FMP Blog Chapter 5 (Project Planning and Vertical Slice Build) - Open-World Level Design Showcase

This week I focused on tackling one of my aims and objectives of the project, which was "To employ environmental storytelling techniques through assets placed throughout the level." I sourced appropriate assets from the Unity Store that would mesh well with my intended theme (Medieval fantasy) and then placed these around the level.

I soon realised that some further description or information would be needed to make the world feel believable and immersive, as narrative told through purely just assets and without dialogue makes it difficult to convey story.

Similar to many open world games which feature notes and other narrative devices that can be read to gain information, I opted to populate the map with signposts that would not only clearly define each of the biomes, but also other miscellaneous points of interest scattered throughout the level.

Other changes this week included replacing the models of some of the trees from low-poly to more realistic looking ones, as well as adding more ambient audio sources, such as howling wind and a bell tolling near the large settlement (Wind-Cliff Settlement).