Week 1: Getting familiar & Blockout

At the start, the project was based on an Unreal template that already had different mechanics like running, traversal, crouching, and jumping.
So the first step was getting comfortable with those mechanics and understanding what the player can actually do. Based on that, I started thinking about how to design the level in a way that uses that full range of movement.

Key work:

• Testing and understanding the template mechanics

• Thinking about how to use vertical movement in the level

• Defining the main idea (finding and returning two artifacts)

• Creating the first blockout

• Planning the main path and overall flow

The focus was on understanding the tools first, then shaping the level around them.

Week 2: Shaping the Experience

In the second phase, I focused on how the player moves through the space and how to guide them without using UI.

Key work:

• Designing room connections and transitions

• Blocking the staircase to create a false path

• Guiding the player toward the ceiling route

• Improving readability of the level layout

The goal here was to make the path feel natural, even though it’s controlled.

Week 3: Interaction, Final flow & Art pass

In the final phase, I focused on making the level fully playable and bringing everything together, both in terms of gameplay and visuals.
During this stage, I also refined some of the initial ideas from the blockout and adjusted them during the art pass to better fit the gameplay and improve clarity.

Key work:

• Adding door and button interactions

• Implementing ceiling traversal

• Making sure the player can spot them from above before collecting them

• Replacing blockout geometry with final assets

• Improving lighting and atmosphere

• Adjusting composition to better guide the player

• Polishing the overall look of the level