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Flower Frolick: Level Design

Flower Frolick is a relaxing a 3D exploration/puzzle game in which the player controls a girl exploring around her family's countryside home in search of blue flowers. I created it as a solo project for a class, making use of a Documentation > Top-down Layout > Whitebox/Blockout > Setdressing process. 

 

Players control June from a third person perspective, walking, running, jumping, and moving interactable objects in order to explore the level and find the flowers.

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My goal for Flower Frolick was to create a relaxing experience that evoked the feeling of being a kid running around outside in the Summer, checking out spots that seemed interesting and coming up with creative solutions to problems without a care in the world. 

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I created the game in Unity, making particular use of tools like Probuilder for Blockout. I drew out layout sketches in Photoshop.

Documentation

I began the project by creating a short, one-page design document that covered the game and level. This document saw some revisions as I made changes to the gameplay during the process, but I took care to stick to the core components of the game that were initially set out.

Level Design Process

Ideation and Basic Layout

After documenting the basic concept for the game, I began sketching out ideas for the level layout. I went through several iterations and eventually created a layout and structure I was happy with that combined several of the ideas from the others.

"Final" Initial layout

Whitebox to Final

First whitebox pass built on top of initial layout drawing

Second whitebox with adjustments to level layout and structure after playtesting

Final level after last playtest with implemented final assets and post-processing

Whitebox to Final - Comparison Shots

A few spots in the level in the first whitebox vs. final product.

Postmortem

After completing the project, I put together a postmortem spreadsheet covering playtest notes and feedback as well as personal thoughts on what went well, and what could have gone better.

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One particular challenge with the project was creating interesting obstacles and puzzles to solve in an environment that I was trying to keep mostly immersive and based in reality. In a whimsical 2D platformer, it can be easy to have floating platforms or giant buttons to jump on, but this game's environment was intended to feel like someone could actually live there, so this wasn't really an option for me. I had to think about what kinds of obstacles a kid might encounter outside, and settled with things like prickly bushes that they have to jump over, and just their own line of sight; some of the flowers are hidden in places you might miss if you aren't careful.

Credits

None of the visual assets in this game were created by me. All credit goes to:

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  • IL3DN

  • Nicrom

  • Sherbbs Particle Collection

  • SkythianCat

  • Unity Starter Assets

  • TheGamingPeople​

  • piablood

  • Lukas Bobor

  • Nobiax/Yughues

  • Amanda 3D

  • Key Mouse

  • Mehdi Rabiee

  • Lumo-Art 3D

  • Mixamo

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All audio, with the exception of one voice recording, was also from other sources.

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Audio Asset Sources:

  • Freesound.org

  • ZapSplat

  • Scott Lawlor

  • Sidearm Studios

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