07 · Stealth & Infiltration Level Blockout
Underground City
Role
Level Designer (Solo Project)
Engine
Unity, ProBuilder / Greyboxing, Spatial Composition & Stealth Flow
Team
Team of 1
Gallery
Underground City - Walkthrough
01
Project Overview
Underground City is a solo level design blockout built in Unity set within a vertically stratified dystopian megastructure. Choked by poisonous gas in the lower depths and governed by strict technological and social hierarchy, the environment challenges the player to execute a high-stakes infiltration and assassination mission. The project draws structural inspiration from the multi-path immersive sim philosophy of Dishonored and the monumental architectural scale of the Blame! manga and anime.
02
My Role & Core Responsibilities
As the sole creator (Team Size: 1), I executed every stage of the level design process:
- Conceptualized the worldbuilding rules, vertical social stratification, and mission progression from initial 2D layouts to a fully navigable 3D Unity blockout.
- Designed multi-layered stealth traversal routes, guard patrol loops, and environmental hazard zones (poisonous gas pockets and ventilation shafts).
- Engineered spatial composition, architectural framing, and sightline blockers to guide player navigation without HUD markers.
03
From Idea to Implementation (Behind the Scenes)
I started by defining how the lore of the city directly dictates level geometry: the toxic lower strata feature cramped, hazardous industrial catwalks where touching the floor is fatal, while the upper target compound opens into monumental brutalist plazas with long guard sightlines. In Unity, I greyboxed three distinct vertical approaches (high rafters/pipes, mid-level street cover, and low maintenance ducts) leading to the assassination target, iterating on jump distances, crouch-cover heights, and camera angles to ensure every playstyle had viable risk-reward trade-offs.
04
Key Challenges & How I Solved Them
Challenge 1: Maintaining Spatial Orientation Inside a Monochromatic Vertical Megastructure
The Problem: Megastructure environments inspired by Blame! rely on massive, repeating concrete geometry, which can easily disorient players during vertical climbing and stealth flanking.
The Solution: I established distinct architectural silhouettes and lighting contrast per vertical stratum, anchoring the assassination target's citadel as a constant high-altitude focal point visible from major exterior catwalks. Every major junction was framed so the player can preview enemy patrol routes from an elevated perch before committing to an entry vector.
Challenge 2: Balancing Multiple Infiltration Paths Without Making Stealth Trivial
The Problem: Giving players elevated catwalks and rafters often allows them to bypass all ground-level tension effortlessly.
The Solution: I intersected the high vertical routes with environmental hazards, including venting poisonous gas pipes and narrow sightline gaps watched by elevated lookouts, forcing players to dynamically drop between high and mid tiers rather than staying on a single safe path for the entire mission.
Playrooms
First/Third-Person Survival Horror & Puzzle Adventure · Unreal Engine 5, Lumen Lighting, Level & Encounter Direction, Narrative Systems