Project Momentum

​​​​​​​Project Momentum is a 3D platform in which the player controls a rogue clone that breaks free from its pod. Equipped with the ability to run at great speeds, the clone must make their way down to the evil Overseer and dethrone them to escape the factory and set the rest of the clones free.​​​​​​


Genre: 3D Platformer 
 Engine: Unity 2020.12f1
Team size: 20 students
Development period: 3 months
Release date: December 4th, 2020
My Role 
As one of the level designers working on this project, my role was to design the first area of the game in which the player was eased into utilizing the boost mechanic and push them to use it in creative ways.
My Responsibilities
-Designing and creating a map of the first area of the game
-Creating a blockmesh of the first area
-Placement of assets
-Effectively lighting the level
-Ensuring the level is properly paced
-Integrating scripts and level events
-Creating and analyzing playtest surveys
Initial Design Intentions
The game design team decided that the levels for Project Momentum would encourage the player to utilize the boost mechanic to travel through the levels in creative ways. The level designers were also instructed to somehow include story elements throughout the level to show the presence of the Overseer.
I had the pleasure of designing the first area after the tutorial so I kept in mind that the player would not be fully adjusted to the boost mechanic. This required my area to be a little easier than the others while nudging the player to utilize the boost mechanic.
Game Moments
Below are a few example of the memorable or exciting game moments that are found throughout the level.
The player enters the first area and they are free to charge down the catwalk.

The player takes a turn on the catwalk and is offered a view of the level, foreshadowing some of the obstacles they will later encounter.

The player needs to boost in order to build up speed and jump off the ramp to reach the next platform.

The player needs to time their charges to make their way up the incline while avoiding the lasers. They need to hide on the small ledges on either side of the incline, to avoid being knocked back by the lasers. If the player is hit by the lasers they get knocked back and lose all of their momentum.

While boosting up the incline, the player ends up in front of a button and must boost into it to shut off the lasers.

The player needs to time their boost to run across the faces of the pistons before they extend. If the player does not time their boost properly, they fall to their death.

 The player needs to boost and jump across the two gaps while dodging the ascending and descending lasers. Once Across the gaps, the player can continue forward.

The player needs to run across the light platforms which are only tangible while the light is shining directly on them. This must be done three consecutive times in order to reach the other side of the room. If the player falls, there is a piston they can ride up to the beginning platform.

Design Challenges
During our playtest sessions, some testers brought up a few issues and concerns they had with the level. Below are some examples of what the issues were and how I addressed them.
One of the design challenges I encountered was that some players were unable to distinguish where the gaps were located between platforms. I decided to use flooring with white ledges so that players can easily see where platforms end and start.
Another design challenge that I encountered was that players were unsure of what the launch pistons did and how to activate them. I added a special floor tile in front of them to show players where to activate them as well as adding lights to the face of the pistons to make them stand out a little more.
The third design challenge I encountered was that players felt that buttons were difficult to spot as well as awkward to charge into. I fixed this by changing the angle at which the buttons were facing to match the direction the players would first approach from. This helped the players charge into them in one charge rather than needing to charge, stop, adjust their angle and charge again to hit the button. I also requested that the lights on the face of the button have a unique pattern to them so that they can easily be spotted by the player, even at longer distances.
Full Level Playthrough
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