Week 12

This week, I have primarily started the process of refining the level since we are coming up to the submission date. To start this refining process, I played through the entirety of my level for the first time in 2 weeks. This was highly useful for me because it allowed me to identify a section where the experience was particularly uninteresting. This was because the section had no enemies or puzzle elements to challenge the player and keep up the intensity and momentum from the previous section.

To overcome this issue, I created a second scripted event for the helicopter where it appears alongside the building you are trying to get into. I chose to make this second event to create a challenge for the player to enter the building before getting shot. My intention is that this design choice adds value by making the player feel rewarded if they can enter the building while just avoiding being shot (See Figure 18). This creates a sense of dramatic tension which makes the gameplay feel closer to my intended user experience: Being ambushed and having to take risks and be versatile in your combat choices to escape. 

Figure 18: Screenshot showing the first helicopter encounter must try to enter the door (on the left) before being shot.

After adding enemies into this section and finishing the helicopter scripted event, I decided to carry out some playtesting to assess the effectiveness of these improvements. I discovered that players found the section more interesting. This was because having to cross the balcony to fight the enemies, while simultaneously being shot at from the helicopter created a bottleneck (See Figure 19). This forced the player to take more risk to escape. This was highly useful, because it told me the design of this section is now in line with my intended user experience I mentioned above. My only concern with this section is that if the player falls off the balcony, they become stuck and unable to progress. This is clearly a significant issue as it can compromise the whole experience. In particular, the pacing. Although 3 other responses were recorded on paper, you can find a link to my feedback forum below (Sanderson, 2025). 

Figure 19: Screenshot showing the bottleneck section where the player must cross between the balconies.

I tried adding CS scanners initially as a prop because I wanted to create a sense that the player is under watch after attacking the first group in combine and to use them as an indicator that the chase will become more intense (as if the combines attempts at catching the player are becoming more aggressive). 

I then discovered that using CS scanner at the beginning on the G-man creates quite an interesting NPC interaction (almost like a scripted event) which helps to draw player attention towards the G-man. I like this effect because it creates an immediate sense of mystery around the G-man (especially when he disappears) and might give the player a motivation to continue playing; To find out where he has gone and who he is.

Additionally, I have also begun a lighting draft. While not something I want to focus on from a design perspective or specifically be graded on, lighting will still be important for making my experience feel authentic and more like an actual HL2 level (See Figure 20).

Next week is the start of the easter holidays. I want to use this extra time to focus on implementing the feedback from my playtesting session, because I believe implementing this feedback will allow me to achieve a more polished and cohesive user experience by refining gameplay features such as the gravity gun puzzles, scripted events and combat sequences. These are integral to my intended "ambush escape" user experience.

I will also begin adding in environment props, like furniture and background buildings. I especially want to add more buildings to create a more immersive atmosphere, as if the player is in the centre of a city. I think this will be beneficial for making the player feel constrained in their movements which will help to intensify the sense of being ambushed.