Hello everyone!
LINK TO MOD: http://www.moddb.com/mods/aurora-reinstated
Short introduction
I am a level design student at The Game Assembly in Malmö Sweden.
We were tasked to plan out 10 weeks to work on pieces for our portfolio, which should be launched on april 10th.
The reason for this is to meet with game companies from around the world to aquire an intership which extends over the course of ten months and then hopefully begin to work there after internship completion.
My plan was to make a small but well polished short campaign for Half-Life 2 : Episode Two. This because the HL-series if my favorite games of all times and because I feel comfortable to work in the Source engine.
Making a mod consisting of three unique maps in this short time is quite strenuous, but I want to prove my worth as a level designer but also do something that I find valuable and fun for myself.
The mod
I had some ideas before I started and the one that stuck with me goes as follows.
The protagonist in this mod is Adrian Shephard. He is reinstated in service by G-man at the arctic base where Dr. Judith Mossman is transmitting from, at the same time as the combine attack.
By some unknown order from "higher up" corporal shephards services are now needed.
Was the attack on the base an unforseen consequence or was it all planned?
The Plot
Being awoken right in the action Shephard will have no clue or notion about where he is, what the Combine are or what else have happened in the years following the Black Mesa Incident.
The only thing he will know is that he will have to escape from the place he is finding himself in.
The Setting
Corporal Shephard is finding himself in an underground arctic military facility. Perhaps this has something to do with the Borealis, or Aparture Sciences.
The Theme
The theme I am going for is heavily inspired by Black Mesa. Most of it is underground and therefore it will be corridors, hangars and big warehouses. But it will also be in an outside environment.
Since the building is built underground and it is built vertically, some of the rooms are built very large with high ceilings.
The Maps
I am building three maps to show my level design thinking and try to include as much of my ideas as I can.
Without going in to spoilers to much the three maps will go as follows.
- Map 01 - The player will be introduced to the setting and conflict with foreshadowing combat scenarios between the rebels and the Combine. The player will at this stage be helpless and unarmed. This to set a mood and force the player to focus on exploration and getting to know certain game mechanics as interacting with the environment as well as the basic movement controlls.
- Map 02 - The player will be forced into conflice with the Combine. The first combat scenarios will be introduced as well as more difficult movement exploration puzzles. The player will also ascend closer to the surface as well as getting more insight into the complex he is finding himself in.
- Map 03 - The player will be experience the crescendo with a fast paced map filled with combat. To break things up there will be a segment where the player will get a break and slow down to focus on environmental exploration. This is the last map so here the mod will end.
Problems
Somethings I have encountered that I want to adress but can't.
Some of the bigger ones are:
- To have G-man introduce the player in the beginning with real conversation.
- To have a custom dialogue with rebels and Dr Judith Mossman.
- Produce something epic within the seven week timeframe.
Summary
PROTAGONIST
- Name: Adrian Shephard.
- Role: Helping Dr. Judith Mossman. (Wishlist)
- Background: Former marine, was put in stasis by G-man at the end of the Black Mesa incident. (Opposing Force ending)
REFERENCE
- Location: The Arctic
- Building keywords: Concrete & metal, military facility, merged/submerged in ice. Black Mesa.
- Environment keywords: Corridors, industrial, complex, bunker.
- Outside keywords: Open snowy areas, falling snow and restricted vision. Icebergs and ice walls blocking off the areas. Bunker/military base complex.
