Update 1.6

timeframe: approx. 7 months

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4 unique squad starting points
boss arena
15 minute mission
randomized side objective per squad path
incorporating specific assets for narrative purposes
organized and ran multiple playtests during all stages of development (whitebox → final version)
rapid iterations based on feedback
scripted a rockfall animation timeline to thematically lock players into the boss arena
worked closely with programmer to create new gamemode
worked closely with audio designer to sell the environment through sound
worked closely with vfx designer to bring the environment to life

870m x 470m

focused on:

gameplay intentions:

problems solved:

players struggled to navigate certain paths → solved by using large props to lead player eyesight toward the correct direction
players kept running off the sides of the pathways → adjusted set dressing to make the canyon appear dangerous

additional images

900m x 400m

focused on:

gameplay intentions:

problems solved:

enemies were spawning and pathing in incorrect places → utilized navigation modifiers and adjusted spawner placement
players were dying to environmental hazards too frequently → added visual warnings of lava pools (rocks, landscape paint, decals), and adjusted metrics of lava flows to ensure players could jump over safely

additional images

environmental hazards that spawn enemies
hand placed approx. 20 bug holes on each full-sized map, and approx. 6 on each critical strike map
set dressed to ensure seamless blending with environment
adjusted activation and pause ranges
rigorous testing to ensure proper spawning
adjusted navigation modifiers and volumes so enemies could properly move
worked closely with qa team to ensure they knew the bug hole locations and intended gameplay

focused on:

gameplay intentions:

problems solved:

bug holes would open and continuously spawn bugs, which would steal from the total amount of allowed bugs → collaborated with programmer to add an activation and pause range, then adjusted the volume size on a per-instance basis to ensure the best gameplay with each location
the majority of bug holes would activate but fail to spawn bugs → collaborated with programmer to come up with solutions, landed on increasing the eqs locations to ensure bugs had proper space to spawn

enemy spawning overhaul
a credit-based system that pulls from number of players, mission difficulty, enemy cost, etc.
hand placed over 500 enemy spawners across 4 full sized maps, 2 critical strike maps, and multiple hive hunt maps
decided which enemies would spawn from each spawner based on location, spawner size, and map type
curated enemy spawns for 10+ hive hunt missions, utilizing trigger volumes to spawn enemies at certain points
collaborated closely with fellow designers to ensure spawner placement across all maps and modes
rigourous playtesting to ensure proper spawning
worked closely with qa team so they knew intended gameplay and debug tools

focused on:

keeping missions engaging with a variety of different types of enemy spawns at various times
curating enemy spawns based on map location (i.e. high ground to have majority ranged enemy spawners, caves to have majority medium-sized enemy spawners)

gameplay intentions:

Ensuring proper, guaranteed enemy spawns to replace the previous inconsistent system
give players engaging and fulfilling missions with proper flow and intensity changes

problems solved:

it was impossible to have adequate spawner coverage without overlapping any of the objectives in any mission layer → collaborated with a fellow designer to add a spawn deny radius to each objective type, allowing spawners to be placed in the same spot as an objective with no issue
Enemies were spawning on the incorrect vertical layer, spawning either above or below players → added in a vertical spawn limit to each objective type that can be adjusted on an instance by instance basis, allowing complete control over where enemies can spawn at every part of the mission