Download Here (PC only)
Production Time: 2 weeks
Project Year: 2021
Software: Unreal 4
Role: Level Designer
Team: Solo
Lava Mars is a level block out of a small puzzle level inspired primarily by The Martian made as an assignment. The primary task was to create a puzzle that significantly changed the level.
I designed the level around a central enviroment piece, a sensor tower, that dominates the level. The player must bring it down to cross over the lava that now divides the Mars base. To add some time pressure, the player is also constantly in need of oxygen refills.
Level Shortcut to avoid backtracking
Jumping Challenge
Cables to bring down the tower
My goals with this task was to create a compact, yet interesting player path, while fulfilling the assignment's primary focus, the puzzle. Looking at references, I found inspiration for this environment within The Martian which gives a good context for a compact environment.
Exploring this further I looked at Mars habitats that are under consideration by NASA, where I found the torus shape I used for this level. By splitting it in half, the level now has a hazard it feels natural to want to cross, while also always keeping it a focal point of the level.
For the player path itself (numerical order on the top down map) I focused on creating a path that always varies a bit. The player will traverse the same space several times, but each time the path will take them to different part of it.
While I drew the top down map with that in mind, I also added a shortcut in the Sensor Operations room as I found the backtracking here to be especially tedious. By making it one way it also adds variety without invalidating the previous part of the player path.
Initial Level Concept
Design Documents
 Reference Board |  Puzzle Diagram |  Level Map |
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