Iron-Haven Adventure
Genre: Single Player / Action Adventure
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Assets Used: IWALS-Jakub, Level Design Kit, Synty Studios
Play-tests #: 6
Iterations #: 6
Duration : 10 weeks
Role: Level Designer
Iterations Overview
Design Intent
The goal was to blend stealth, vertical traversal, environmental storytelling, and light combat as the player uncovers political intrigue. Each section builds tension while offering players choices in movement and engagement.
This project was a major step in my growth as a Level Designer, and shaping this project into a practical, end‑to‑end workflow and building a over all case study of the process
Design Goals
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Deliver a 15-minute third-person experience
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Balance exploration, stealth, traversal, and combat within a clear three-act structure
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Support player agency with multi-route, vertical traversal options
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Implement encounters and interactions using Blueprint scripting
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Reinforce narrative and world-building through environmental storytelling
Level Overview & Technique Highlights
Introduction
Set in the corrupt port town of Ironhaven, this level follows a skilled infiltrator on a mission to recover a stolen heirloom before it leaves the city.
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Players traverse markets, slums, rooftops, and hidden hideouts, uncovering secrets and dangerous routes as they progress.
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The experience combines stealth, vertical traversal, and exploration, creating a layered and immersive urban infiltration experience.
Technique Highlight 1: Using Environmental Cues to Guide Players
How I Executed It:
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Used prop placement, lighting, and framing to subtly guide movement
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Reinforced direction through repeated visual language rather than UI
Level Examples:
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Broken beams, pipes, and debris point players forward
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Vista moments clearly reveal the next destination
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Repeated Lighthouse sightlines reinforce long-term direction
Technique Highlight 2: Layered Vertical Traversal & Player Choice
How I Executed It:
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Built traversal across ground, mid-levels, and rooftops
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Created paths with different risk and visibility
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Allowed players to bypass or engage encounters naturally
Level Examples:
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Rooftops provide safer observation routes
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Elevated paths create stealth advantages
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Split-path sections let players choose mission vs exploration
Technique Highlight 3: Controlling Pacing Through Space
How I Executed It:
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Alternated between open spaces, tight corridors, and reveals
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Used compression and expansion to manage tension
Level Examples:
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Open areas encourage exploration
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Narrow alleys increase focus and pressure
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Wide reveals reset pacing
Technique Highlight 4: Environmental Storytelling Through District Identity
How I Executed It:
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Used architecture, props, density and lighting to communicate narrative
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Gave each district a distinct tone and purpose
Level Examples:
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Slums feel cramped and deteriorated
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Market areas feel busy and chaotic
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Docks and Lighthouse feel isolated and dangerous
Walk-through & Level Beats
INTRO — Arrival at Ironhaven
Purpose: Establish player identity, motivation, and tone
Design Intent: Immediate narrative clarity and mood setting
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Player arrives by steamboat at Ironhaven’s outer port.
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Text sets the player as a lone investigator searching for a stolen heirloom.
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Visuals show smoke, damage, and unrest before player control.
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Partner R is established as a missing contact.
Process and Breakdown
Overview
1. Research, Ideation & Planning
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Game analysis: Studied Red Dead Redemption 2, Dying Light, and God of War to understand level flow, vertical traversal, landmark readability, and how linear paths are embedded within open spaces.
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Real-world research: Referenced historic port cities, especially Dubrovnik, to inform architectural scale, street density, elevation changes, and believable navigation routes.
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Other media: Drew tonal and narrative cues from Peaky Blinders for grounded corruption and tension, and Pirates of the Caribbean for port-town atmosphere and adventure.
2. Design Documentation
Created a Level Design Document (LDD) to define the level’s goals, tone, and mood, while allowing room for changes during development.
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Beat Sheet: A color-coded breakdown of each level section, showing the main type of gameplay (stealth, combat, movement, story) and overall intensity to help manage pacing.
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Gameplay & Setting Notes: Simple guidelines for how the level plays and feels.
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2D Map Layout: A clear, easy-to-read map that can be understood by non-designers, supporting communication in team-based and fast-moving workflows.