NECRODEMIC

ROLE

Environment & Level Designer

DESCRIPTION

Necrodemic is a free-to-play survival-based thriller game with procedural map generation systems for a fresh map after every spawn. Zombie bears need to be defeated to earn Essence and Essence can be used to purchase more powerful weapons, ammo, and perks that increase the player's chances of survival.

Released on the in-house game launcher of Bullieverse and soon to be published on the Epic Games Store.

Team Size: 5

Engine: Unreal Engine

What I worked on:

Designing procedural map mechanics and layouts.
Level design from Concept to Grey Boxing to Final Maps.
Designing the environments for the Character selection screen and loading screens.

YEAR

2023

GENRE

Third Person Shooter

PLATFORM

PC, Mac & Mobile

THE DESIGN

Level Design features:

The levels in Necrodemic were designed using procedural systems making sure there’s a new map every time the player spawns, adding a huge challenge to the gameplay by also ensuring non linearity.

Design intentions of the game:

Map layout changes with every player spawn.
Player Agency and Player Intentionality.
Perpetual player movement spanning the entire map.
Non-linearity, Multiple Solutions, and Systemic Gameplay.
Unique Map layout, Gating, and Structure.
Fast-paced and constant enemy combats.

Game Setting:

Spooky abandoned temple occupied by Zombies.

Gameplay Beats:

Start with the player vulnerable and equipped with only a pistol.
The player tries to survive the zombie attack by avoiding zombie contact and killing as many zombies as possible.
The intensity of enemies and power-ups for players keep increasing hand in hand as the game moves ahead.
Pace and panic in the game constantly increase.
The player has no option but to run around and use the entire map.
There’s only one way to finish the game and that is by getting eliminated, early or late depending on the player's skill.

Game Mechanics & Notes:

All the zombies can be eliminated with all of the weapons but the amount of damage differs.
Zombies can cause health damage only in close contact except for a few exceptions.
The player gets in-game XP by eliminating the zombies.
The player can use XP earned in-game to constantly upgrade the weapons and purchase power-ups.
The location of the weapons/power-ups shop keeps alternating with time between 3 locations spread across the map.
A floating ball of death follows the player and steals XP if the player stays at the same location for too long. This ensures there is no exploitation of potential dead zones in the map where zombies cannot reach the player.

PREVIOUS GAME

NEXT GAME

NIKHIL

NECRODEMIC

THE DESIGN

Level Design features:

The levels in Necrodemic were designed using procedural systems making sure there’s a new map every time the player spawns, adding a huge challenge to the gameplay by also ensuring non linearity.

Design intentions of the game:

Map layout changes with every player spawn.

Player Agency and Player Intentionality.

Perpetual player movement spanning the entire map.

Non-linearity, Multiple Solutions, and Systemic Gameplay.

Unique Map layout, Gating, and Structure.

Fast-paced and constant enemy combats.

Game Setting:

Spooky abandoned temple occupied by Zombies.

Gameplay Beats:

Start with the player vulnerable and equipped with only a pistol.

The player tries to survive the zombie attack by avoiding zombie contact and killing as many zombies as possible.

The intensity of enemies and power-ups for players keep increasing hand in hand as the game moves ahead.

Pace and panic in the game constantly increase.

The player has no option but to run around and use the entire map.

There’s only one way to finish the game and that is by getting eliminated, early or late depending on the player's skill.

Game Mechanics & Notes:

All the zombies can be eliminated with all of the weapons but the amount of damage differs.

Zombies can cause health damage only in close contact except for a few exceptions.

The player gets in-game XP by eliminating the zombies.

The player can use XP earned in-game to constantly upgrade the weapons and purchase power-ups.

The location of the weapons/power-ups shop keeps alternating with time between 3 locations spread across the map.

A floating ball of death follows the player and steals XP if the player stays at the same location for too long. This ensures there is no exploitation of potential dead zones in the map where zombies cannot reach the player.