Joshua Copley-Vickers
Games & Levels DesignER
About
Genre: First Person Shooter, Survival-Horror,
Platform: PC
Project Length: 2 weeks, Dec 2024
Total Hours: ~14 hours
Roles: Level Designer
Software Used: Unreal Engine 5.3, PureRef, Github (Anchorpoint), Adobe Photoshop, OBS Studio, Davinci Resolve
Assets Used: ALSv4, Blockout Starter Pack, MW Landscape Auto Material, Heightmap Starter Pack Variety, Ultra Dynamic Sky, M5 VFX Vol2. Fire and Flames,
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Train Collapse is a short, atmospheric level designed as part of the final two-week assessment for the CGMA Level Design course. With complete creative freedom to choose the theme and gameplay style, I focused on crafting an immersive outdoor environment centered around a train wreck beneath a crumbling bridge amidst a snowstorm.
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Emphasizing on setting mood, environmental storytelling, and player progression through a linear space. Players navigate the aftermath of the train, exploring wreckage, solving traversal challenges, and uncovering the story behind the catastrophic event.
Walkthrough
Level Progression
player start
The player starts in the wreckage of a train. I used a red light here, to both guide the player to interacting with the NPC at the end of the train-car, but to tell a story—it shows someone’s desperate attempt to make repairs. The red light also adds to the atmosphere, hinting at the urgency and chaos of the situation. Combined with the natural light spilling in through the broken side panel, it highlights the survivors nearby and sets the tone for what’s ahead. My goal was to make this moment feel tense and to pull the player straight into the world and its challenges.
Stepping out
The composition of the environment went through several iterations to achieve the right balance. The goal was to convey meaning to the player and immerse them in the world as they stepped outside. Wind and heavy snow, combined with deforming snow, effectively created this atmosphere, enveloping the player in the environment. The red light in the peripheral vision as the player exits subtly reinforces the urgency and the high stakes, emphasizing the survivors’ peril without direct prompts.
Encompassing the player
The fire and smoke act as a natural focal point to the player, with the vibrant colours against the otherwise monotone environment. It also indicated the direction naturally with the debris and angled doorway off to the left.
climbing
The gameplay environment is designed to naturally guide the player through visual cues and environmental storytelling. The flickering light and doorway frame the exit, directing attention to the climbable ladder outside, while the contrasting glow of the fire and smoke draws the player forward. Every element, from the angled wreckage to the snow-covered ground, reinforces the narrative of a recent disaster while seamlessly integrating gameplay progression
Traversal
​The next gameplay beat of climbing atop the sunken train car and dropping into the collapsed roof of the next car is designed to balance tension and immersion. The transition from the heat of rising flames to the cold, lifeless interior highlights a dynamic contrast in atmosphere. These shifts in tone and pacing guide the player naturally while evoking the narrative of survival and disaster.
Passenger car
The doorway and enclosed space transition the player outdoors, revealing more of the expansive environment. Snow and scattered debris emphasize the uneven terrain and verticality, subtly aiding navigation. This area serves as a pivotal moment, offering the first clear view of the broader crash site and conveying the immense scale of the disaster outside the broken down windows.
Documentation / Tools
Using Anchorpoint (client) and Github, I was able to keep my project files saved on my desktop and go back versions as need, during the week of no internet I was working on the assessment for.