Lost Conductor - Time Rift for a Hat in Time
(Level’s Design & Creation)
Game:
A Hat in Time - Modding Tools (Unreal Engine 3)
Tools Used:
A Hat in Time
Release:
Jan 2024
Overview:
Basic Time Rift, made using a Hat in Time’s Modding tools, experimenting with the falling platforms, grapple and balloon mechanics; as well as map flow and directing the player. Also being my first atempt at designing a level for a 3D Platformer so looking at similar games for inspiration on how they paced their levels.
Steam Workshop Link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3136367876
Gameplay Video:
Basic Info:
Started with text generating a general sequence of events as well as mechanics I wanted to explore, before jumping into the editor
Followed the mario style of approach, where you slowly introduce an idea or mechanic before expanding on it and testing your player at the end
Experimented with presentation, figuring out what was best to show the player and when
Level Design & Building:
Used Kismet to script checkpoints and other in game objects
Used Matinee to create intro cameras as well as moving platforms
Created Nav Mesh for enemy AI to traverse
Created conversation trees for dialogue in game
Scripting:
Playtests & Bug Fixing:
Had both experienced and newer players test out my map to see any galring issues in the design
Fixed any bugs or issues found from play tests
Also realised that some people will just break your level in ways you can’t have planned around
Detailed Info:
Idea Generation
I started this level on Notepad rather than on Clip Studio Paint or Pinterest. Generating my ideas from: what goals I had for creating the level, to what elements (mechanics) from a hat in time I could use; as well as then starting to think of a sequence of events.
Leaving some ideas open ended and unsure if I would want to go through with them or not. But having this idea thought out before going straight into the editor.
Level Creation
I then got to work in the modding tools. Not really needing to create any blockouts as the assets of a time rift are quite simple in nature and the template had a lot of work already done for me in terms of setup, so being able to blockout with the actual assets as oppose to using place holders.
(the basic time rift preset left)
So removing the meshes I didn’t need and starting work on the layout, slowly building my way up to the planned S shape.
Firstly building the starting area for the player knowing I wanted to teach/introduce the basic mechanics that I would be repeating throughout the level (balloons, grapple and falling platforms)
As well as wanting to give the player a clear sight of their objective (the time piece) as soon as they spawn in.
Later moving onto the 2d style wall seciton I had planned. Creating the thick wall for the player to climb then introducing one final gimmic being the dropping spiders. Having an easier one with a platform underneath to catch the player after killing it, then making the player carry on the jump after killing it with the second.
Scripting
Also having to use kismet and matinee (Unreal Engine 3’s scripting and timeline tools) to create these rotating cogs on the other side for the player to traverse.
I then had some enemy birds attack the player as he comes to give one final suprise in tension before giving the player an npc interaction and a checkpoint as a place to cooldown.
Having to quickly add a pylon to create the nav mesh for the birds to be able to move around, but making sure it didn’t reach the npc interaction (potentially interupting it).
Next creating a simple conversation tree inside for the conductor not necessarily adding much but a break to the action, and a joke that those who’ve played the game would get.
Finalising
Later going ahead and created the little side gauntlet I had planned for the player. Intitialy wanting it to be an alternate route with a token inbetween (just harder). But finding the off to the side challenge seemed better fit, as I could see this confusing some players otherwise.
Also having to tweak this through testing, realising that if you missed the final jumps and had killed the spiders they wouldn’t respawn and the player wouldn’t get another chance to get the token, so keeping the spiders as a hazard but passing them with a grapple instead.
Finally creating the end gauntlet, having this tense run across the falling platforms with blockers and enemies dropping in and a timed balloon jump at the end to really test what the player has learned.
Then having this final slide across and letting the player clear these simple platforms and balloon to show what they’ve learned. Similar to the way most Mario stages have there gimmic shown one last time at the end of the stage.
Also making sure that where I placed the time piece was adjacent to the player spawn so they couldn’t reach it but could see it clearly having no question what there goal is and keeping it clear in there mind from the start.
Playtesting & Bug Fixing
There was also a decent amount of bug fixing (see on the right black background for example) and playtesting. People tend to find a lot of ways to circumvent some of your challenges. A few of which I fixed/removed and others I left as a thing that a player wouldn’t do on there first run but those who would want to go the extra mile can find and discover.
