Cal’s Reawakening Overview
Necromancer’s Palace serves as the concluding stage in Calcium Overdrive, offering players a comprehensive experience that combines all previously learned mechanics. Inspired by gothic architecture featuring elements like Flying Buttresses, High Rib Vaulted Ceilings, and Pointed Arches, the level begins at a deteriorated staircase leading to the grand entrance of a massive palace. Inside, players navigate obstacles and confront enemy barricades. The culmination of the level brings players to the main chambers for the ultimate boss fight against the Milkomancer.
Level Tasks
- Level Pre-Production/Planning
- 2D Maps
- Level Pacing/IPM
- Mechanic Tutorialization
- Blockmesh/Blockout
- Cinematics/Level Sequences
- Player Guidance (Leading Lines, Breadcrumbs, Guiding Lighting)
- Finalized Asset Implementation
- Environmental Storytelling
Game Engine:
Unreal Engine 5.2
Project Duration:
4 Months
Project Role:
Lead Level Designer
Pre-Production
Level Overview
Level Flow Chart
Level Design Analysis
Start
The level starts with players spawning in a jail cell, serving as Cal’s reawakening point. Given the necessity to teach core mechanics, the initial section focuses on introducing fundamental actions like movement and jumping.
Parkour 1
The initial parkour section aims to introduce players to core mechanics such as mantle, wall run, and dash. I created a safe environment for practice, emphasizing mechanics like mantle and dash. Below the first wall run obstacle, I designed a safety net area to allow players to fail safely, reinforcing their ability to utilize the mantle by mantling up multiple ledges to the start of the wall run obstacle.
Combat 1
The first combat section introduces core combat mechanics: Light Attack, Heavy Attack, and Ranged Attack while acquainting players with Melee and Ranged enemy types across 3 encounters. These encounters balance the level’s flow, enemy introduction, and mechanic introduction without overwhelming players early on. Early playtesting revealed concerns about moving platforms slowing gameplay. Observing player interactions, I noted inexperienced players waiting on platforms, while experienced ones used them mid-ascend for a momentum boost, widening the skill gap. Despite initial concerns, positive playtester feedback supported retaining the moving platforms, aligning with our game’s core pillars: Momentum and Vertigo.
Parkour 2
The second parkour section provides a practice area for the wall run and dash mechanics, featuring hazards like fire traps, projectile shooters, and closing walls. Positive feedback on curved wall runs during early development led us to incorporate them extensively throughout the game. This section introduces low-difficulty curved wall runs, acclimating players to the mechanic’s nuances without excessive risk, and maintaining reasonably low difficulty for an early game stage.
Combat 2
The second combat section allows players to practice learned combat mechanics, build their kill multiplier, and charge their ultimate ability gauge across 3 encounters separated by wall-run obstacles. It introduces ranged enemy towers, highlighting their silhouettes. To heighten intensity, I elevated the cloud VFX to reduce players’ depth of vision, demanding quicker reactions as they navigate and battle enemies. This adjustment also accentuated the tower silhouettes, reinforcing the connection between towers and ranged enemies.
Parkour Section 3
The final parkour section challenges players to master core mechanics with higher-difficulty obstacles like larger wall run gaps, longer curved wall runs, and precision-demanding closing walls. To impart knowledge about the kill multiplier perks seamlessly, enemies are strategically placed between obstacles, enabling players to build and maintain their kill multiplier. The longer gaps emphasize increased speed with an active multiplier. Thoughtful enemy placement teaches players to utilize diverse combat mechanics to sustain the multiplier until the section’s end, eliminating the need for a separate tutorial.
Combat 3
The final combat section unveils the game’s true combat intensity, testing players’ mastery of core combat mechanics across 4 encounters that progressively intensify. Before the last encounter, a tutorial introduces the ultimate ability, assuming players have accumulated at least 10 kills and filled the ultimate ability gauge. This encounter places players in a lift, immersing them amidst a mix of ranged and melee enemies, urging them to employ the ultimate ability’s black hole effect on the ample enemy cluster.
Level End
In the third month of development, we introduced portals to the win volume. To enhance the world-building, I suggested incorporating assets from the upcoming level around these portals, creating a foreshadowing effect. This included objects and terrain, like floating tombstones, ghostly islands, and environmental assets from the second level where players Summon Cal. This addition aims to provide an otherworldly sense and increases replayability, presenting an exclusive easter egg for players who Summon Cal.
Caleb Wharton 