Deranged Means

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About: “Deranged Means” is a single-player mod level for Fallout 4. The level begins by agreeing to help Bryan find his missing wife Kimberly. The player must travel to the Danvers Insane Asylum and fight off guards, ghouls, and turrets to find the reason behind Kimberly’s capture. Ultimately, the player is given a choice between rescuing Kimberly, or keeping her at the asylum against her will to develop a cure to help the Commonwealth as a whole. The level takes on average 30 minutes to play.

Download:

Contact Gabe for Zip File

Software: Creation Kit (Fallout 4)

Total Production Time: 155 Hours

Release Date: May 2, 2022

Platform: PC

Design Goals

Dynamic Gameplay

1. Multiple Enemy Types

"Deranged Means” features different enemy types to keep combat scenarios from feeling too similar. These enemies include ranged guards, melee guards, turrets, and fast-moving feral ghouls.

2. Interactions Between Enemies

Each of the enemy types also have specific relations with other enemies (or their factions). This allows the player to plan attacks on groups of enemies, lure differing groups to one another, and even assist groups or factions that have turned to help the player. This turns a typically player versus all scenario into a much more manageable combat with potential teammates or distractions.

3. Skill Checks / Rewards

“Deranged Means” offers pay-offs for differing playstyles in Fallout 4’s “S.P.E.C.I.A.L” system. Aside from traditional combat styles (melee, ranged), the level features rewards for: hacking, lockpicking, stealth, and persuasion.

4. Supporting Multiple Playstyles

The level is designed for a primary stealth build, but also supports melee and ranged builds. Stealth opportunities were implemented through proper cover, pathing, and guard patrol packages. Clear sightlines allow for ranged builds and cover size / placement allows for circular flow in melee builds.

Conveyance Elements

1. Player’s First Visuals

In creating this level, I wanted to convey the player’s objective and communicate the layout of new spaces right as the player enters a new space. Through careful layout of my interior and exterior spaces – coupled with various conveyance techniques, “Deranged Means” communicates nearly everything the player needs to know visually as they enter new spaces.

2. Landmarks

The level features two primary landmarks for both the interior and exterior. The exterior features a building placed atop a hill with a tall spire attached, giving the player a sense of general direction and orientation as they maneuver around the structure. Likewise, the interior features a large center “chamber” on the main floor that is clearly visible from most locations within the interior. This chamber is the first area the player enters once reaching the first floor, so they have a general sense of direction within the space.

3. Lighting

At night, lights serve as “bread crumbing” for the player to follow along the critical path. Other lights convey when doors are locked or unlocked. Additional lights serve to draw the player’s attention through contrast with otherwise dark environments.

4. Leading Lines

Through lighting techniques, wire spline placements, and general layout design, “Deranged Means” works to subliminally lead the player along the critical path or towards points of interest through leading lines.

5. Framing

“Deranged Means” communicates points of interests and the critical path through framing by careful prop and layout placement, while contrasting the important elements.

Strong Narrative

1. “Grey Area” Choice

The player is presented with a difficult choice by the end of the quest: to return Kimberly back home and end her suffering from the hands of the scientists – OR allow the scientists to continue their work, as the cure they are working for could forever change the Commonwealth for the better. Either choice is moral (and immoral) in their own right, so the player must determine personally what they are willing to sacrifice.

2. Story Pacing

The story of Deranged Means is complex but is very digestible as it is told in intervals. The player has simple objectives as they progress through the level, with narrative beats spread across that inform the player more about the situation so they are not surprised by the end.

3. Unique Characters

To make “Deranged Means” more memorable, I included a variety of unique characters including Bryan and Kimberly, Charlie (a homage to Hannibal Lector), and the scientist with good intentions but inhumane means. Each of these characters have their own unique motives, backstories, and appearances that fit narratively within the Commonwealth.

4. Impact

The player’s decision in the overarching quest choice will turn different factions for or against the player, as well as effecting the fate of Kimberly and other NPCs throughout the quest.

Impactful Spaces

1. Cover / Circular Flow

Cover was strategically placed to give the player a sense of choice and empowerment when fighting both the ranged and melee enemies. Long sightlines were given for ranged players, hiding spots were added for stealth players, and other circular cover allowed for ease of maneuvering around for melee players.

2. Verticality

To avoid a level that exists on a flat plane, both the interior and exterior of the Danvers Insane Asylum was designed to allow for unique combat opportunities from above and below opponents.

3. Reuse of Space

The interior of Danvers opens by the final decision, allowing the player to partake in the final combat throughout the entire space they have just traversed.

4. Flow control

I tackled the challenge of controlling player flow in an open world game through careful construction of my spaces, smart prop placements, and conveyance techniques to direct the player’s path and sightlines towards where I wanted.

5. Memorable Setting

I wanted to make “Deranged Means” in a realistic, but memorable setting. Not only is an insane asylum a unique place, but the space itself tells a story from before the nuclear bombs dropped, after the bombs fell, and with who currently resides in the space. I used both environmental storytelling as well as minor narrative beats in terminals and notes to sell this additional narrative.

