Level Design Assignment 02: MineCraft Level!

This week, we were tasked with creating our own textures in Photoshop to make MineCraft-esque blocks and build another level. I decided to work on another level replica, this time from one of my favorite games of all time, the original Spyro the Dragon. I picked the very first world in the game, the Artisan's Home, and tried to replicate it as best as I could with MineCraft blocks.

First, we used the same cube as we did last assignment. Then, we had to figure out how to make textures. I ended up making 8 different textures, and below you can see the texture I made for a grassy block with a stone pathway on top.

Next, I had to take those textures and turn them into materials. I decided to give water another shot since I had a better understanding of how to do it this time, and here you can see my process. It turned out looking a lot better this time around.

Next, I took a top-down approach and laid out how I wanted the basic shape of the level to look.

Next, I worked the part of the level the player starts at, the bridge! I didn't construct the crystallized dragon, but I did add a pedestal later to indicate where it would be.

I then went in and added a few more features, like hills, the lake, and a hedge maze, as well as a building.

The last thing I did was added a few more building structures, a stone path, and a wall around everything to make it feel like a real level.

Then came the building of the lights and the skybox to get a proper feel for the level. It's the first level, so it's supposed to be bright and inspiring, but also tranquil. Here is what the level looks like in game:

And here is my final level! I'm really happy with it; it actually feels good to run around in and I feel like it's Spyro!

Below is a video of playing in the level!

Level Design Assignment 01: Cube Level!

As our first assignment for Level Design, we were given a tutorial on how to make a good-looking cube in Maya, and then how to import and add materials to it in Unreal Engine 4. From that point, we were allowed to try whatever we wanted to make a level! I decided to go with the Destiny Islands from the game series Kingdom Hearts, since I wanted to make a simple level to start getting my level design gears going!

The first thing I started with was the simple cube we made in the tutorial. We beveled the edges and smoothed them to make them look nicer.

Next, I brought my cube into UE4 and started making the first material: a simple sand material. I used this material to build (most of) the other ones! 

Since I was going for a natural scene, the materials I used tended to be rougher, except with the leaves and water. The water I tried to do differently by using a translucent material, which didn't quite behave the way I wanted to! I hope we go over opacity at some point, because I would have loved to make more realistic water!

The first thing I built was the basic sand bank. I knew I wanted a shelf so that the player could go in the water, so I made my little beach ridge.

Next, I added that water material. It looked kind of weird, but I went with it. I also made sure to leave room for a little islet, too! I set the water cubes to not have collision, also, so the player could walk around in it.

Next, I added the islet (and turned the skybox back on!), a bridge, and some trees. I even added a staple from the Kingdom Hearts series... A Paopu Fruit! (it's on the tree, of course!)

Lastly, I added a wall behind the beach to match the original version of the Destiny Islands. It really brought together the look I was going for.

And super lastly, I added exponential height fog and changed the lighting. I always liked the islands during the sunset scenes, so I tried to give it that feel. I also decided I didn't like my translucent water, so I made a new material and made it smooth and reflective, but opaque.

Here is an example of the Destiny Islands in Kingdom Hearts, both the illustration and a sunset scene:

And here are some screencaps of my final level!