Funk Unplugged - Futuristic City World

Studio: Vamped Games
​Tools Used: Unity 5, PhotoShop, Maya
Made: July 2017 - May 2018
Steam Release: May 25, 2018
Download Game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/517100/Funk_Unplugged/
Team Members: Andre Gracias (Game Director), Dillon Wallace (Lead Designer), Pat Regan (Programmer), Josh Delson (Artist), Elliot, Martin

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​About the Game:

    “Funk Unplugged is a 3D Platformer where you can use your musical powers to save the world!
Ampy, an amplifier who has been in service for decades under some of the greatest rock legends of all time, finds himself put back to work when the G-Bots threaten to steal music away from everyone. Use and unlock Ampy’s abilities, like Double-Jump, Grapple, Transform, and more to traverse the world and save the day!”
-Game description on Steam page (​http://store.steampowered.com/app/517100/Funk_Unplugged/)

     As I had some but not a ton of experience playing or developing for 3D platforming collectathons, I spent a few weeks playing, watching, and studying other successful (and not so successful) 3D platforming games and their level designs.

​     With expectations explained to me by the team and the director, I was able to take the key features I observed in the games I played/watched and apply them to the levels I was responsible for in Funk Unplugged.

Image from Level 1 - City Streets
My Role at Vamped Games:
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  • Had full ownership of levels, taking all 3 levels from paper concepts to ship
  • Designed, white-boxed, and polished 3 challenging levels for the Futuristic City world
  • Worked closely with artists and programmers to create and implement new features/assets/systems
  • Created each level based on given theme (city streets, rooftops, bad guy tower)
  • Present concepts and prototypes to team leads regularly via in-person and/or written messages/power-points/video walk-throughs
      
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Paper Concepts: Upper-left = Level 1-Section 1, upper-right = Level 3-Cubicle Space 2, bottom = 3/4 of level 2

Level 1 - City Streets


​     The city streets orient players to the new setting of the futuristic world and all the new threats that come along with it. With guidelines from the director and the lead level designer, I had to create a challenging platforming level that brought new hazards to the game.

Watch Streamers player Level 1 Here:
What I did:
  • Created level layouts that encourage player exploration and guided player
  • White-boxed level fully relizing environment and playable gamespaces
  • Scripted moving cars/spawn managers, player interactions, and world events
  • Worked closely with artists, programmers, designers, and director to deliver desired environments and user experiences
  • Designed and built large futuristic tunnel the player climbs as the level’s finale
  • Performed initial art-pass on level and optimized level
4-1 Whitebox and Inital Art-Pass Pictures Below:

Level 2 - Rooftops


​     Taking the player high above the futuristic city, I was to dedicate the beginning half of the level to teaching the player the new Gliding ability. This allowed the player to glide after a double jump by continuing to hold the jump button. On top of the new mechanic, my level was also to introduce the player to a new enemy type that shot missiles that followed the player. Mixing the new Gliding ability with the new enemy type was awesome as they allowed for new dynamic gameplay scenarios not previously possible in the game.

What I did:
  • Built challenging game spaces allowing players to learn Gliding abilities through problem-solving gameplay rather than generic tutorials
  • Designed level to encourage optional gliding challenges to reach collectibles
  • Iterated level frequently based on feedback
  • Pitched and prototyped new features such as vent fans for gliding challenges and elevator-hazards
  • Reworked/adjusted previous challenges to support new features (missile enemies, gliding)
  • Worked closely with Programmer to create vent fan functionality and Artist to create desired assets
  • Implemented initial art-pass and optimized level
  • Had to re-adjust level several times due to gameplay changes, technical problems, and other variables during game's development

Level 2 Gameplay Here:
4-2 Whitebox Pictures Below:

Level 3 - The Tower


​     Being the final official level in the game, the player is tasked with infiltrating the main bad guys’ tower where pure chaos erupts. Starting off in an automated construction site on skyscrapers, the player must make his way through the dangerous machinery to get to the bad guys’ tower. Once inside, everyone is trying to stop Ampy from reaching the top and putting a stop to their evil plan.

Due to time limitations and technical difficulties in other areas of the game, this level is in the base game as a WIP level as testing wasn't able to be performed to test iterations made during the art-pass. The level will be polished post-released and released during the first free DLC.

What I did:
  • Designed level to offer new platforming experiences via conveyor belts and unique new challenges
  • Scripted automated crane hazards, conveyor belt spawn managers, and event triggers
  • Followed director’s instructions and added my own creativity to further aid his intended emotions/themes through level objectives/layouts
  • Built level’s finale to be chaotic yet fair by manipulating enemy variables and building readable geometry
  • Polished level for release, Implementing art assets as pipeline progressed
4-3 Whitebox Pictures Below: