Orphan's Escape (Team Project)
Full Playthrough
Team Members:
Filippo Romanelli
Mélodie Larocque
Dominick Caron
James Kavanagh
Maxime Scheffer
Kyle Derzsy
Game Context:
Orphan's Escape is a Puzzle-Stealth game, where the player will be tasked to find a way out of the orphanage by solving puzzles and avoid being caught by staff members. Pedro, the main character of the story, is curious about why the elevator in the hallway has never been used, despite it looking completely functional. Where does the elevator lead to? His friends mention there may be a way to open it in the Headmaster's office. In order to get to the Headmaster's office, the player will need to explore the orphanage at night. Learning secrets, finding hidden passages and hiding amongst the shadows will be challenging. What Pedro doesn't know, is that sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
My Roles:
Level Designer - Blueprints Scripting - Sound Implementation Intro Cinematic - Level Art Assistant
As Level Designer I was in charge of creating an orphanage environment, where the player can explore, solve puzzles, hide from staff, interact with NPCs and find clues to the mystery residing within. My job was to create a level that would get the player to learn all controls and mechanics implemented. While also creating a fun and challenging experience for the player. All the puzzles in my section of the level was built and implemented by me, except for one (toolbox puzzle).
Using Blueprint scripting I made use of UE5 to program all NPCs, as well as interactions and puzzles. I kept my scripts clear and precise, so if a collague needed a quick look or understanding how the blueprint worked, they could check for themselves. In all, I was able to implement and polish 4 puzzles that correlates to the story.
As Level Art Assistant I did a first level art pass, placing objects where the furniture would go, replacing the blockout pieces and adding small details. I gave the Level Artists a good foundation while they finalized and made the level feel alive.
The Intro Cinematic, was another task I was in charge of. I used the dialogue provided by the Narrative Designer and came up with shots for the scene. I placed the cameras strategically so that you would know who was talking when; since the characters in this game don't have faces.
The level design
For the level itself, I wanted it to have a linear route while also not forcing the player to do things in order. In puzzle games, the player might not know how to solve something at first and may need to come back to it. That's what I kept in mind, while also giving it an orphanage/school vibe. I wanted the dorms to feel comforting, with lots of rooms. Some may not be unlocked, meaning the kids have already went to bed. For the patrolling guards, if you watch in the shadows it's easy to pick up their pattern and sneak right by them. Although, if the player doesn't time themselves right, they will most likely get caught. This forces the player from just running through the whole game, and actually having to use stealth.
The puzzles
The safe Puzzle
The safe puzzle is one of the very first puzzle the player can interact with. A girl will mention something odd about that painting. The player can interact with the painting to reveal a safe behind it. On that safe there is a riddle for the combination. Which tells the player the direction to move the knob towards. As for the actual combination, the answer can be found by going around the dorms and see which rooms still have their lights on. The numbers correspending on those doors is the combination.
The Toy Puzzle
The Toy Puzzle is the last puzzle of the level. The combination can be found by exploring the classroom and looking for the stacked cubes on the desks. Inside the toy, there's a key to a closet door which will unlock the next section of the level. Therefore, ending my level. It is quite easy to figure this one out. Although, getting to this puzzle and making your way back, by avoiding the staff patrolling, proves to be challenging.
The Puzzle Puzzle
The Puzzle Puzzle is one of the last puzzles in the level. It's just a regular puzzle to solve. When the pieces are put in the right order, the backside of the puzzle will reveal a riddle. That riddles hints at the location of one of the code pieces. Which is in the flower pot. The piece cannot be picked up without completing the puzzle.
The Soup Puzzle
The Soup Puzzle is a two step puzzle. First step is figuring out the right ingredients to cook. Once that's done, you can grab a bowl and bring it back to an NPC for a reward. The reward is a Jack-In-The-Box which can be used to distract guards. It's impossible to progress without it, since there's staff guarding the entrance to the classroom.
Wrong Ingredients
Correct Ingredients
Npc Interactions
Rose
She'll point you to where Xavier's room is, since she overheard you're trying to sneak out.
Xavier
He can unlock the doors for you, but first you'll need ot pass his test. Find a way into the Janitor's Closet and solve the riddle. Once the player types the right answer, he'll open the door.
Emily
She'll mention the painting in her room is unsual, since it's the only one in all the dorms.
Sebastian
He'll mention how hungry they are. He's really craving a soup, so the player will need to sneak into the kitchen and make one. Then he'll give you a reward for the soup.
The blockout
Classroom + Storage
Dorms
Cafeteria + Kitchen
Main Hallway
Levels Layout
Initial Sketch
1st Layout
Revamped Layout
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