Strange Hotel
Lestat Smith
Lestat Smith
Explore a hotel built in a laboratory by the Taskmasters
Description: This is a walking sim game that utilizes a base character controller who can interact with doors to explore a level. The level takes place in a hotel.
Purpose: This was a student project that explored the functionality of Unreal Engine 5 and the basics of level design and floor layouts.
Tools Used: Unreal Engine 5, PureRef, Photoshop
Gameplay Video
Layout and Preproduction
For this project I researched actual hotels and motels in my area and a few game references of games that had hotels. I then sketched out a floor plan for the hotel on paper and finalized it in Photoshop with a desired player path. I wanted players to experience an eerie feeling while traversing the hotel and try to draw inspiration from popular horror games. The desired path utilized many rooms and hallways while having diagetic reasons for duing so, such as blockades, locked doors and structures.
Major Gameplay Beats
Players start in a dark room in front of the Taskmasters who give a task.
Outside the spawn room the red ball is revealed to be behind a locked door.
The player then enters a large entrance area and is led upstairs.
Players navigate long corridors and hallways to progress through the hotel.
Going through various rooms, players find them in dilapidated states.
The final hall contains a key to the red ball room which the players can reach by climbing over suitcases.
Postmortem
Unreal Engine: I learned how to use unreal engine to create and design a game at the most fundamental level. I also learned how to model inside of the engine and add lights and interactable objects to scenes. I wish I could have used blueprints more to add an interesting game mechanic like a flashlight that you could turn off and on.
Level Design: Using real life references helped me learn how to design the level, but I also learned about character pathing and gameplay beats inside of a level. If I were to do it again I would have modeled some more strange elements, such as a giant tentacle, to go into the level to give it a creepier and stranger vibe.
Clickup: I used Clickup for the first time and learned how to show progress in my level design inside of a group as well as keeping on track through the software.
Get in touch at lestat.e.smith@gmail.com