Gameplay Trailer
Summary
Set in test chamber players must use a portal gun to complete a series of puzzles that differ in difficulty. Progressing through each the puzzle, players will make there way to a final puzzle that leads to an exit door.
About my level
- Developed over 1 month in my free time
- Portal 2 Level Editor
- First-Person Puzzle Platformer
Inspiration
- Portal 2 story mode levels
The Challenge
My goal for this project was to design a level that slowly teaches players how to operate the portal gun through a series of puzzles. These puzzles introduce new gameplay elements throughout, ending in a final puzzle that combines all the elements into a single challenge.
Full Playthrough
Pre-Production
As a level designer I value putting my initial ideas on paper to get a set baseline. Each draft became more and more detailed until a comfortable layout was ready. When comparing these drafts to the final product, it's clear it did its job.
Development Process
Puzzle 1 timelapse example
Prototyping
Used the 3rd draft to build the first version of the level in the Portal 2 Level Editor. Eventually, cutting it up into 8 different puzzles.
Level Overview
Playtesting
Originally, players had to use portals to jump back on to a moving platform at the end of puzzle 6. This would change after playtesting because:
- Players would fail continuously
- Using portals to jump back onto an object wasn't taught
- No time to prepare
- Having no checkpoints made failure more frustrating
Puzzle 6 Before
Changes would result in introducing a new gameplay element called a light bridge. Which players can then walk on while evading lasers.
This would prove to be successful in a later playtest. Evidently, giving players the chance to learn about a new gameplay element that will be important later on.
This would be the process for implementing changes throughout development.
Puzzle 6 After
Design Philosophy
When designing a level I ensure to get the most out of the respected game mechanics. For instance, in the first version of puzzle 3 the player only needed to use the portal gun once since the button that spawns the cube is at ground level.
Puzzle 3 Before
This then changes by making it so the portal gun is needed to reach the button. This adds another layer to the puzzle and gives players the chance to get familiar with the portal gun.
Puzzle 3 After
Guiding the player
To help players have a sense of direction the use of lights, glass, and fizzlers were used. Lights were put near portable surfaces to help indicate where portals could be placed. While glass was used to give players insight on what lies ahead.
Lights
Glass
Fizzlers were use to break up puzzles, since they reset any portals placed by the player. In the Portal Level Editor there isn't any other element to distinctively separate each puzzle.
Fizzler
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m happy with the outcome, seeing the level and player experience evolve showed how flawed my initial design was. Being that it focused on killing the player when it should be teaching them. When designing acting as a guide rather than a game master is imperative.
