Project Snapshot
Return to Ravenholm is Half-Life 2 mod where Gordan Freeman returns to Ravenholm for the second time in hopes of finding Dog’s missing ball.
Engine: Source (Hammer Editor)
Base Game: Half-Life 2
Level Overview
The Return to Ravenholm is a single player introduction level to the second time Gordon Freeman is forced to return to the dark town. The level is set outside the main town of Ravenholm on the banks of a nearby lake. Freeman has been tasked by Alyx to retrieve Dog’s one of a kind ball, that was lost when Eli’s lab was attacked. The level gameplay is focused around drowning head crabs in pools of water and the change of space when water floods the map. Gordon fights his way towards a cart that can carry him back to Ravenholm.
Retrospective
What Went Well
I feel like my aesthetic could fit into HL2 seamlessly.
I managed to work through all my critical scripting without any major changes or adjustments
My intended flow was successful because most people who playtested did not get lost in the space.
What Went Wrong
Combat pacing and difficulty could have been better - the enemies were often too easy for the player.
Due to a need to rescale my space, I ended up off the grid. This made it very difficult to line up anything correctly.
My sightline to my explosion was incorrect so when the player turned a valve they did not see the cool moment.
Even Better If’s
In the future, I should gather more data about what the scale of a space needs to be in the game I am working in.
Sightlines are important for cool moments, in the future I need to be considering the direction the player will be facing when they perform an action that triggers a cool moment.
I need to more closely consider the pacing between combat and puzzles to successfully create a well-paced level.
Design Goals
Space and Aesthetics - I wanted to focus on having the scale of the space right since I feel like this is something that strongly impacts how a player interacts with their environment. I also aimed to have an aesthetic that seamlessly fitted into the original Half-Life 2.\
Flow - In each room, I made sure that players knew where to go at a glance and never got confused as to where to go. I also wanted to make sure that each space had a logical purpose to it.
Verticality - I wanted the spaces to each to have a different sense of verticality. I wanted the player to be moving up, down and around the space in different manners. The water mechanic in the level was very conducive to this.
Maps and Layouts
Return to Ravenholm is comprised of two buildings and the lake. Maps and in-game screenshots of each area can be found below.
Puzzles and Flow
The level was designed with the goal of having the player understand where they need to go to get to the end of the level from the beginning.
I achieved this by showing the final goal of the level right at the beginning and then the valve that they need to activate to get to the dam gate to open. I made sure that every exit to a room they entered was visible from the time they entered the space.
I made sure to introduce the mechanics of the level at least twice so that people would have a teaching moment before they had to master the mechanic that I was teaching them.
Original Design Map
Original Map Top view
Sightline to Exit
Original entrance below and half-way point above
Puzzles and Flow
The level was designed with the goal of having the player understand where they need to go to get to the end of the level from the beginning.
I achieved this by showing the final goal of the level right at the beginning and then the valve that they need to activate to get to the dam gate to open. I made sure that every exit to a room they entered was visible from the time they entered the space.
I made sure to introduce the mechanics of the level at least twice so that people would have a teaching moment before they had to master the mechanic that I was teaching them.
Battery for first puzzle well-lit in a pit
Exit of the first room visible from the start position
Battery puzzle in the incorrect order
Second order operations puzzle - insert in correct order