Team: Solo Engine: Far Cry 5 Map Editor Role: Level Designer Timeline: 2 Months
Overview: Linear stealth bounty hunt mission in Far Cry
Objective: Eliminate the two mission targets in the research base and get to the exit point without being killed
Create an engaging level using Far Cry 5's preexisting movement & climbing mechanics
Capture the feeling of climbing a mountain with various regions and stages of progression
Design a medium level of combat difficulty that exists throughout the level but does not impede the player
Build an experience that accommodates to both stealth and guns-blazing playstyles
When initially designing the level I had wanted a big part of it to be a traversal up the mountain to the mission target in the style that a lot of action/adventure games have. However, this meant that I had to design for a lot of traversal challenges to make the ascent interesting and not just a walking simulator. The part that became tricky early on is that I was limited to very few traversal mechanics for ascending within the Far Cry 5 engine.
I used some smaller mechanics/features like ledge climbing, bridges, and sloped terrain to make the walking more interesting, but when it came to actually scaling the mountain there were grapples and ladders. Ladders are simple and good for climbing quickly, but when it comes to that natural mountain feeling, it doesn't quite fit in. I ended up using the ladders closer to the top of the mountain to signify they were nearing the research base.
That left me with the grapples which worked great for climbing large distances quickly and tying into the mountain aesthetic. However, when playtesting it was apparent that the grappling just felt very repetitive. In my initial design I had taken the approach of adding more grapples in so there'd be more interaction overall, but instead the grapples turned into the original issue of the ascent being boring. To fix this I changed my design method to quality over quantity. I'd have less grapples, but each of them would cover a larger distance or swing over a gap, to induce that feeling of big cliff climbing while still ascending to the same height.
Overall, working with a limited set of mechanics is difficult, but I was able to work around that and find a different way to make the experience more engaging for the player.
Bubble Diagram of Map with Height Values
Full Diagram of Level Map
1st Floor of Research Base
2nd Floor of Research Base
Mountain Combat Bridge & Water Routes
The climax of the level is undoubtedly the Research Lab towards the end where you have to take out the targets and complete the mission. When designing the building, I wanted it to be more semi-linear with a lot of player freedom to complete the objective. The majority of the level is very linear with the occasional extra path, so I wanted this area to be open to give the players a chance to strategize and go about killing the target in different ways according to their motivations. If the player wants to be stealthy and only kill the targets, they can take the side entrances with more cover and minimal enemy contact. However, a lot of players like to run through the front door guns blazing shooting anything that moves, and that is an option too. All of the entrances have the capability for a new experience depending on the player's playstyle, and that supports my goal of allowing the player to take the lead in this area.
All combat situations within the level were designed with the principle that players will all approach different interaction in a different way. This was much harder to design for when it came to the natural environment settings instead of the large house. The Mountain combat section is incredibly open, and because of the bridge pathway up to the enemies it gave very little cover. With a long sightline, minimal cover, and only two enemies, I found through playtests that people would instinctively just shoot them since there were no distinct stealth options. I liked the bridge as it framed the narrow path ahead very well, but I couldn't add any seamless cover that fit the mountain. So instead of going over, I decided to add water underneath the bridge so the bridge itself could become the cover. The water itself acted as stealth movement, and a ladder on the edge of the cliff allowed players to quickly get up and take an enemy out. In playtesting, players were instantly drawn to the water as another option of movement. Some players kept with the run and gun method on the bridge, but those more interested in stealth assassin and no kill playstyles now had a viable option. Ultimately, it gave players the choice to play the game how they wanted while sticking to the linear path.
Beat Diagram of Mission Beat Difficulty
Molecule Diagram of Research Base Interior Rooms
Takeaways
Teaching any extra mechanics early on. Wanted players to explore around water but players saw it as something to avoid because they always jump/move over it. Introduce it as a safe exploration mechanic early on.
