The Fall of Erecura
The Fall of Erecura, as a university project, focussed more on the wider game design as opposed to the level and prototype itself, however a game world was developed to support the narrative and factions present in the game. Each element of this navigable game world was designed to feed into this narrative, so that each game element felt grounded and made rational and creative sense as a part of a wider living world.
From the Ashes
The world has been designed to provide a believable backdrop where the cultures and factions present may have conceivably developed after a mysterious catastrophe. The rings present on the map are a key feature which both distinguish this design from the myriad of similar fantasy map designs out there, and play a pivotal role in the narrative of the game. They also act as a way to encourage exploration by the player, as their curiosity is piqued by their presence. Their story, and the history of the world you inhabit, act as a driving force for the game’s plot and the motivations of it’s characters.
A Higher Perspective
This game is designed to divide the world between the wider world map, where players can traverse vast distances without the need for a vast open world, and individual level maps, where the player controls an individual in the third person perspective. This design is intended to give players a sense of scale, giving breathing room to the many countries and cultures at the players fingertips. While the world map is vast, the player will at first spend their time in a small portion of it, until they progress through the game, requiring every corner to be packed with geographic detail to navigate.
A Story of Nations
The many nations of Erecura all have believable borders determined by the features of the landscape. The player must battle over these in the late stages of the game, and so the level design for the game world is vital to ensure a fun and engaging late game experience. The game world is packed full of rivers, mountain ranges, peninsulas, and islands, all acting as potential bottle necks and obstacles to exploit when defending their kingdom. Conversely the great open planes or oceans could offer up the opportunity for sweeping advances across the continent for a player looking to expand their borders.
Culture by Design
The geography of Erecura is more than just a tool for the player to exploit. It shapes the very essence of the cultures inhabiting the world. To enforce the believability of the world, the world level is designed to explain the cultural quirks of the people living there. Long coastlines and a multitude of islands in the north help give the people there a believable backdrop. Their culture’s blend of Scandinavian warriors and ocean goers, and renaissance merchants and explorers, is explained by the geography of the level design, and the cultural crossover with their neighbours. Similarly, the medieval knight aesthetic of the central culture depicted in yellow is supported by the level design of the world map, with the areas they inhabit featuring vast fertile planes conducive to both feudal governance and equestrian warfare. There are large areas of the game world that will initially be locked off to the player but will be unlocked through DLC, using the level design to support the game throughout its commercial lifespan. The level design supports the narrative, worldbuilding, and gameplay at all times.