Carlo Alberto Mollo - GameDev | Level Design

Thank you for examining my entry.

Check me out on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlo-alberto-mollo-07a7032ba/

and on ArtStation at:
https://carloalbertomollo.artstation.com/

Wild Rebirth

This is my Naba thesis project: it's a first person tech demo developed in a team of 4 using Unreal Engine 5.2 and PerForce. The setting is a post apocalyptic world conquered by vegetation that the protagonist will have to explore and endure looking for his/her family. The core gameplay has a survivalistic taste focused on the dangers inherent to the mutated/evolved and unknown environment.

I worked on Game Design and focused on Level Design, Environments, Mechanics and Optimization.

Level Design

2D Layout

Level Design process: Blockout, Sculpting, Painting, Complete Level

Cave initial blockout, later scrapped

POIs in yellow

Environments

Mechanics

Tree Felling

I designed a modular system to implement the ability to fell trees to create alternatives paths and collect resources. Trees fall and branches deform in a physically accurate fashion, the developer can set which parts of the tree need to break/deform on impact and which parts can be collected.
I used Maya, Unreal Blueprints and Chaos Destruction.

Breaking tree section with Chaos Destruction

Branches deforming and breaking on impact

Heart Rate Simulation

As a mean to implement stamina in a diegetic fashion, I implemented a simulation of the heart beat of the character, extrapolating the Beats Per Minute value based off numerous variables such as Body Temperature, Age, Current Activity, Health Level, Fitness Level and the list goes on.
When BPM reach the max value (HR max) the character is impeded and can't run, jump , etc.

Base BPM

HR max reached, the character needs to stop and get his BPM at lower levels

Optimization

I implemented a custom system to take advantage of custom LODs integrated with Nanite, greatly reducing performance cost of vegetation inside the level, boosting fps of nearly 200%. Unreal Engine 5.2 didn't manage properly this type of geometry (aggregate geometry).

Custom LODs optimization and integration with Nanite

Testing Environment and custom Tools

Results

StarShip: a Procedural Space Shooter Game

Procedural Team Project made with Unreal, everything except the ship is done procedurally via blueprint: we developed the tools and then used them to populate the scene. Every team member developed a tool.

I personally worked on the galaxy background tool and asteroid mechanics and integration from Megascans as well as Game Design and Environment Design (Asteroid Field).

Gameplay Trailer

Procedural HDRI tool

Procedural Asteroid tool

Procedural Environment Showcase

Lost Paradise

This is my first project inside Unreal Engine, I used the Epic Games Demo Lyra. It's a Level Design study for an Fps multiplayer format.

Made with Unreal Engine 5.0, Quixel Megascans, Autodesk Maya, Blender, Visual Studio C++. 

Gameplay Trailer

Level Design

Level Design process: from layout to environment

B Line

Center line

Room Clearing

One fellow student and I were given 2 weeks to prototype a Unity game using 2 different technologies, we chose 3: Unity Netcode, Arduino and DreamLo.

This is a team effort resulting in a cooperative online multiplayer shooter game, with a catch: you can use our Arduino powered handgun controller to aim and fire at the targets. It also has an online leaderboard empowered by DreamLo.

Clock's ticking, shoot targets to gain some, the longer you manage to keep the counter higher than zero the more points you make.

Analyse your personal and team statistics at the end to improve.

I was a very important part of the entire production, from concept designing to coding. Developed with Unity, Maya, Arduino and DreamLo.

Gameplay Showcase

Arduino powered handgun controller

MocapMarathon

Infinity runner rhytm game prototype for a Game Jam of 5 days, developed in a team of two, using Unity, Maya and Mixamo. 

The GameJam theme was "What Do We Do Now?" and we had to pick 3 features from a list. We chose:

LEGO GOT IT RIGHT: no words written or said
NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER: no turning back, player can only go forward
SCALE WITH A SONG: game has to last exactly as long as a song track

"Steve is working in his motion capture office when all hell breaks lose outside. Run from the zombie horde using your motion capture artist skills to overcome the obstacles on your path!"

I was a very important part of the entire production, from concept designing to coding. In particular I'm proud to say this concept was my mad idea!

Asteroid Mining Space Facility

This is the Level Design study i did for the homonymous exam, develope in Unreal Engine 4.27

Level Design

2D Layout

Blockout