level abstract: stranded...

Level Abstract Confidential Gears of War

Dallas Chavis of 32 4/17/2012

Level Abstract: Stranded Factory

Gears of War Version 3.0

Designer: Dallas

Chavis

Document Date: 4/17/2012

Intended Level Delivery Date: 5/07/2012

Figure 1: Level Abstract Title Image



Quick Summary “Stranded Factory” is a single-player level built within the Gears of War engine. It has a fast paced

tactical shooter play style where the player encounters lots of action from multiple enemy encounters.

“Stranded Factory” takes place inside of an abandon factory where several Stranded have taken refuge

from the locust who has invaded the nearby city. The level occurs around late afternoon during the

summer season, inside of an industrial factory that the Stranded converted into a defensive base of

refuge.

Gameplay Overview The primary focus of “Stranded Factory” is to introduce the player to using environmental hazards to

close Emergence Holes easily. The player receives a fun and enjoyable gameplay experience in a level

that matches the style and appearance of Gears of War.



General Game Flow

Player starts in an underground service hallway

Player makes their way through the service hallway where they are introduced to the Stranded

Factory level through dialog and objective updates

At the end of the service hallway the player goes up an elevator to enter the factory

Once inside an emergence hole opens up around the middle of the level under a hanging engine

block

After defeating the first emergence hole a second emergence hole opens underneath an

unstable propane tank in the northwest corner of the level

Figure 2: First floor level flow image



When the second emergence hole opens a small enemy wave of three Locust kick down a door

and exit a small room on the second floor

Once the second emergence hole is sealed then the third emergence hole opens in the

southeast corner of the level

When the third emergence hole is activated a second small wave of Locust kick down a door and

exit another small room on the second floor

Stranded Factory ends when all enemy Locust are destroyed in the level

Figure 3: Second floor level flow image



Major Elements In the service hallway at the beginning of the level the player receives a message from Anya

explaining what is happening in Stranded Factory (story beat)

In the service hallway player’s experience a brief camera shake while dust particles fall from the

ceiling and a loud crumbling is heard in the distance (WOW moment)

At the end of the service hallway the player can use an elevator to enter into the first floor of

the factory level (cool element)

The player can use the hanging engine block (hazard 1) to quickly and easily seal the first

emergence hole (major feature)

The player can use the unstable propane tank (hazard 2) to quickly and easily seal the second

emergence hole (major feature)

Both environmental hazards blink an orange color and have blinking orange targets around

them when they are activated (cool element)

Both environmental hazards turn back into normal objects if the emergence holes under them

are sealed with a grenade or killing all of the spawned enemies (major feature)

When the second emergence hole opens a Kismet/Matinee door is scripted to get kicked open

and let a small wave of enemies to enter the level on the second floor (cool element)

When the third emergence hole opens a Kismet/Matinee door is scripted to get kicked open and

let a small wave of enemies to enter the level on the second floor (cool element)



Objective Summary The player’s main objective is to keep Marcus Fenix alive until the end of the level (success)

The player can fail the level’s objectives by allowing Marcus Fenix to die (failure)

Killing all enemies in the level will complete the level (success)

Shoot environmental hazards while they are blinking and active to seal the emergence hole

underneath them easily and quickly (strategy)

Position Marcus near both of the upstairs spawn points when they activate to prepare for the

second floor enemy sneak attack (strategy)

Help allies stay alive so that they can help fight any remaining Locust in the level (strategy)

It is easier to help an ally Stranded kill a Locust rather than trying to kill one alone (strategy)

Use cover positions upstairs to have a height advantage over enemies who are downstairs

(strategy)

Collect any needed weapons, ammo, or grenades to have an arsenal to fight with (strategy)

Throwing a grenade into an emergence hole closes the hole quickly and eliminates any further

spawning of enemies (strategy)

Taking cover behind medium and large objects reduces the chances of Marcus getting hit by

enemy fire (strategy)

Using the level’s designed flanking positions and alternate routes allows the player to defeat the

locust easier (strategy)

Using Marcus’ moves, like cover swap and dive, allows the player to navigate the environment

easier and fight enemies tactically (strategy)

A player can use a variety of weapons like the sniper rifle “long shot” or the torque bow to play

more towards their own strengths or the enemies weaknesses (strategy)

Enemy locust are easier to hit from a flanking or rear position because they are more visibly

exposed (strategy)

Frag grenades can be thrown near enemies just to make them leave cover and expose

themselves to the player’s gunfire (strategy)

Attacking an enemy while they are reloading, aiming another direction or moving to another

position reduces the chances that Marcus Fenix will take damage (strategy)

Using the best weapon for certain circumstances can make enemy encounters much easier

(strategy)

Players should try and find out what enemies are in the level so that they could make the proper

plans to deal with them (strategy)



Technical Overview

Campaign

Name – N/A

Level Position in Campaign – N/A

Mission Location Theme – Abandoned industrial factory that is converted into a defensive base and refuge

Mood – Isolated and abandoned

Setting – Future, Abandoned factory on the outskirts of a city, Run-down and abandoned

Time of Day – Late afternoon (3:00 p.m.)

