Left 4 Dead 2 - Liberty Stadium Campaign - 'Into The Sewers' Level
Me and my three team mates at university had to create a campaign using the Hammer editor. We had full reign over which Source SDK to use, so we decided to go for Left 4 Dead 2 editor. We done a lot of level research by using both Left 4 Dead games, and we studied the metrics and mechanics within them. We also studied the story, and decided to set our campaign one year before Left 4 Dead 1 is set, but it goes through the story of the Left 4 Dead 2 characters.
As a team we decided that as we were creating a left 4 dead campaign, we needed to essentially create 4 individual levels which follow on from each other. The levels started off in rural New York, inside of a house; the players have to make their way through town until they reach an office building. They start on the second floor of the offices and are forced to make their way onto a main road, and then into the sewers. These sewers lead the player to an opening of the towns stadium; Liberty Stadium. Players have to go from one end of the stadium and back again to switch on the flood lights for the main outside area of the stadium (this is to attract help from any other survivors). Lastly, once the floodlights are switched on, the players have to fight through a finale stage where hoards after hoards of zombies terrorise the players. If they survive these hoards, the players get picked up by a helicopter which takes them to what they believe is safety.
As a team we decided that as we were creating a left 4 dead campaign, we needed to essentially create 4 individual levels which follow on from each other. The levels started off in rural New York, inside of a house; the players have to make their way through town until they reach an office building. They start on the second floor of the offices and are forced to make their way onto a main road, and then into the sewers. These sewers lead the player to an opening of the towns stadium; Liberty Stadium. Players have to go from one end of the stadium and back again to switch on the flood lights for the main outside area of the stadium (this is to attract help from any other survivors). Lastly, once the floodlights are switched on, the players have to fight through a finale stage where hoards after hoards of zombies terrorise the players. If they survive these hoards, the players get picked up by a helicopter which takes them to what they believe is safety.
Campaign Order: Streets -> office and sewers -> liberty stadium (inside) -> liberty stadium (outside).
The other team members were: Reece Lawrence, Christopher Reed and David West.
I created a Microsoft Visio layout of the ‘No Mercy’ campaign’s first level for research. In addition, I created the Microsoft Visio level layouts of each level in our team's campaign. Each layout has a key and is to scale. I was responsible for the ‘Into The Sewers’ level in our campaign. As a team, we also collaborated and created the design document for our campaign.
In this level, there are two main mechanics which are used; one mechanic is used in the streets section, and the other mechanic is used in the sewers.
The first mechanic used in the streets is a very simple one; it promotes team work and interaction between the players. The mechanic consists of one of the four players going to the manhole cover down one of the alleyways in the street. This player will have to press the action button multiple times to open the manhole cover. As the manhole cover does not instantly get removed through one press of the action button, the other players will need to defend the player opening the manhole cover. The reason for this mechanic is to open up the sewer section of this level. To make this mechanic stand out to the players, the manhole cover will be highlighted as it in their line of sight.
The second mechanic used in this level is based in the maintenance tunnel section of the sewers. There is a door at the end of the maintenance tunnel, and it is locked. The mechanic’s first half begins with the players opening the door by pressing the release button which is next to the door. Once one of the players presses the action button on the button, the door releases and lets the players into the sewers.
The second half of the mechanic begins when the players have pressed the release button, and have entered the sewer tunnel. A large door at the end of the tunnel will start to close as soon as the players walk into the trigger at the entrance to the tunnel. This door will continue to close unless the players can reach the second trigger value by the closing door; this keeps the door open, so the player can walk in and out of the door. The mechanic is that the players have to make it from the entrance of the sewer tunnel, to the end door of the tunnel within a short time limit.
The first mechanic used in the streets is a very simple one; it promotes team work and interaction between the players. The mechanic consists of one of the four players going to the manhole cover down one of the alleyways in the street. This player will have to press the action button multiple times to open the manhole cover. As the manhole cover does not instantly get removed through one press of the action button, the other players will need to defend the player opening the manhole cover. The reason for this mechanic is to open up the sewer section of this level. To make this mechanic stand out to the players, the manhole cover will be highlighted as it in their line of sight.
The second mechanic used in this level is based in the maintenance tunnel section of the sewers. There is a door at the end of the maintenance tunnel, and it is locked. The mechanic’s first half begins with the players opening the door by pressing the release button which is next to the door. Once one of the players presses the action button on the button, the door releases and lets the players into the sewers.
The second half of the mechanic begins when the players have pressed the release button, and have entered the sewer tunnel. A large door at the end of the tunnel will start to close as soon as the players walk into the trigger at the entrance to the tunnel. This door will continue to close unless the players can reach the second trigger value by the closing door; this keeps the door open, so the player can walk in and out of the door. The mechanic is that the players have to make it from the entrance of the sewer tunnel, to the end door of the tunnel within a short time limit.
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This is a development video of the entire campaign; video is narrated by Reece Lawrence. |