Feature Display
Timeline Jump
I created 3 levels and used a level sequencer to swap between the different "timelines", which in turn would swap the different objects for what I wanted. I made a blueprint parent for each blueprint to be created from. For the purpose of being able to place them in their corresponding timelines.
Developer Tools
All my doors, buttons and pressure plates were structured in the same way using my timeline-check blueprint parent to have them all work the same way with slight variations in their specific scripts.
I opted to upgrade my spline editor that I used in my previous project to have it suit more needs.
Flow Chart
Difficulty Graph
Top Down
I wanted to have the player experience the world a bit before they started with the puzzles. They get a quick introduction to the mechanics, followed by an easier puzzle. The player then follows a staircase downwards towards the next section of the level.
Here, however, they are faced with puzzle after puzzle, mostly because I made #2 and #3 work in tandem with each other. After the third puzzle, the player is presented with the big puzzle area. Forcing them to use what they've learned so far to get the next door open.
Third-person Puzzle Experience
Timeline Jumper
Breakdown
Individual project created over the span of 4 weeks at 50% work speed
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Scripting
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Timeline jump
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Connectors
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Design
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Onboarding
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Flow
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Gamedesign
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Used assets
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BlockOut Tools plugin
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IthrisCemetery
Goals
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Design my own mechanics and, in the process, find fun ways to use said mechanics.
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I really wanted the player to, when faced with a puzzle, be confused, play around with the mechanics, and then find the solution in that order.
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Create a proper blockout and have frequent playtests for the puzzles to evolve throughout the project's lifespan.
Summary
A third-person level with a focus on level and gamedesign.
Jump between the present old ruins and the past newly built temple.
Navigate through the temple while switching between timelines to reveal secrets hidden for a long time.
Level Playthrough
Workflow & Process
Week 1:
I started prototyping what kind of puzzles I wanted to create and how they should work in tandem with the timeline switch mechanic.
Week 2:
This entire week consisted of formulating an idea of how everything should work and creating the three main puzzles in a blockout environment. At this point, I was slightly behind schedule because it took me a bit too long to come up with the idea of the puzzles.
Week 3:
I started the rough blockout of the level, and I asked everyone I could get a hold of to playtest the puzzles to get some feedback and iterate on them.
Week 4:
This week was used to make minor changes to the puzzles and to implement some kind of environment using cubes, spheres, a few assets from the Unreal Engine Marketplace, as well as my own meshes from Blender.
Personal & Project reflections
I managed to create something I could be proud of in the short time I had, and the process was fun. I still want to talk a bit about what made the process a bit difficult and what I learned from it.
Documentation Issues
Since I chose to use the level sequencer to swap between timelines, I had to make 3 levels. One containing everything that would be on both timelines. A second level containing everything that would only be in timeline #1. And a third level containing everything that would only be in timelime #2.
This made it difficult to take pictures of the progress and document the changes made through the many iterations of the puzzles and their areas.
If possible, I would've gone back and chosen a different approach than the level sequencer. In the end, it did more harm than good. I wanted to know how it worked, so it became a good lesson in the end.
Mechanic x Puzzle Design
When I created my own mechanic of switching between timelines, I didn't think much about how long creating the puzzles would take. Since the closest references I had were Titanfall 2 and Portal 2, a lot of time went into studying, primarily Portal 2. Time that could've been spent doing other things in the project.
All in all, it ended up being a fun experience and a teachable one as well.