Season – Summer

Weather – Clear

Mission Difficulty Scale: 1-10 (1 is Easiest and 10 is Hardest)

Starting – 1 Easiest: The service hallway at the beginning of the level has a difficulty of 1 because

players are moving down a linear hallway and getting introduced to the level through dialog and

an objective update

Middle – 3 Easy: The player has to seal Emergence Holes one and two which spawns a few

Grunts. Sealing emergence holes one and two are easy to accomplish if the player activates the

environmental hazards by shooting them. An upstairs wave of three Locust enter the level from

a small room when the second Emergence Hole opens

Ending – 5 Average: Emergence Hole three doesn’t have a hazard to easily close it with and it

also spawns more difficult enemies including a Theron Guard. An upstairs wave of three Locust

enter the level from a small room when the third Emergence Hole opens

Mission Metrics Play Time – 10 minutes

Physical Length (units) – 384 Feet

Physical Area (units) – Length 160 Feet x Width 192 Feet

New Characters – N/A

Visual Themes – 1; Worn down industrial factory



Level Details

Level Atmosphere/Mood The theme of “Stranded Factory” is an abandoned factory where several stranded have taken refuge

after the Locust invaded a nearby city. The factory has a mood of isolation and abandonment resulting

from the war on Sera. The player feels like they are in a rundown environment that once had a different

life and purpose before its abandonment, but now serves as a safe haven for the Stranded that now

occupy it. This mood and theme of isolation and abandonment appears to the player through the use of

machine static meshes and dirty industrial textures.

Static meshes of machinery, pipes, metal shelves and machine parts are used to make the

environment appear like a factory that was once in use

Placement of static meshes like crates, weapons, tables, refrigerators and chairs are to show the

player that the stranded have made a new home within this factory

Industrial metal, dirty tile and brick textures are placed on surfaces to make them appear like

factory themed surfaces

Broken and dirty static meshes along with leaking oil puddles help compliment the mood of

abandonment

Using distant sound cues of metal creaking and groaning makes the factory sound like a poorly

managed industrial environment

Static mesh doors create the impression that there are other rooms and hallways in the factory

making the environment seem larger than it actually is.

Static meshes of loose papers and trash items also give the impression of a poorly managed

factory

Grey colored lighting is extensively used to make the environment feel more stale, desaturated

and boring

Some areas of the factory are poorly lit while others are well lit to make the lighting feel isolated

with strong contrast

Major Characters/Vehicles Character 1 – Marcus Fenix is a COG soldier who, while going to his next mission location,

received information from Anya about Stranded inside of an abandoned factory where they are taking refuge. Anya informs Marcus that she is detecting strange seismic activity around the factory which she believes is sign of an imminent Locust attack. Marcus makes a short detour and stops by the factory to warn and possibly help the Stranded fight for their survival.

Gameplay Mechanics Prerequisite Skills – Walk, Run, Aim, Fire Weapon, Throw Grenade, Reload Weapon, Dodge, Pick

up items from the ground, Take cover, and use “Point Of Interest” or “POI”

Skills Learned – How to navigate around Stranded Factory, The best tactics to apply to the environment at Stranded Factory, How to activate hazards in Stranded Factory



Story Intro

o Marcus starts at the entrance to an underground service hallway that leads to the factory

o As Marcus walks down the hallway the ground briefly and violently shakes causing particles to fall from the ceiling

o After the brief shake Marcus receives a message from Anya about recent seismic activity under the factory and she believes that a Locust attack could happen at any moment now

In-Game o Once Marcus arrives inside the factory via elevator, an emergence hole opens and

Locust enter the factory from underground o Marcus must fight and kill all the enemies that came out of the first emergence hole o Once the first hole is closed a second emergence hole opens near the northwest corner

of the factory o Marcus must again kill all Locust from the second emergence hole o After closing the second hole, a third emergence hole opens near the southeast corner

of the factory o Marcus must once again defeat all enemies from the third emergence hole and any

remaining enemies left in the factory

Extro o After Marcus kills all Locusts from the third wave a victorious sound sting plays and the

player can make a choice to end the level and go to the Credits screen or continue exploring Stranded Factory.

