Role: Lead Level Designer
Engine: Unreal Development Kit
Team Size: 8 Developers
Time: 5 months
Genre: First Person Shooter (Capture the Flag)
Platform: PC
Synopsis:
Akhet is a four on four, capture the flag game in which two teams enter into “technomagical” combat, seeking to capture each of the four canopic jars and reunite their masters with the sacred afterlife organs contained inside. Servants of two of the major Egyptian gods, Anubis and Ra, make up each team. Each god endowed these servants with some of their power, which allows them to utilize powerful ancient weapons. Players also take advantage of ancient building methods, constructing turrets and air lifts to aid in their combat and defense. The battle takes place in the Tomb of Osiris, an ancient Egyptian burial crypt that evokes dark and ominous emotions, as well as a sense of wonder and mystery. Only the strongest survive in this struggle for afterlife perfection and peace.
Design Goals:
While creating Akhet, our team focused on developing a balanced "stockpile" style CTF game. Each weapon needed to feel effective and visceral. While gameplay feels fast and intuitive, every combat encounter is different due to each weapon's unique functionality. The visual style, blending ancient Egyptian architecture with a sci-fi aesthetic, creates a moody backdrop for the impending battle. Rigorous play-testing determined every metric from corridor distance to weapon damage.
Responsibilities:
- Managed team of 4 level designers to create a cohesive stockpile/capture the flag map
- Lead and participated in speed mapping sessions to concept final map
- Completed polish passes on final level
- Updated and maintained design documentation throughout production
- Scripted and animated menu and HUD systems through flash
