LUX
Lux is a platforming game about the concerning problem of Light pollution. The player incarnate a cute little cat called Lux that will encounter animal friends in need of help. The player will have to find and reach good lights to replace the bad ones. This Game was a school project of a team of 13 students.
What is Light Pollution ?
Light pollution is roaming mostly around the big cities and suburbs. It comes from artificial lighting that we now commonly use. Those bad lights are often blasting blue bright lights around that helps human see during the night for mostly security reason. But those are the main cause of light pollution. The pollution cause harmful side effects to the environment, human health, animals health, economy and makes it more difficult for astronomical research.
Game Trailer
Main Task on the Game
- Create the plan for the level 01
- Create a blocking and metrics
- Work with other Level Designer
- Create coherent composition
- Place platforming
- Place NPC's and Objectives
- Make people playtests the game and receive feedback
- Adjust Level Design after Feedback
The Planning
I had to create a plan to organized and show the key components of the first level.
- Made a clean and easy area to facilitate the tutorial
- Straight path to learn the character movement
- Obligatory small jumps to learn the controls.
- Kept the level linear to focus more on narrative than exploration.
- Place a broken drone during the tutorial to foreshadow enemies.
- First NPC is in sight after tutorial.
- Sight line on the objective of the level (the amber lamp).
The complicity of the parkour would get greater and greater as you go to give challenge and fun to the player.
After some playtesting and a blocking in 3D of the plan. I've figure out that a better layout had to be done. I kept the good components of the first plan and upgraded in depth the plan.
Making it more natural and flowing.
The tutorial now has a a quest on its own before reaching the suburbs area which made it easier to understand the game mechanics.
Helped by my coworker Andrew Cheng, I made multiple blockings for the jumping platforming until we arrived at one that felt just right.
That where we ended up with this layout :
Level Design
The Suburbs Area
This Area is the first real level,
- I made the blocking of the level and created the general path.
- With the lighting of the level, I made the pollution more apparent.
- Security drone that block some path or just patrols the street.
The level uses verticality to escape the drones.
Again in this level we used the wooden platformer to guide the player toward the right path.
- Some smalls green area are placed to show where the player can be safe.
It is important to put some intimate zone where the player can relax after some action.
In this zone the window lights also guides the player. Some windows are closes but some are have warm lights, these creates the path.
The Forest Area
This Area is the start of the game,
- Set the scene with a nice sight line with a narrow path.
The entire zone is safe and this is define with the abundance of greenery and good lights that paves the way.
- I use the color of the leaves and the color of the lights to help guide the player.
I wanted to put these little change to unconsciously help the player get to the right place.
I decided to go with a real forest/park vibe to not overwhelm the player straight in the hearth of light pollution.
The use of heavy contrast with the bright blue light and the warm color of the forest really help to spot the problem in the area.
The jumping puzzle are insighted by a wooden platform, with time the player observe these platform and learns that it symbolized a possible path.
LEVEL 02 : City Area
In this level I've mostly help by giving insights and help with the placement and with the organization of the level.
This level is more of an exploration level. Since the player is now comfortable with the controls of the character we wanted to create a more open space to give a grandiose effect.
I had to make sure the player could not get out by jumping over the buildings.
- Placed collision all over to block passage
- Created building afar to enhance immersion
I was in charge of the last aera of the level : the tallest building.
This building is the landmark of the city,
- As soon as we arrive in the city, we have clear view of it.
- I made the building stand out with a modern look and higher contrast than other buildings.
- It is always visible and makes the player want to climb it.
Credits
- François Chiasson – 3D Modeler Artist
- Virginie Juteau – Concept Artist / Texture Artist
- Marie-Ève Côté – 3D Artist Generalist / Concept UI / Concept Artist/ Writer
- Karîm Désir – Animator / Rigging Artist
- Alexandre Ruel – Character Modeler / 3D Modeler Artist
- Andrew Cheng – Environment Artist / 3D Modeler Artist
- Jade Côté – Character Modeler / 3D Modeler Artist
- Marianne Ouellet – Level Designer / Texture Artist
- Patrick Mc Rea – Programmer Gameplay / UI
- Thomas Bergeron – Programmer Gameplay / 3C
- Ann-Laurie Lapointe – Programmer AI / UI
- Félix Brassard – Programmer UI
- Frédérique Le Duc-Moreau – Sound Design
- Agathe Lavarel – Sound Design
- David Caron-Proulx – Sound Design
- Edouard Morcellet – Sound Design