Livestreaming.

Hey Everyone,

I think it's time we considered taking a bit of time out from our busy schedules to inform you about something quite intriguing in getting further insight into our level design process. That is, 'Livestreaming'.

Now, if you've been around the Internet long enough, you'll know that real-time video where the creator of the video can actually interact with their fans and those that are interested, can supersede those videos we upload, as well as the pictures/text posts we can offer in terms of communication.

Updating all of our fans and followers on our Facebook page as well as on this blog can prove to be an exciting and varied process, so that means we can add that to our enjoyment of designing/testing/developing the project. In addition, our Livestreams would allow fans to directly interact with us as the developers and fellow gamers, as we continue the development process to its deadline (it's getting closer - 9 weeks away!).

We will be streaming alternately throughout the weeks, separately from the normal updates, with mostly our development work and the odd gaming session between our team, on Battlefield, Left 4 Dead, the current Mass Effect 3 Demo and more...

That's all for this post,

Atamarashi (Lead Level Modeller at Blitz Design).

A peek at the design of the [Introduction]

Hey Everyone,

 As you all know, development, documentation and much more behind-the-scenes activities are going by in full swing with 10 of the 11 weeks to go until first release. If you haven't found out that date, it is once more, the 26th of April, so note it down somewhere safe if you'd like to take a journey in the map for yourself. 


Likewise, we have been taking attempting various designs for each section of the map, critiquing and experimenting with each one. Even though I had literally learnt most of my Left 4 Dead advanced mapping techniques from included Valve maps and mapping forums, we had decided to go with one of the more radical yet exciting ideas for the introduction sequence. 


It may still be rough ideas, after storyboard-ing the idea on our group design meetings on the start of the weekend, though we're definitely sure that it works excellently. If we had all the time in the world for development, I'm sure we'd have this sequence at least or even greater than Valve quality (which is quite an impressive feat). 

For issues tension and idea originality, we're not able to share exactly what is to occur in the introduction sequence, though what we can detail is that it involves some discreet dust trails and a point of no return. Possible yet rejected ideas involved a subway, and an exciting, high-intensity vehicle entrance cinematic, where those ideas simply did not fit the design brief, structure or theme we had set.


That's all for this update, stay tuned for more on this blog or on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/blitzdesign.


Atamarashi (Jon), Lead Level Modeller at Blitz Design

Brief on the L4D Project so far - Plus Mini Update

Hi Everyone, 

I'm sure you've all heard about this project of ours that's underway, the Left 4 Dead one that is. Now, we've been working on this for a bit longer than expected, mostly due to some delays.

Besides those setbacks, the project will be going ahead regardless.


But firstly, this is a custom Left 4 Dead map, which will be still packaged as a .vpk, and with a custom poster, however containing only one level (or two if there's too much to fit in with the restraints of maximum detail in each level), which is to be set in a suburban outcropping with a nearby school housing the final parts of the map. 

An early view of the school part of the map.

  There will be points at which the players will be forced to make a decision (ie. "Branch event"), with a set of two possible outcomes that are possible with each situation. As a result, for which ever choice that the players make, an appropriate challenge and reward will be offered to the players in order to progress.

This gameplay structure alone can offer various means of freedom for each playthrough for the players, with a complementary navigation mesh that covers all possible outcomes. By adding to the depth of exploration, this structure lets the players in on what it might mean to actually be a 'survivor' and the decisions made or ignored in a post-apocalyptic scenario.

While it might seem like quite ambitious for Left 4 Dead's linear film-style progression, our team believes that we can make our 'decision-based' structure work within Left 4 Dead whilst maintaining the atmospheric feel and themes of the game. The actual technical background of our efforts to get this structure working won't be revealed until our project is nigh-complete, of course.

Although, if we may interest you in hearing that unlike most 'survival' type maps for Left 4 Dead, our map and the adjustable narrative amidst the dystopian location have been simultaneously developed with immersion and appropriate themes, motifs and other literary elements in mind to engage the players. What will result of this narrative might not be totally evident to the players as they delve further into their dynamic experience, though it will be notable nonetheless.

Recent Progress

In a brief picture timeline in a rough chronological order, we'll take a look at the evolution of the map so far, ending this post with our most recent work:

 Blocking Process and Testing out the concept.

 

The built environment begins to take shape with some details.

Expansion of the school portion of the map.

Designing the windows, walls, doors, and general exterior of 'Hall Rooms'.

Finishing off the main exterior of the 'Hall Rooms'.

The first of many custom graffiti (subject to alteration of course).

Finally, our most recent progress with stairs and exterior construction of the 'Hall Rooms' is complete. There's more to come with the interiors and lighting tweaks, so this might not look the same with the first playable version of the map.

So that's all we've got time for at the moment,

Hope to see you later on next week for another update,

Jon aka "Atamarashi" (Team Member of Blitz Design)