Class Project | Unreal Engine 5.5 | First Person Shooter

Role: Level Designer
Team Size: 3 Designers
Duration: 1 Month
Platform:
Tools: Unreal Engine 5.5

Scraps is a post-apocalyptic first-person zombie shooter where players explore an abandoned research facility buried beneath a wasteland. I owned the Focal Point of the level, the Trolley Entrance section, which connects the loading & storage area to the research lab entrance.

Gameplay Showcase

SCRAPS

Blockout Snapshots

Asset Implemented Snapshots

My Level Section – Trolley Entrance

This section bridges the opening area with the research lab and introduces an action-block puzzle blended with combat pressure.

Player Flow

1. Enter the trolley station from loading area vent

2. Go upstairs to get to trolley

3. Press the trolley button to initiate transport to next stop

4. Fight or sneak past roaming zombies in the control room

5. Pull lever to initiate power to next trolley

6. Press the trolley button to initiate transport

7. Ride trolley into research lab entrance

Design Goals

Goal

Teach new mechanics without overwhelming

Blend puzzle + combat

Encourage player choice

Prevent frustration

Solution

Created a practice version of the trolley puzzle before the research lab

Forced players to activate systems while under zombie patrol pressure

Designed the encounter so players can sneak or shoot

Added trolley auto-closing doors to avoid falling off the track

Encounter Breakdown – Control Room

This is the section I am most proud of.

  • Two zombies patrol the control room using scripted routes

  • The player can observe patterns before engaging

  • Stealth path avoids confrontation

  • Combat path rewards aggressive play but risks damage while activating systems

This encounter trains players to read enemy behavior instead of brute forcing every situation.

Iteration & Playtesting

The level went through two major milestones: Alpha and Beta.

Playtests were conducted by classmates from other teams.

Issue Found

Zombies not patrolling

Player falling off trolley

Forced jump at the staircase

Fix

Changed runtime navigation mesh generation to Dynamic

Added auto-closing sliding doors

Leveled geometry to improve flow

Blockmesh to Final

I blockmeshed the level using a modular kit and later replaced geometry with modular environment assets. When necessary, I combined modules to create unconventional shapes such as train ticket scanner.

Technical Level Design

  • World Partition setup for multi-designer workflow

  • Button and lever action blocks controlling trolley state

  • Scripted patrol routes for zombies

  • Using Blueprints to make trolley level mechanic function

  • Conditional trolley logic preventing misuse

Reflection

This was my first collaborative level design project using World Partition, which taught me how to properly own and integrate a section of a shared environment.

The biggest takeaway was the importance of playtesting early. Watching unfamiliar players navigate my level revealed usability issues I would not have caught alone.

What I Would Improve

Given more time, I would push our mechanic through a full IPM cycle (Introduction, Practice, Mastery) instead of stopping at the practice stage. Production was limited to under 10 minutes of gameplay, so some mechanical depth had to be cut.