Unsanctified | Nick D'Amico

Unsanctified (Prototype, In Development)

Prototype Gameplay Footage

Unsanctified is a 3rd person survival horror experience that takes the survival horror gameplay of Resident Evil 4 and various elements from Bloodborne and other soulsborne games.

I am currently focused on the gameplay scripting, tweaking level design tools, and honing the player's locomotion (the gameplay video shows prototype versions of mechanics and before I get started on a round of level iteration and art implementation for the next major build.

I recently wrote a beat document that reworked the beats of the current interior levels. Next, I will focus on developing a flow chart to highlight the flow and a 2D top-down layout to showcase my ideas for reorganizing the spaces.

Planning - Working on Next Iteration for Current Prototype Levels

Planning

Level Design Beat Document

I recently documented the major goals, prior level section set up, important game flow elements, and major beats for the next iteration of the prototype levels within approximately 3 pages using confluence.

Flow Chart

After writing up the document for the next iteration, I created a flow chart in Miro presenting the level's flow. The main changes of the current prototype levels deal with the middle section in order to give that area more of a visual theme and to introduce one of the new puzzle features.

Blockout

Prototype Kit

In order to establish spatial metrics, grid snapping values, and where I wanted pivot points for different modular pieces, I created a prototype kit to block out my levels with. The kit makes it easier to communicate the art assets need but to also limit the amount of work for the artists. I also created some place holder actors for triggers until later in development where I scripted a master trigger actor.

Level 1 Earlier Iterations - Bibliotecha

A level I iterated a lot on was the first level in Prototype 3. Originally it was really simple with only a small encounter, a larger encounter, and an overwhelming encounter that led to a 'false failure' killing the player and spawning them in the next level.

To improve this level, I focused on the first section, developing how it conditions mechanics and major concepts like environment destructibles that the player and enemies can destroy.

With the final iteration for the build, I added a small tutorial area that leads into an encounter that has the player focusing on their horizontal aiming and provides some hidden loot and verticality. I also added a tough encounter with the 'dog' enemy later in the level with addition of some environmental storytelling to tie it together. One of the last major changes I made was cutting the chase section at the end of the level based on feedback. I added a safe area there instead. At this location, the player can heal and select upgrades before the 'false failure' and transition to level 2.

Level Flow

Bibliotecha

The first level starts with a short 'tutorial' section that quickly conditions various gameplay elements. It also introduces important mechanics and utilizes a few combat encounters. I use the set dressing to establish that the other hunters were using this space to hold out but were ultimately overtaken.

Dark Interiors

At the end of level 1, the player experiences a false failure that kills them and spawns them in a new level. This level is visually different, more cramped, and applies a debuff on them that makes them unable to run. In this level, enemies will break down doors to ambush the player. This level also introduces various mechanics including the barrel destructible, shotgun, first major 'arena' encounter, holy vase, and chase sequence. Later the holy vases are only way to make the stalker enemy (different instance of the enemy in the chase sequence) vulnerable to damage which is a key element to the fight.

Labyrinth

After the chase sequence, the player will fall down into a new section that is nonlinear including various paths that intertwine vertically. This area introduces two new enemy encounters, focuses on exploration, and rewards the player with various loot.

Major Encounters

Towards the end of experience, the player is confronted by the major stalker enemy as a boss encounter. The boss is invincible like in the chase sequence, however if the player uses shoot the holy vases while the boss in nearby the boss will become stunned, become vulnerable, and take a small damage over time (more information in the next section). After the boss fight the player is restocked on resources and health, can alter their build, and unlocks an ability. Finally there is a major arena fight that seems difficult but is easy due to the current state the player is in with various new upgrades, tools, etc.

Scripting

Stalker Encounters

After talking with John Ryan, a veteran writer and narrative designer, about the game's fantasy and narrative; I believed that game was missing a core element which was the stalker enemy. I pitched the idea to the team and implemented the two encounters in the game by recycling and tweaking some of the AI we already had.

In the full gameplay video, the chase sequence starts at 17:50 and the boss fight at 40:40.

I developed a 2nd person perspective chase sequence similar to a chase sequence in Resident Evil 3 remake to introduce the stalker enemy (go to time stamp 12:22 if the second video does not start there). Then I made a small mini boss encounter later in the game where the player has to use holy vases to make the once invincible enemy vulnerable.

Features and Gameplay

During development, I mainly take care of core gameplay and content mechanics and features. Here are some of the elements that I have worked on.

Master Trigger - An actor with a volume that can do a variety of different functions such as playing sounds, shaking the camera, loading data layers, etc.
Enemy Codex - A menu that showcases enemies that have been discovered. Information such as the enemy description, lore, and weaknesses can be unlocked.
Abilities - Powers the player can utilize to turn the tide of battle inside an actor component. The abilities are not finalized and are still a work in progress.
Upgrades - Selectable upgrades that provide different buffs and passives to the player character.
Hazards and Debuffs - Environment actors that deal damage to the player and reduce their stats and capacities using debuff gameplay tags.