspiring thoughts around the design that would be interesting to see in a cyberpunk context.

This served as the inspiration behind the goal of this project: What if I actually tried to make a level with the Ideas I had in mind, for my own take on a Cyberpunk 2077 gig? While I knew it was a risky endavour, it was also sure to be a fun and challenging one!

The core vision for this level is enemies ambushing the player, the combat space extending as progressing, platforming on massive moving machines to evoke a sense of scale and vulnerability.

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COMPOSITION

During key moments of the level, I wanted to get the most amount of leverage of the reveals as possible by utilizing composition in my design.

As the underground garage was a big part of the level, the reveal of it had to be significant. When dropping into the underground garage, the player gets a great view of the entire area with the color hierarchy, leading lines and composition pointing towards the long-term goal.

I planned for these moments early on. Therefore I placed camera actors in each respective scene to revisit the vista, and placed red cubes in the scene to maintain the line of sight

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Funnel before reveal

To further enhance the reveal of dropping into the underground garage and seeing the long-term goal, I designed the room prior to be narrow and small.

The sense of feeling big in the smaller garage above helps contrast the sense of feeling small once dropping into the gigantic underground garage, and allows for it to feel much more bigger than what it actually is.

PROCESS

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1. Pre-Production

Sketching and brainstorming

I begin with playing Cyberpunk 2077 by taking note and pictures of inspiring areas that fuels the core vision for the level.

I also try to analyze quest and level set ups to find opportunities to break it up in my own design.

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Flowchart

When I've gotten a better image of my core vision, I want to put it into a more presentable format
 

I create a flowchart to map out all of the key moments in the level, iterating often during this stage early into the process.

 

Focusing on Hourglass Design, I contrast each subsequent rooms size to help sell the scale of the cyberpunk aesthetic

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Exterior Garage
2. Blockout

Moving on to the editor I start blocking out. 

Creating car and parking slot meshes for the garage, I focus on scale accuracy, as they form the foundation for the entire garage.

 

The goal for this stage is to make the level playable from start to finish

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Underground Garage
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Interior Garage
3. Whitebox

When I feel confident after playtesting in the blockout, I move on to the final stages.

During this stage, I start lighting the environment, finalizing every sequence, and implementing scripts.
The goal for this stage is that the player can play and understand the level without any external help.

LEVEL FLOW

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Infiltration

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Act 1

With the level starting by taking the elevator, the player is introduced to their long-term goal: the airdrop, via a scripted sequence

This short act should introduce the type of gameplay for the rest of the level, such as being skillgated by having to double jump in a fool-proof setting

It starts in the megabuilding apartment and continues all the way until the garage.

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Act 2

In this longer act, players use previously learned mechanics, though now with the risk of dying.

Starting in the underground garage, the player jumps on lots, climb cranes, and navigate different levels to reach the air drop.

Once reaching it, the player encounters an obstacle: the airdrop is stuck under a massive crane, requiring the player to restore power in the garage and move the crane. 

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Act 3

With the crane now displaced, the airdrop can be looted!

However, restoring power in the garage allows enemy netrunners to activate machines to ambush the player by hacking into the system.

This act is the last and most difficult one. Players must backtrack through the garage to get out, by simultaneously shooting enemies and platforming.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Elevator Hatch

Problem:

Players got stuck in the elevator, not seeing that the elevator hatch opened. This locked the playtesters from progressing. Many even wanted to shoot the glass.

Solution:

Extended the elevator area, added light right besides the hatch, lowered the roof and added cables that lead right to the roof that turn on when the hatch opens.

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Glass breaking solution:

Made it possible to break the glass if shot, rewarding the curosity shown in previous playtests. But it set an expectation for similar interactions with other glass materials. I had to not only implement it, but also encourage that behavior.

This is a very time-demanding and expensive solution, requiring this logic to be kept for the rest of the level. Since I got the feedback early, I was able to commit to this solution. I believed it to be worthwhile due to it rewarding curiosity, despite other solutions being more effective

Lighting

Problem:

Playtesters were confused on where to go. 

Even when they did find the right path, it felt unintentional, and seemed like they had broken the game.

Solution:

Added lighting on the player path, and yellow lines on parking slots and machines to guide the player.

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Before

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Flow

Problem:

Players didn't understand why machines moved and why the enemies stood on them.
The arrival of the enemies felt insignificant and random.

Solution:

After the player pulls the lever to move the crane blocking the loot, the player immediately gets ambushed by an enemy to convey the players involvement and enemy significance.

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I also added enemies patrolling above the vent the player crawls in before pulling the lever.

This helped in not only foreshadowing the arrival of the enemies, but also in making the enemys presence and the overall mood more ominous.

DESIGN TECHNIQUES

The different sized areas in the level

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Hourglass Design

While making the level I was conscious of the size of each subsequent room.

I varied the size of subsequent rooms deliberately, ensuring no two consecutive rooms were the same size.

This approach enhanced the diversity and memorability of the experience while instilling a sense of completion.

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Bait and Switch

The player reaches the control panel to move the crane away from the airdrop.

Though pressing the button... does nothing.

It is only until the player turns around and can see another cable turning on, leading into a crawl space that the player just went past. 

 

This adds to the player's sense of accomplishment by making the discovery unpredictable, as opposed to always knowing the correct path.

PLAYTHROUGH

REFLECTIONS

Seeing this project come together in the end has been incredibly satisfying!

 

Initially, I aimed to emulate and enhance the design of Cyberpunk: 2077. However, through this process, I left this project with valuable insight into the decisions made by the Cyberpunk: 2077 designers.

First, this level was expensive to make. It took 7 weeks for me to finish, but would require even longer time to be completly game-ready. Due to the ambitious scope of the level, it only became fully playable 4 weeks in with the vision I had in mind set (all scripts finished, sequences set up and connected).

This is alot of effort for a level that is only intended as a side-quest.

Once I did get the entire level set up, I received alot of overwhelming feedback. Seeking feedback earlier in the process could have helped address issues sooner, instead of waiting until the vision for the level was set and building a level upon those issues. The issues being players not knowing where to go, level being too dark, and alot of platforming feeling too intimidating.

In conclusion, while I believe I could address the repetitive aspects of Cyberpunk 2077 level structure, it's important to consider the balance between time invested and the impact achieved.

Overall, I feel really accomplished for being able to commit to my level, and see the result come to life.

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