SHARDS OF THE BANISHED
Shards of the Banished is a third-person combat-focused action game. It features a robust set of attacks, multiple enemy types, boss encounters, and an expansive fantasy world.
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Level Designer
In production, half-time
Team
Summary
Shards of the Banised is a third-person combat-focused action game. A sickness has spread throughout the land. Crystals which possess a mysterious yet powerful energy pervade the land.
Play as a crownless king, dethroned by the denizens of his forsaken kingdom. Fight through the crystal corruption, restore the land to its former glory, and reclaim the throne.
Core Gameplay
COMBAT
Utilize a variety of combat mechanics to overcome your enemy.
TRAVERSAL
Climb, roll, dodge, and sprint you way through encounters. Sometimes the best offense is a good defense.
Project Role
Level Designer
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Created multiple level blockout iterations.
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Built the first level of the game: The Cave.
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Scheduled playtests and recorded feedback.
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Collaborated with team to verify my vision aligned with theirs.
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Added art assets to various parts of the level for final polish.
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PLAYER START
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Pre-Production
Research
I started by playing reference games and studying gameplay footage. This helped me get a better idea how to arrange the spaces in consideration of our design goals.
After getting a grasp on the combat feel and how it relates to the spaces, looked at specific examples of caves in souls-like games for reference.
Reference Material
I used PureRef to keep my personal references in one collection. The team had a shared moodboard as well.
My main goal was to get a grasp on the scale of the areas in the cave. Working on an organic environment was a challenge since they aren't clear metrics
Early sketch of the cave.
Pre-Alpha to Vertical Slice
Since I joined the team a couple months into development, my colleagues were very eager to test mechanics in a more cohesive space. Therefore, my first blockout was a rough exploration into a possible space to test our gameplay.
Player start
Enemy
Onboarding
Blockout
SHARDS OF THE BANISHED
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Shards of the Banished is a third-person combat-focused game featuring multiple enemy types, bosses, a stat upgrade system, and a variety of melee combat abilities.
Role: Level Designer
Team Project Size: 22
Unreal Engine 5
PREPRODUCTION
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Create and pitch design sketches
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Align with team before creating in-engine blockouts
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Conduct both internal and external playtests
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Refine blockouts in response to feedback by colleagues and industry representatives
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Place props throughout the level
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Create and establish collaborative workflow using Unreal Engine's sublevel system
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Close collaboration with artists in order to define the modular kit used to construct the level
THE LEVEL SKETCH
The sketch serves as my statement of intent. I've discovered that it helps communicate my design and gives me a chance to align my goals with those of the team.
THE BLOCKOUT
Modular kits are an essential part of my workflow. They help to provide a consistent scale throughout the level and make iteration quick and simple.
DOWNTOWN, ROUGH
DOWNTOWN, REFINED
THE OFFICE, ROUGH
THE OFFICE, REFINED
CONSTRUCTION SITE,
ROUGH
CONSTRUCTION SITE, REFINED
GRIDLOCK, ROUGH
GRIDLOCK, REFINED
DERAILED, ROUGH
DERAILED, REFINED
REFLECTIONS
This project was a fulfilling experience in iteration and playtesting. I conducted multiple daily playtests and leveraged feedback to cut and add elements as needed.
I also used this project to practice working on the grid, closely following metrics, and ensuring the level had consistent and believable scale.
The greatest challenge I faced was my tendency to add excessive elements to the level which did not hold up under scrutiny. It became easy to add more enemies or scripted events. However, feedback helped focus my design on details that directly and significantly contributed to the intended player experience.
Overall, I am happy with this level. The feedback and guidance I received from Tid Cooney was a defining moment in my level design career.