PROJECT SNOW
ROLE
Level Designer
DESCRIPTION
Hitman-inspired solo level design project developed in Unreal Engine.
GOAL
Greybox a stealth-based level featuring a dynamic modifier that alters accessible areas over time. The design will support multiple player infiltration routes and predefined AI movement paths.
PROCESS
LEARNINGS
Demonstrated Theory
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Use of dominant structures and composition in a level
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Use of elevated spaces and verticality to establish locations and eyelines
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Designing replayability via multiple player routes
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Visual trails and sight lines to communicate paths of interest and restricted areas
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Colour contrast for key and interactable locations and props
Processes Implemented
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Developing a level's timeline: NPC and level behaviours throughout a session
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Designing a level layout while accounting for weather-based modifiers
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Prop composition to support stealth mechanics
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Creating cinematics using the Unreal Sequencer
GAMEPLAY
YEAR
2025
GENRE
Stealth, third person shooter
SOFTWARE USED
Unreal
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Level greyboxing using BSP and static meshes.
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Terrain editing and painting.
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Material creation.
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Cinematics using Sequencers.
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Basic blueprints for object rotation.
Figma
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Created and iterated upon top down level design mock-ups.
Draw.io
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Flow chart creation.
Google Docs
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Game design documentation.
DaVinci Resolve
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Video editing and voiceover.
Level Design Document
Project Snow
ROUTE WALKTHROUGH
The top down map below highlights a possible player route. The video demonstrates a player undertaking steps 1-4 of this route to eliminate one of the three targets.
Additional details on other routes is available below.
Steps 1-4 walkthrough
Note: for explanatory purposes, a voiceover and cinematic angles have been used.
Possible player route
Player route summary:
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Player spawns and advances toward storage containers.
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Enters storage container via back window and finds tools.
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Distracts an engineer by dropping an item and takes their uniform to freely maneuver across map.
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Lures Lead Engineer using uniform walkie talkie to tamper with their drill research to eliminate the Lead Engineer (1/3 of the targets).
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Enters Glaciologist lab to steal winter wear in order to survive incoming central blizzard.
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Tampers with Glaciologist lab's power generator, luring out the Lead Glaciologist.
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Pushes Lead Glaciologist at drill site to freeze and eliminate during blizzard.
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Sneaks into storage container and silently takes down a senior guard to steal their uniform. Player doesn't need to conceal unusual weapons to pass through CSO building frisk zone due to their senior guard uniform.
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Infiltrates CSO building and lures senior guard to bathroom to acquire their uniform.
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Lures hallway guards away from top floor using walkie comms. Eliminates CSO using silencer, conceals their body and takes their access pass to enter and photograph top secret files room.
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Swiftly exits CSO building and uses tunneled paths behind the windmills to reach extraction point undetected.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTE EXAMPLES
1
Polar Bear Attack
Instead of favouring the right-side of the map during the central blizzard, the player could advance left to infiltrate the dormitory dome. The player can obtain food from the kitchen and deposit it outside to attract a polar bear. By tampering with a building generator's power supply, doors can be temporarily locked to trap NPCs outside.
2
Snowmobile Extraction
After acquiring the engineer's uniform in step 3, the player could remotely override the snowmobiles to drive towards the tundra. This creates another exit route for an easier escape later on, but temporarily heightens guard alertness and attracts nearby engineers to investigate.
3
Skilled Sniper
By using a pre-selected loadout with a sniper, stealing from a guard or raiding weaponry storage, more experienced players can perfect their route to guard tower near step 3 to snipe the CSO through their residence window whilst the other guard tower's view is obstructed by the first blizzard. Once found by guard(s), the CSO building goes into lockdown and anyone within the guard tower's vicinity is liable to inspection.
4
Hydraulic Emergency
After infiltrating the engineering lab, the player can acquire tools to tamper with any building elevated via hydraulic legs. Due to the extreme technical dysfunction of the collapsing building, this will permanently increase the alertness of all guards around the building area and relevant leads, and lure guards/engineers to the affected building.