Iteration

Level Design Document

Whitebox

Initial Gameplay

Launch

Retrospective

What Went Well:

What Needs Improvement:

Struggled with ways to creatively spawn enemies to keep gameplay interesting

Was a little too cautious in the later milestones (aesthetics and launch) which prevented me from making larger changes that could have helped the quest

Some pacing issues within the interior (longer pauses between combat)

What I Learned:

Putting in the extra time and thought early on in the level design process pays off immensely later on

The earlier you start brainstorming your story, the better off you will be. Communicate with other people on their thoughts on your initial ideas

Timebox yourself. Documentation (which is critically important) always takes longer than you expect.

I had a solid understanding of work requirements this semester and planned time accordingly

I mastered using Miro to draft up my maps quickly and iterate on them, which allowed me to skip over painful geometry changes while creating my maps

I nailed my interior and exterior spaces pretty close from whitebox, with only minor changes being made through launch

Gameplay

Deranged Means

Trailer

IN PROGRESS

Details

Download:

Contact Gabe for Zip File

Software: Creation Kit (Fallout 4)

Total Production Time: 155 Hours

Release Date: May 2, 2022

Platform: PC

Design Goals

Dynamic Gameplay

1. Multiple Enemy Types "Deranged Means” features different enemy types to keep combat scenarios from feeling too similar. These enemies include ranged guards, melee guards, turrets, and fast-moving feral ghouls.

3. Skill Checks / Rewards “Deranged Means” offers pay-offs for differing playstyles in Fallout 4’s “S.P.E.C.I.A.L” system. Aside from traditional combat styles (melee, ranged), the level features rewards for: hacking, lockpicking, stealth, and persuasion.

Conveyance Elements

3. Lighting At night, lights serve as “bread crumbing” for the player to follow along the critical path. Other lights convey when doors are locked or unlocked. Additional lights serve to draw the player’s attention through contrast with otherwise dark environments.

4. Leading Lines Through lighting techniques, wire spline placements, and general layout design, “Deranged Means” works to subliminally lead the player along the critical path or towards points of interest through leading lines.

5. Framing “Deranged Means” communicates points of interests and the critical path through framing by careful prop and layout placement, while contrasting the important elements.

Strong Narrative

2. Story Pacing The story of Deranged Means is complex but is very digestible as it is told in intervals. The player has simple objectives as they progress through the level, with narrative beats spread across that inform the player more about the situation so they are not surprised by the end.

4. Impact The player’s decision in the overarching quest choice will turn different factions for or against the player, as well as effecting the fate of Kimberly and other NPCs throughout the quest.

Impactful Spaces

2. Verticality To avoid a level that exists on a flat plane, both the interior and exterior of the Danvers Insane Asylum was designed to allow for unique combat opportunities from above and below opponents.

3. Reuse of Space The interior of Danvers opens by the final decision, allowing the player to partake in the final combat throughout the entire space they have just traversed.

4. Flow control I tackled the challenge of controlling player flow in an open world game through careful construction of my spaces, smart prop placements, and conveyance techniques to direct the player’s path and sightlines towards where I wanted.

Iteration

Level Design Document

Level Design Document

Whitebox

Initial Gameplay

Launch

Retrospective

What Went Well:

What Needs Improvement:

What I Learned:

Gameplay

1. Multiple Enemy Types

"Deranged Means” features different enemy types to keep combat scenarios from feeling too similar. These enemies include ranged guards, melee guards, turrets, and fast-moving feral ghouls.

3. Skill Checks / Rewards

“Deranged Means” offers pay-offs for differing playstyles in Fallout 4’s “S.P.E.C.I.A.L” system. Aside from traditional combat styles (melee, ranged), the level features rewards for: hacking, lockpicking, stealth, and persuasion.

3. Lighting

At night, lights serve as “bread crumbing” for the player to follow along the critical path. Other lights convey when doors are locked or unlocked. Additional lights serve to draw the player’s attention through contrast with otherwise dark environments.

4. Leading Lines

Through lighting techniques, wire spline placements, and general layout design, “Deranged Means” works to subliminally lead the player along the critical path or towards points of interest through leading lines.

5. Framing

“Deranged Means” communicates points of interests and the critical path through framing by careful prop and layout placement, while contrasting the important elements.

2. Story Pacing

The story of Deranged Means is complex but is very digestible as it is told in intervals. The player has simple objectives as they progress through the level, with narrative beats spread across that inform the player more about the situation so they are not surprised by the end.

4. Impact

The player’s decision in the overarching quest choice will turn different factions for or against the player, as well as effecting the fate of Kimberly and other NPCs throughout the quest.

2. Verticality

To avoid a level that exists on a flat plane, both the interior and exterior of the Danvers Insane Asylum was designed to allow for unique combat opportunities from above and below opponents.

3. Reuse of Space

The interior of Danvers opens by the final decision, allowing the player to partake in the final combat throughout the entire space they have just traversed.

4. Flow control

I tackled the challenge of controlling player flow in an open world game through careful construction of my spaces, smart prop placements, and conveyance techniques to direct the player’s path and sightlines towards where I wanted.