Mountain Top Castle

ASSIGNMENT Spec

Engine: Unity Engine

Duration: 1 Week

For our second assignment we where tasked with using a small modular kit of a few objects. to build an environment that makes the player want to explore it and find an elusive treasure chest. No new geometry could be outside of minor terrain tools.

Design Goals

Attract the player to the castle entrance
Breadcrumb a series of clues leading to the treasure chests
Provide multiple paths with varying degrees of challenge
Minimize dead ends and ensure they provide exploration value if they exist.

Challenges

Maintaining clean pathways vs organic looking spaces
Working with a limited set of tools including player controller.
Framing new objectives after reaching a potential goal.

Ethereal Forest

Genre: Action/Adventure
Camera: Third-person
Setting: Forest / Ruined Keep
New Mechanic: Grappling Hook
Level Focus: Exploration, Combat, Puzzle-solving

Ethereal Forest is an introductory level for Buried Bones an RPG Action/Adventure. Gameplay is similar to God of War (2018) & Dark Souls with a focus on utilizing multiple party members for different goals. Prior to this level beginning the player has an opportunity to get familiar with basic traversal and combat mechanics in a earlier part of the forest. During those starting moments the player is introduced to the characters’s narrative goal of finding the the lost treasure of Fores.

To aid our main character in completing that goal we will be introducing a grappling hook mechanics that will serve as a versatile tool for a roguish main character.

1.) Forest - Campsite

Upon entering the clearing the camera focuses on the grappling hook establishing our 1st goal.
A short gap and climb give the player a sense of traversal and their capabilities without the grappling hook.

2.) Pedestal - Battle

Debris blocks the way forcing the player upon onto the pedestal and their first combat encounter. One melee on the platform and another climbing up on the back-left. This is meant to highlight the drop-down.
After the encounter, the player can drop down to continue to a small 6m (meter) drop onto the path below.

3.) Path to the Hook

Around the bend, an archer begins firing arrows at the player. tasking the player with using cover to reach the enemy.
With the enemy defeated the grappling hook spotted early on lies ahead. Grabbing the hook allows the player to scale the 12m wall behind them marked by a grapple point.

4.) Broken Bridge

Back at the pedestal the player now has the tools to bridge the gap in front of them. A grapple point lies on the other side of the 12m gap reinforcing the 12m (meter) range of the grappling hook.

5.) Great Wall

Puzzle Breakdown

A - After crossing the gap a closed iron portcullis blocks the player path. However the player can spot a route up and to the top of the gate.

B - After the climb the player can grapple up a bit higher up.

C - Shimmy over the portcullis and drop down to the other side where a crank handle is found

D - If the player tries to grapple and pull on the handle it does not budge.

E - To move the gate the player must grapple and jump off the side. Causing the gate to shift open.

6.) Courtyard - Battle

Past the gate, the player is now inside a ruined keep. And a combat encounter with 2 melee enemies and 1 ranged enemy.
With the enemies dealt with now, several paths are open to the player. In addition, a statue of a guardian with a shield is at the center of the courtyard.

7.) Temple Entrance

North of the courtyard is a large temple blocked by a stone doorway. The doorway has three imprints of a shield. The same shield shape that the stone guardian statue holds. With 1 shield already located 2 more are still left to find.

8.) Ruined Barracks

The East path leads under an archway with a broken stone guardian statue that has the shield missing.
This leads into a large building with 5 enemies inside. Upon entering the gate behind you closes resulting in a trap. With ranged enemies and grapple points on the 2nd floor, the player has several options for defeating the enemies. Upon their defeat, a shield can be found on the second floor.

9.) Guardhouse

After a small drop-down from the previous room’s second floor, the player is with a perceived dead-end. The next smaller building also has its gate shut but a device lies above it by a currently unreachable second floor.
Outside the building, the wall has a climbable section allowing the player to jump onto the roof. This leads to a hole and the player can drop down onto the second floor. Activate the device and return to the main courtyard.

10.) Sculpture Garden

West path leads to a large garden with a stone guardian holding a shield on a tall pillar in its center. A staircase leads to a second-story platform.

Puzzle Breakdown

A - At first glance there is no discernible path across the gap. However a grapple point can be spotted opposite of the player.

B - Turning the device clockwise or counter-clockwise rotates the 2nd story platforms in the same direction.

C - Rotating 3 times clockwise or once counter-clockwise will put the grapple point in range.

D - Rotate again while grappling the inner pillar will stall the inner ring. Stopping its rotation.

E - This will allow the player to align the pillars in a pattern that is crossable.

11.) Temple of the Guardian

With all three shields obtained the player can proceed into the landmarked temple.
Upon entering one final combat encounter with a Mini-boss awaits the player. The arena has four pillars with grapple points near the top of the pillar. The player can utilize the pillars to bait a charge attack into them. When they collapse they stun the enemy making them vulnerable to attacks.

Thanks for reading along on my walk through of the Ethereal Forest. Next up is blocking out (greybox etc.) the level and I’ll be presenting that blockout in my next blog post.