Skyrim Design Test
Project Type: University Project
Software Used: Unreal 5.1
Language(s) Used: Unreal Blueprint
Timeline: 2 weeks
1st mission objective: Follow Gragar’s hunting path/ Find a deer. - Gragar has a special path he takes that leads to a good hunting spot in the forest.
The player will have a bow and some arrows in their inventory as well as a single-handed axe if the run out of arrows. While they are out in the forest, they will reach the area where Gragar usually hunts (this will be marked on the map for players). There will be two bucks fighting each other. The player will attempt to attack them. Once the player does damage to one of the bucks there will be a loud scream coming from the village.
2nd mission objective: Hurry back home
After running back home Gragar will find the village thrashed and his mother and sister gone. Some trolls are beating in combat with some of the citizens. - Combat starts: There the player will introduced to first type of troll enemy. These are just the smaller basic trolls. The player will have to clear the trolls from the village. - These enemies should drop Troll Bait. An ingredient that the player can eat and learn it’s effects.
Once they are all defeated, an injured civilian will tell the player that the trolls took all of their woman and headed north.
3rd mission objective: Follow the road to Titanic Hollow. - There will be a signpost on the road that tells the player where to go.
4th mission objective: Go to the Titanic Hollow. - Locate the cave entrance and enter.
5th mission objective: Find your family. - Inside the cave players will have to navigate their way through the cave and find where the trolls are keeping all of the villagers. - There will be a section blocked off to the player where they have to use Spark Rocks which are a special type of ore that when hit against other Spark Rocks there is a chemical reaction that cause an explosion of blue fire.
Combat: Players will be introduced to using Spark Rocks against Greater Trolls. This mechanic will help the players defeat the boss at the end of the cave. - Players will end up reaching the Chief Troll’s chamber where the villagers and your family are locked in cages. And the key is around his neck.
6th mission objective: Defeat Chief Troll - Players must defeat the Chief in order to save their family and the other villagers. - Players can use Spark rocks against him to break his outer shield. It is not required for players to do so but it will help players defeat him faster. - Once the Chief Troll is defeated, he will drop the key and the player will be allowed to free their family and the villagers, quest is completed on freeing everyone.
This was a mock design test given to me by my professor. I was given 2 weeks to create a level map, a full level blockout in Unreal Engine, and accompanying documentation to walk people through the level. This assignment was really fun, I learned a lot about the foliage and landscape tools in Unreal 5. I created the grass in Maya then imported it into Unreal and used it as a brush to paint the landscape I had just made.
Skyrim is my favorite video game of all time so it was really interesting to see how I would go about designing something for it.
Level Map
The map went through a few different variations before I got to a final decision. I ultimately decided on this layout, mainly because while building out my original ideas the level just didn’t flow well. I usually like to create a map either in Illustrator or Photoshop before I start building out a level, but honestly it depends on the project I’m working on.
Blockout
For this project I tried to push my blockouts a little more. I was given 2 weeks to do as much as I could. So, the first week I created the entire landscape, I created the grass and brushed it on said landscape, then I placed the trees. The second week I focused on my documentation and then created the troll cave as well as village.
I created the grass in Maya then imported it into Unreal. Then using the foliage tool, I used it as a brush to paint the environment with. Using the map I created, I was able to block out an effective landscape. I’ve experimented a lot more with the landscape tool since then and I am much more proficient with it.