Cats N Critters: A Dungeon Claw-er


Technical Level Designer


Details

  • 10 Person Interdiciplinary Team
  • Unity Engine
  • Academic Game Project
  • August 2023 - April 2024

My Contributions

  • Implemented a procedurally generated dungeon using a multi-step modular constructionist approach with wave function collapse. (See Below)
  • Added unit testing, seeding, and telemetry to level systems to optimize room count and gameplay time for peak engagement.
  • Engineered gameplay mechanics like moving platforms and environmental triggers to enhance interactive elements.
  • Designed visual effects for abilities, character actions, and environments to enhance the feel and feedback of our gameplay systems.
  • Maintained the game’s vision by crafting user stories, organizing documentation, and aligning ideas to support team cohesion.

Critter Code - Implementation in Review


Streamlining Dungeon Creation: Modular Construction with Wave Function Collapse


  Implemented the base map of the level using the principles of the wave function collapse algorithm alongside using weighted directions to make the generated level less maze-like.

  Separated out portions of the map by the three development phases, color coded for clarity.

  Removed tiles that would be not traversable to a player as they are going through the map.

  Utilized a drunken walk to simulate rivers between the islands and distinctly divide the phases for clarity.

  Updated the algorithm to spawn bridges and boss rooms at choke points between the phases.

  Counted tiles and other data to ensure phases were not too short and to also ensure they were engaging enough (see previous development phase 2).

  Added a chance to clip corners of the map to have the first and third islands feel more natural overall.

  Developed a simple and easy pipeline for allowing other designers to get the modular level prefabs into the corresponding spots for generation.

  Completed a second pass of the map to add decorative edge tiles, including replacing non-traversable areas with these tiles as well.

  Finished generation with the tutorial and the boss area added to the map.

  Once the algorithm generates, but before spawning any objects, I had used a breadth first search queue structure to ensure the level is possible. In addition to this, it also finds an optimal path from the beginning to the end, which updates signifiers within that path to help guide the players.

  Gif showing the different generations of the 3 development phases, helping fulfill the game pillar of "Everchanging Islands of Discovery!"


Level Generation Telemetry

  For Cats N Critters, I collected telemetry data in order to fine tune level sizes, targeting an optimal-path gameplay experience of around 15 minutes. This system allowed me to get information from 134,000 iterations while I was away from the project overnight. This data-driven approach helped balance gameplay pacing and provided insights into how well the wave function collapse algorithm performed, allowing me to identify and resolve bottlenecks to enhance overall game flow and algorithm efficiency.


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