Husk Planet
You:
What did you do on this project?
Elena:
I built the level end-to-end from blockout and documentation to cameras, cutscenes, tools, and iteration. Lots of iteration, lots of collaboration with the other departments.
You:
Can I see the level?
You
You mentioned tools?
You
What was your design process like?
Elena
Iterative and camera-first. It took a few passes to get the pacing right!
I documented the whole process here →
I documented the whole process here →
Third Person | Made with Unreal Engine 5
This level is part of a larger game developed by an 18-person team. As the level designer, I was responsible for creating the tutorial level that sets the tone of isolation on a desolate planet while introducing the core gameplay to the player. I collaborated closely with leadership and multiple departments to ensure we shared a unified vision and helped maintain a feasible scope. The programming team implemented gameplay systems and the camera framework, and I also contributed by designing several level design tools tailored to this level’s needs.
This level is part of a larger game developed by an 18-person team. As the level designer, I was responsible for creating the tutorial level that sets the tone of isolation on a desolate planet while introducing the core gameplay to the player. I collaborated closely with leadership and multiple departments to ensure we shared a unified vision and helped maintain a feasible scope. The programming team implemented gameplay systems and the camera framework, and I also contributed by designing several level design tools tailored to this level’s needs.
Work Scope
-
Level Design Documentation (LDD) - Storyboarding
- Top Down Level Layout
- Cutscenes
- Blockout Development
- Tool Development
- Tutorialization Plan
- Proxy Lighting
- Set Dressing
- Manual Camera Placement
Total development time is ~193 hours.
• Whitebox (includes basic camera setup):
20.2%; 39 hours
• Camera polish: 16.1%; 31 hours
• Cutscenes: 19.7%; 38 hours
• General level design tasks (gameplay triggers, finer details, etc.): 17.6%; 32 hours
• Set dressing: 14.5% (not the entire level, some areas were set dressed by my teammate); 28 hours
• Documentation: 5.2%; 12 hours
• Terrain: 4.5%; 9 hours
• Testing: 2.1%; (with me present) 4 hours
• Whitebox (includes basic camera setup):
20.2%; 39 hours
• Camera polish: 16.1%; 31 hours
• Cutscenes: 19.7%; 38 hours
• General level design tasks (gameplay triggers, finer details, etc.): 17.6%; 32 hours
• Set dressing: 14.5% (not the entire level, some areas were set dressed by my teammate); 28 hours
• Documentation: 5.2%; 12 hours
• Terrain: 4.5%; 9 hours
• Testing: 2.1%; (with me present) 4 hours
Hours Breakdown
Trailer
Walkthrough
Screenshots
Cutscenes
All Cutscenes
I made 5 cutscenes lasting about 3 minutes in total.
Storyboards and Final Game
Blueprint Development
Camera Recorder Tool
The programming team developed a system for camera movement using components like a camera, trigger, spline, and collision box. Building on that, I created an editor utility widget that allows designers to record in-game camera movement and replay it in the editor using the save game system. After recording, users can step through stored transforms directly within the editor. The tool calculates speed based on a slider for automatic playback, enabling timeline-style previews.
Iteration
Starting Point
To create early visual interest, detail was added to the foreground and the background was used to suggest depth and scale
The initial version broke the 180-degree rule and misled the player, as the geometry directed their eye to the right. I adjusted the camera and geometry to guide them smoothly in the intended direction
Each iteration introduced an updated camera system, refined through fine-tuning to enhance clarity, framing, and overall presentation. The first major change was adjusting the 180° turn to improve camera movement, followed by adding more visually interesting background elements. The final stage focused on set dressing, and landscape adjustments were saved for later iterations since they were more time-consuming to modify.
Transitional Space
I replaced the rock wall with a dotted line of rocks that still marked the boundary but looked much better. Foreground rocks were added for visual interest
The initial version revealed the next key area too soon, reducing the sense of discovery. I changed it to show only a man-made looking road ahead, hinting at a lost civilization and building anticipation without giving too much away
Originally, the level was designed for WASD movement, with instanced “ugly rocks” placed along a spline to define the playable area. Later iterations transitioned to point-and-click movement and focused on refining shot composition, adjusting camera placement, and enhancing set dressing. Since smooth camera flow was a key priority, several compositional and layout changes were made to better support cinematic motion.
The Long Road
This road originally included two 180° camera flips, so I extended the layout to create smoother transitions.
To avoid the road feeling too long or empty, I added visual and narrative interest:
- a distant monolith to anchor the composition
- the sandstorm beginning to roll in as a key environmental cue
- the gradual reveal of the village ahead
The Village
This area underwent mostly cosmetic updates. As gameplay mechanics were developed, I introduced more interactivity, adding the ability for players to scan decipherable glyphs and encounter undecipherable ones that could not be scanned, creating a sense of progression.
Safehouse
The area stayed mostly the same, but due to production constraints, we focused the player's attention on a single mural
Transitional Space
Although I preferred the initial composition, I changed it to allow for a smoother camera transition to the next road and the story beat. I always prioritized the camera movement to avoid disorienting the player.
Graveyard
We received feedback that the graves weren’t reading well, so we added some in the foreground for clarity and extended them into the horizon to suggest the scale of the events. We also placed rocks to clearly mark the boundaries of the accessible area.
Transitional Space
The player is about to enter the sandstorm that has been gradually building throughout the level.
Road to Monolith
Feedback on the initial angle was largely negative, so we changed it to focus on the dense sandstorm instead of the monolith. The monolith had already been revealed, but the sandstorm was new and helped create the suspense we were aiming for.
Level Layout Sketches
Layout Iterations (From Latest to Initial)
Initial level sketches with brief descriptions of planned content.
Software I Used
- Unreal Engine 5 (Blueprints)
- Blender
- Sequencer
- Procreate
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Premiere Pro