Coastal Outpost - Level Design
A fast-paced linear action level designed around escalating combat encounters, controlled progression, and meaningful player choice within each combat space.
Role
Level Designer
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Project Type
Personal Project
Duration
August 23-24, 2026
Project Overview
The project explores how to create a linear experience without making the player feel restricted, using combat spaces, local navigation choices, encounter escalation, and pacing to maintain player engagement throughout the level.
Design Focus:
Action Pacing · Combat Encounter Design · Linear Level Design · Multiple Approaches · Combat Space Design
Level Design Plan
This level design plan outlines the overall structure and progression of the level, including the sequence of combat encounters, traversal sections, player routes, and key gameplay beats.
It was used as a foundation to establish pacing, controlled progression, and multiple approaches before moving into the blockout phase.
References and inspiration
1. The Last of Us
Used as a reference for creating a linear level that maintains a sense of openness and player freedom.
The reference helped guide the use of open spaces and multiple local routes while maintaining a clear overall progression through the level.
2. Uncharted
Used as a reference for creating a linear progression through a large outdoor environment.
The reference helped inform how the level can guide the player through expansive spaces while maintaining a clear intended path and progression.
3. Slum Environnement References
Used as visual references for creating believable slum housing and environments, focusing on the layout, construction, density, and overall visual characteristics of informal urban spaces.
1. Approach - Initial Blockout
After implementing the first houses, the initial layout was functional and achieved its intended purpose, but it lacked the key design elements needed to make the navigation feel engaging and provide meaningful choices to the player.
Approach - Second Pass
I introduced additional routes and multiple approaches to encourage the player to continuously scan their surroundings and consider different ways of approaching the same encounters.
This creates more local decision-making within the linear progression, keeping the player engaged while giving them greater control over how they navigate and approach encounters.
During the second pass, I added an additional house before the main combat area. This optional space provides more variety and exploration within a limited and controlled area, giving the player an optional reason to explore beyond the main path.
It also creates a natural space for optional content such as notes, loot, and environmental details, rewarding players who take the time to investigate their surroundings without disrupting the overall progression.
Approach - Final Pass
The final pass introduced additional cover opportunities and destructible sections that affect how the player navigates the environment.
By changing the available routes and encouraging adaptation to the surrounding space, the level provides more dynamic navigation while maintaining controlled progression.
2. Building & Vertical Navigation - Initial Blockout
After implementing the initial infrastructure, the space was still missing key elements such as cover and structural features that could better support the building layouts.
Building & Vertical Navigation - Second Pass
After implementing the initial infrastructure, the space was still missing key elements such as cover and structural features to better support the building layouts.
I added these elements to give the environment more depth and create greater variety in how players navigate and approach each encounter.
Building & Vertical Navigation - Final Pass
For the final pass, I added an additional route that allows the player to reach the existing parkour path from a different direction, providing another way to approach the same objective.
I also introduced a major line of sight from the elevated position, giving the player an opportunity to look across the surrounding area and better understand their position within the surrounding space.
These additions create more player choice while strengthening vertical navigation and spatial awareness.
3. Main Encounter - Initial Blockout
I started by implementing the main building located after the zipline.
After testing the area, it felt too small and did not provide enough variety or meaningful choices. I decided to add a second building at the back of the area to increase the depth of the encounter and create more opportunities for navigation and player decision-making.
Main Encounter - Second Pass
For the second pass, the building felt too simple and did not provide enough opportunities for choice, exploration, or meaningful lines of sight. I added a window overlooking the area to give the player a clearer view of their surroundings, along with a broken wall leading to a hidden chest. This introduced a small exploration and parkour opportunity within an otherwise straightforward building.
The second part of the pass focused on providing additional ways to interact with the existing combat encounters. Previously, the space offered only one clear route forward. I added an underground tunnel to create an alternative approach, giving the player another way to enter and navigate the encounter while maintaining the overall progression of the level.
This approach also provides a different angle of engagement, allowing the player to approach the encounter from a more advantageous position and gain an advantage over the AI.
Main Encounter - Final Pass
The final pass focused on making the tunnel more interesting to navigate and explore rather than functioning as a simple straight path. I added additional navigation opportunities and spatial variation while maintaining its role as an alternative approach to the encounter.
4. Final Area - Initial Blockout
After implementing the entire area, it was already in a strong state, but playtesting revealed some areas that could be improved. The parkour section needed clearer player guidance, while the combat spaces would benefit from additional and more varied cover options.
Final Area - Second Pass
For the second pass, the encounters took place in an overly open area with very limited cover opportunities. I added cover elements while maintaining variety in their placement and structure, creating more varied ways for the player to navigate and interact with the space during encounters.
Final Area - Final Pass
I refined the parkour layout to better communicate the intended route while also introducing an alternative path that allows the player to reach the final house through its roof. This integrates the building more naturally into the navigation and gives the player another way to approach the area.
