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BecomeSpider.png

Summary​

 

Become Spider is a Half-Life 2 custom level made in hammer editor. This is a is a single player first-person shooting level, where players are involved in a mysterious experiment and need to use special devices to move on walls of different planes and cross a maze-like map to reach the final exit.

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  • Game: Half-Life 2

  • Engine: Harmer Editor (Source Engine)

  • Development Time: 7 Weeks

  • Play Time: 10 - 15 mins

Structure Focus

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I wanted to create a level that focused on layout structure, which meant the level layout should have good vertical design and clever use of space. Also, the level structure should include good composition techniques to control the player's sightline.​

Cool Mechanic

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I hope that the core mechanism of this level can be cool enough and fully serve the level structure, so I thought of a mechanism similar to gravity reversal, which allows players to move on any wall, maximizing the vertical design and spatial reuse of the level.

Good Conveyance

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Since the gravity reversal mechanism will make players feel disoriented, in order to allow players to quickly find the correct direction, I will polish the conveyance in the level, including using pinch point and some framing compositions to control the player's line of sight, and using environmental elements such as lights and decals to attract the player's attention.​

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What Went Well

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  • The level structure was locked down early on.​

  • Despite the complex structure, the level was clearly presented.

  • Good vertical design and spatial repetition.

  • Effective conveyance was achieved through composition techniques and aesthetic elements.

What Went Wrong

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  • The initial method of implementing the core mechanic was not the optimal solution, which resulted in unstable functions.

  • The potential cost was not fully considered when implementing the function.

  • There was a lack of sufficient playtesting to obtain feedback.

What I Learned

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  • Get familiar with the production tools early on.​

  • When implementing a function, consider the potential costs associated with it, such as subsequent maintenance and iteration costs.

  • Produce a playable demo as early as possible for playtesting to obtain more feedback.

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