Single Player FPS Level
Revelation
Created in: Unreal Engine 5
Role: Level Designer
Overview:
Revelation is an FPS level that focuses on storytelling through environmental design, guiding the player with architecture, and encouraging player choice through non-linear level design. This level is set in Las Vegas airport and was made during a LD bootcamp. During this bootcamp I did weekly playtesting to assit with rapid iteation.
Project Goals:
Create a level inspired by a real-world location to improve my level design and architectural skills.
Increase knoweldge on Non-linear story telling and promote different forms of gameplay (stealth, rushing, etc).
Further improve my ability to rapidly iterate based on player feedback.
Designed combat spaces with enemy encounters to improve my PvE level design skills and better understand cover, pacing, and player experience.
Utilze game design documentation to layout ideas and seek feedback to create a clear goal for the level.
What I Learned:
During this project, I learned how to more effectively gather and implement feedback to drive my design closer to its intended goals. I was challenged to understand how enemy placement affects player flow and decision-making, which gave me deeper insight into guiding players and enhancing choice through encounter design.
By the end of the project, I significantly improved my Unreal Engine 5 skills. I created custom meshes, used a modular kit for blockouts, and implemented functionality through Blueprint scripting.
Level Start - Introduction
First combat zone - this area suppots stealth or fast gameplay due to its verticality and cover.
The level begins with the player landing on the roof of an airport and fighting their way down. This opening section is designed to gradually build tension as the player progresses through “Act 1.” I also carefully placed enemies to create clear sightlines to key landmarks, subtly guiding the player forward through visual cues.
In this section enemies run out of the door off a gameplay trigger. This is meant to raise tention and guide the player forward due to the newly opened door.
In order to give players a sense of direction I utlized landmarks throughout my level. These land marks would be important POIs players would be drawn to. I placed an enemy here to highlight the important landmaks.
Act 2 - Inside The Airport
When players enter the airport, they can spot the ATC tower and Fire House again — landmarks they saw earlier in the level. I kept bringing these into view to give players a quiet reminder of where they are and how far they’ve come. It helps create a feeling of progress without having to say anything directly.
There’s also a key room in this section that splits into two main paths. I made sure it stood out by giving it bold colors and a layout that feels different from the rest of the space. That way, if someone ever felt lost, they’d immediately recognize it and know where they were. My goal was to let players explore freely without getting totally turned around — so they’d feel like they were discovering the level, not getting stuck in it.
VIP lounge path
Casino Floor Path
ATC Tower
This section is the first big landmark. This is a combat POI where there are multiple ways to approach taking out enemies. Cover is supplied at the entrance to allow players to stop and think about how they want to tackle the challenge ahead. Or if stealth isnt an option there is ample geo to allow fast paced action.
The Fire House
Utilizing one way drops and leading lines with geo, players are guided forward towards their next objective. As they approach the Fire House a container falls and blocks their path which then leads them to an alterante path. I designed this to increase tension and help further push story telling through gameplay.
Utilized verticality to allow players to see the landscape ahead and plan thier next action with plenty of information.
The Tarmac
The final stage the plater must fight through the tarmac where enemies can be hiding behind any of the boxes. This moment is meant to raise tention to the max due to being in the open and not knowing where anyone can be. The green lights on the tarmac are meant to clearly show the player where they should head to so they dont feel lost or overwhelemed.
