
DEVELOPMENT INFO
Role: Level Designer | Genre: FPS, Action - Open World | Engine: Dying Light | Platform: PC | Dev Time: 7mo.
Game Summary
Dead Valley is a first-person action-adventure survival horror map set in a zombie-infested quarantine zone in Harran. Players control Kane, tasked by Jade, a runner team leader, to retrieve Antizin from a drop zone. This drug suppresses infection and prolongs survival for those affected. Players must explore and navigate to reach the drop zone.
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THESIS DESIGN OVERVIEW
Synopsis
My thesis project aimed to improve player navigation in an open-world game using effective landmarks. I researched best practices for landmark design and created an artifact to showcase their use in navigation, testing it without HUD/UI elements to measure success.
I chose this topic to enhance my design skills and create immersive experiences that encourage exploration. Effective navigation can be achieved through well-placed landmarks, allowing players to explore freely without forced routes.
Quest
I designed a multi-stage quest where players locate, secure, and return Antizin to a quest giver. The quest provides a clear goal while the map's design subtly guides players toward the objective using landmarks, offering a sense of progression without explicitly revealing the path.
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DESIGN
Landmarks
Landmarks are visually distinct features that guide players through the map and help them reorient themselves. They create a sense of space and serve as memorable cues for mental mapping. I incorporated three types of landmarks in my map: Global Landmarks, Weenies, and Local Decor Landmarks.




Islands and Alleys
I designed my map using islands and alleys to effectively integrate different landmarks and guide players toward their goals.
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An "island" is a spacious area where players explore and discover landmarks, helping to define their visual language.
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An "alley" connects islands, funneling players along clear paths to the next landmark, ensuring they can easily navigate between areas.

DESIGN ENHANCERS
Elevated Sightlines
Sightlines offer players information about their surroundings and navigational choices, directing them toward landmarks. I used Elevated Sightlines to give an overview of the layout, showing the locations of landmark islands and potential paths through the alleys. This spatial information creates goals for players and builds anticipation for their journey

Framed Sightlines
Framed Sightlines direct the player's attention to specific landmarks, enhancing their importance. They are essential for guiding players from one island to another, subconsciously steering them around the map.

MAP DESIGN

Dead Valley Map
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Overview
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I designed the map to clearly show the player their objective, placing a prominent global landmark with a smoke flare at the center to indicate the Antizin drop zone. Elevated sightlines provide navigational choices with alleys leading to other islands.
Each island features a unique weenie to attract players and guide them from one island to another. The visibility of the global landmark helps players orient themselves and gauge their proximity to the objective.
To aid mental mapping, I included local landmarks within the weenies and alleys as memorable cues, helping players recognize their paths and stay oriented if they feel lost.
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LEVEL PLAYTHROUGH
As this is a small open-world map, the playthrough will be divided into sections that offer various navigational choices, allowing players to approach their goals in different ways.
Sewer Exit to Power Station
This playthrough follows the player taking the path toward the waterfall (right), which leads them around the global landmark to the power station. From there, the player must navigate to the construction site and climb onto the crane.
Sewer Exit to Bridge
The path to the bridge (left) offers another navigational choice for players. However, before reaching the bridge, they must navigate through the island located between the bridge and the sewer exit, which features a fishing hut.
Bridge to Lighthouse to Crane to Global Landmark
If the player chooses to pursue the lighthouse landmark, they will cross the bridge to reach it. From the top of the lighthouse, they can orient themselves toward the construction site, which leads to the crane.
Once on the crane, players will be funneled toward the global landmark, guiding them to their objective.
Note: For more Information on my thesis process and findings, please view the Thesis Paper PDF
