Take Down the Crown was developed over four months as a college assignment. Drawing inspiration from the classic The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the project aimed to achieve a light-hearted tone. A key gameplay innovation was the inclusion of a Glider mechanic, directly inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, adding a unique layer to player traversal and exploration.
I was tasked with creating the second level of the game, so the goal here was to create a level where the player would be introduced to a number of mechanics, while keep using the ones they were just introduced on the previous level.
I wanted to create a “mini D&D campaign” by having a history that revolved around a village suffering from the oppression of a tyrant ruler.
The focus of this project is the Level Design, and not environment art. All the art added to this project was added as a mandatory class requirement.
The game's design revolved around the player collecting equipment that would unlock new mechanics necessary for progression. This approach allowed us to create a dynamic and engaging experience where players would constantly encounter new challenges and puzzles. We structured the game’s progression using an IPM (Introduction, Practice, Mastery) table to plan when and how players would encounter and master new mechanics. This ensured a smooth learning curve, allowing players to gradually familiarize themselves with each mechanic before facing more complex challenges.
I created a timed bomb very similar to the ones present in multiple The Legend of Zelda games. To spawn the bomb, I created a dispenser that can be placed anywhere.
The bomb dealt damage to enemies in its area, but the real challenge in Blueprint was getting other actors to interact with it too.
I made a rock actor that disappears when hit by the explosion, and also an enemy with rocks around its body — while those rocks are still on, the enemy is invincible. The player has to break them first. I also designed the bomb’s smoke, heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
While developing the level, I got a lot of feedback from both my teachers and teammates. Early in the process, I was already setting up the structure for the golden path, and after several iterations, the level ended up becoming something really interesting.
The Chateau is the main part of the level, where most of the interactions are. Originally the level was going to be fully in it. This changed because I wanted to give the player a bit more of context of where the story was set, and to space the mechanics a bit better.
Vantage Points
Verticality not only lets the player use the Glider mechanic in fun ways, but it also provides vantage points to easily spot objectives. This design is most evident in the village section, where players can glide from rooftops and high points to discover new paths.
Rock
Rock Enemy
Vistas with Landmarks
Landmarks were used throughout the level to help players orient themselves and to draw them to different points of interest. The most important landmark is the Chateau's structure, which is visible from almost anywhere in the level. This landmark helps guide players and serves as a clear objective, drawing them towards it as they progress.
Refuge
Places of refuge were integrated into the level to provide players with safe spots to calmly strategize their next move. One notable example is the Chateau's first room, which offers a brief respite from enemies and a moment to plan the next steps in the game.
Smoke
Gating
Gating mechanisms were implemented throughout the level to create a structured progression for the player. In the Chateau, locked gates require players to solve puzzles, often involving collecting items like the Fire Rod. This system ensures that players continually engage with the environment and mechanics, making them solve puzzles to advance, thus maintaining a cycle of exploration and progression.
This project was a significant learning experience for me. Balancing creativity with practical execution was challenging, but it taught me the importance of planning and prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines. I'm proud of the innovative level design and mechanics I implemented, and the project highlighted my ability to adapt, problem-solve, and collaborate effectively under pressure. Moving forward, I plan to refine my approach to ensure future projects have both depth and polish. The lessons learned from "Take Down the Crown" will be invaluable as I continue to strive for impactful and engaging game experiences. Ultimately, this project underscored the importance of balancing ambitious design ideas with realistic development constraints, a crucial lesson for any game designer.
Release: September 2023
Platform: PC
Tenure: June 2023 - September 2023
Role: Level Designer