Level Design Document
The Dam

The Dam
I’m planning this map for portfolio purposes in Level Design. A way to return to CryENGINE and expecting to achieve a
good result. As for the environment it will be placed into a dam in the middle of a forest. The story background and
objectives might be decided in the future, however, as a starting point I’m using one of my old video games ideas that
I have in my vault for a long time.
The Checklist
1. Time: No deadline has been set. However, mi intention is to have at least the first 2 zones blockouts achieved
by the end of my holydays (September 21st
, 2021). I started the level design process on September 5th
, 2021.
2. Tech: CryENGINE
3. Limitations: Knowledge of the engine. Gameplay elements, I’m only using the GameSDK as a base project.
4. Requirements: I need a lot of vegetation and understanding of the topography of a forest. Also, the Dam
itself will act as a break point between the two main areas of this level. I will need several props to achieve a
modern environment.
5. Purpose: Portfolio improvement and engine learning (For now)
6. Gameplay:
a. Exploration: Player must explore the environment to find a way to escape from this place.
b. Gun Combat: Some of the owners of this place will act as enemies of the player. They are armed with
shotguns, pistols or rifles providing a basic gun combat combined with cover mechanics and use of
the environment.
7. Theme: A forest, a military base, a river, a Dam and finally an airport to leave the place.

The Analysis
CryENGINE is a game engine that I’ve worked a couple of years ago. Since then, I haven’t touched the engine due to the new
UI and work pipeline. Now I wanted to take that knowledge back and give it a chance again after all these years.
The Dam is a project based on one of my first video games ideas that I wrote and documented back in 2011. Since is decently
documented I could work on that as a starting point for this level.
The game is meant to be a First-Person Shooter, this level will obey that gameplay perspective adding the combat with guns
against basic AI enemies included in the GameSDK asset pack. As I mentioned in the limitation section that asset pack will be
the one that I’ll be using for different purposes of this level.
I’d like to achieve a level enforcing the exploration of the forest area until you reach the first of the military base points. There
I expect to produce some combat situations, introducing the player with this kind of mechanics, once the player gets used to
the combat and the enemy’s difficulty, he will have to explore the environment looking for the entry to the dam zone. Inside
the dam the player will have some relaxing zones where he can recover, and resupply for the next section of the level. The
number of encounters in the Dam zone are minimal. The entire Dam zone is linear for exploration purposes. Once the player
reaches the end of the Dam a new section of the forest will be available to explore, there my first intention is provide to the
player a vehicle to reach the next point in an easier way. Once the player reaches the last point of the map more enemy
encounters are meant to happen giving the player a hard way to the airport section. This last section of the level also includes
two different environments, one is the well-known forest with the parking zone of the HQ protected by several enemies and
the other part is placed inside the building leading to the airport area.
Level Metrics
 Expected level duration: 31 minutes
 The area is: 2048 x 2048 Meters (Provided by a terrain of 2048 x 2048 with 1 meter per unit)
 The environment is divided in 25 areas (Divided in 5 x 5 between playable and environmental areas) Each one of
408 x 408 meters.

Sections OCRs (Objective, Challenges and Rewards)
Entry Forest Area
 Type: Linear Environment.
 Encounters: Zero.
 Gameplay Objectives: Explore the environment.
 Purpose: Guide the player to the first of the combat area and allows the player to see their final objective (A part of
the Airport must be visible to the player to understand his final objective).
 Mission Objectives: Find a way to the airport.
 Theme: Forest.
 NPCs: No NPCs.
 Items: No items.
First HQ section
 Type: Non-Linear Environment.
 Encounters: Average.
 Gameplay Objectives: Introduce the player the enemies and how they fight.
 Purpose: Introduce the game mechanics to the player, also giving the knowledge of how to use his weapons. The
section has the objective to connect to the Dam zone.
 Mission Objectives: Reach the Dam.
 Theme: Military complex in middle of the forest near to the Dam.
 NPCs: Basic soldiers.
 Items: Average amount of ammo. Enemies drops the most.
The Dam Zone
 Type: Linear Environment.
 Encounters: Minimal.
 Gameplay Objectives: Relaxing Point and resupplying zone.
 Purpose: This area is a mere connection between the two main parts of the level. This area also provides several
supplies to help the player to continue to the next part. Encounters are minimal, allowing the player to take a breath
before the big battle but keeping the tension controlled. At the end of this section the player will find a vehicle to
continue through the road in the forest to the next section of this level.
 Mission Objectives: Pass through The Dam.
 Theme: A Dam in middle of a forest.
 NPCs: Basic soldiers.
 Items: Resupplying zone, large amount of ammo added to some dropped from enemies.

Second HQ Section
 Type: Non-Linear Environment.
 Encounters: Heavy.
 Gameplay Objectives: Combat.
 Purpose: This section provides the view of the airport, allowing the player to feel the objective nearby. This zone is
heavily guarded by enemies and provides a big challenge in terms of difficulty. The zone has 2 different areas. One
outside in the parking zone full of containers and well protected. The other is the first zone of the airport as an
interior zone.
 Mission Objectives: Reach the airport.
 Theme: Military complex in middle of the forest near to the Dam.
 NPCs: Basic Soldiers.
 Items: A vehicle to facilitate the player movement. Average amount of ammo, enemies drop the most.
Airport
 Type: Linear Environment.
 Encounters: Zero.
 Gameplay Objectives: Explore the environment.
 Purpose: The final section of the level and its purpose.
 Mission Objectives: Take the airplane to exit.
 Theme: A small airport in middle of the forest.
 NPCs: No NPCs.
 Items: No Items.
Level Beat
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Main Forest Area HQ 1 The Dam HQ 2 Airport
Difficulty Time Beat

Visual References

The Blueprint
Overall Flow/Layout
Entry Forest Area TOP-DOWN Layout

HQ 1 Area TOP-DOWN Layout
Annotations
1. This area path has covers and the chance to engage into a ranged combat with lower difficulty, however, is an area
guarded by several enemies. Also, enemies may ambush the player from the park.
2. This part is open field, low amount of cover places is available, but the enemies are less than the part 1. Also,
residential zone may support player to reach the next zone engaging less combat situations.
The HQ Building and coms HQ are not accessible by the player, a block outside of these areas will stop the player
progression through that area.
Residential zone number II is also blocked.
Warehouse is accessible and in the insides the player might find some useful supplies.
Garage is open for exploration and combat. (Provide a narrative output later)
The Dam entry might be reached by two branches, each one of them with their own challenges and rewards.
Towers are accessible for the player, not only allowing to kill the enemies inside but also providing a better view to the area
making it a strategic point for save or even engaging combat.

The Dam Area TOP-DOWN Layout
Annotations
The vehicle at the end of The Dam zone can be drive by the player.
There’s the option that player would like to go under stairs. So, blocking the path is needed.

HQ 2 Area (Outdoor) TOP-DOWN Layout
Annotations
Blockage can be passed with the vehicle.
The parking zone is full of containers and vehicles. Player should use them as covers.