“60 seconds of gameplay”

o Marcus is walking through the factory looking around with his gun lowered wondering

why the Locust have not attacked yet

o Suddenly the ground shakes violently and an emergence hole opens near the middle of

the factory

o Marcus and the Stranded take cover and prepare for the upcoming fight

o Grunts come out of the emergence hole into the first floor of the factory

o Marcus and the Stranded fire at the Locust resulting in a large scale gunfight

o Marcus reloads his weapon and is about to take aim when he notices a hanging engine

block above the emergence hole

o Redirecting his aim, he shoots the creaking engine block a few times causing it to sway

slightly on the loose chain holding in midair

o Marcus keeps his weapon trained on the swaying engine block wondering if he should

shoot it again when it suddenly falls into the emergence hole causing a big explosion

o Marcus gets back behind cover and now he locates the remaining Locusts still in the

factory



Visual References

Terrain/Vegetation

Figure 4: Stranded Factory takes place inside of an abandoned factory environment



Figure 5: The Stranded factory has pillars as a support system



Figure 6: Stranded factory also has debris from its last use before its abandonment



Figure 7: The stranded factory has a lot of open space with lots of small clutter



Models/Architecture

Figure 8: Old worn machinery is still present in the factory



Figure 9: There are a great number of pipes that weave throughout the factory's interior



Figure 10: Although still populated with old worn objects, the stranded factory has storage areas that the stranded have setup



Figure 11: Several objects are hanging from the rafters of the factory



Textures/Lighting

Figure 12: Metal grated texture used on floors in the factory



Figure 13: Concrete texture used on the first floor of the factory



Figure 14: A metal texture that is found on some platforms in the factory



Figure 15: An example of the lighting and placement of volumeterics in the stranded factory



Characters/Vehicles

Figure 16: Drones appear often in the Stranded Factory level



Figure 17: Locust are the most common enemy found in the Stranded Factory level



Figure 18: Wretches are a common enemy within Stranded Factory



Figure 19: Marcus Fenix is the main character that the player controls throughout the level



Map

Figure 20: Stranded Factory first floor detail map



Figure 21: Stranded Factory second floor detail map



References 1. http://scotthaefner.com/photos/place/Romania/1403/

2. http://zfein.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-abandoned-building-in-cincinnati.html

3. http://elainemeinelsupkis.typepad.com/building_for_the_future/

4. http://www.irishberliner.com/2010_06_01_archive.html

5. http://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/account/3022/object/612/Dairy_Factory_Machinery

6. http://www.alibaba.com/product-

free/103332348/Sugar_Mill_Factory_Machinery_second_hand.html

7. http://www.123rf.com/photo_9761224_ceiling-detail-of-steel-pipes-in-a-factory-and-working-

area.html

8. http://www.vikings-ellison.com/factory_storage.htm

9. http://www.featurepics.com/online/MetalFloorPicture52583.aspx

10. http://us.fotolia.com/id/26553743

11. http://texturezine.com/textures/rock-stone/concrete-textures.html

12. http://www.flickr.com/people/sonyasonya/

13. http://epicgames.com/community/2011/09/gears-weekend-recap-september-2-2011/

14. http://www.giantbomb.com/gears-of-war/61-12231/

15. http://www.xbox360achievements.org/forum/album.php?albumid=1854&pictureid=10383

16. http://games4thought.wordpress.com/tag/gears-of-war-3/

17. http://gearsofwar.wikia.com/wiki/File:Locust_Drone_1.jpg

http://scotthaefner.com/photos/place/Romania/1403/

http://zfein.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-abandoned-building-in-cincinnati.html

http://elainemeinelsupkis.typepad.com/building_for_the_future/

http://www.irishberliner.com/2010_06_01_archive.html

http://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/account/3022/object/612/Dairy_Factory_Machinery

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/103332348/Sugar_Mill_Factory_Machinery_second_hand.html

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/103332348/Sugar_Mill_Factory_Machinery_second_hand.html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_9761224_ceiling-detail-of-steel-pipes-in-a-factory-and-working-area.html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_9761224_ceiling-detail-of-steel-pipes-in-a-factory-and-working-area.html

http://www.vikings-ellison.com/factory_storage.htm

http://www.featurepics.com/online/MetalFloorPicture52583.aspx

http://us.fotolia.com/id/26553743

http://texturezine.com/textures/rock-stone/concrete-textures.html

http://www.flickr.com/people/sonyasonya/

http://epicgames.com/community/2011/09/gears-weekend-recap-september-2-2011/

http://www.giantbomb.com/gears-of-war/61-12231/

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/forum/album.php?albumid=1854&pictureid=10383

http://games4thought.wordpress.com/tag/gears-of-war-3/

http://gearsofwar.wikia.com/wiki/File:Locust_Drone_1.jpg



Asset List

Asset Name Type Use Link

Cracked Wall Material Used on factory walls

Building Roof Material Used on factory roof

Concrete Material Used on factory floor

Broken Desk Static Mesh

Decorate factory interior

Wooden Palette Static Mesh




Barricade Wall Static Mesh

Decorate factory interior and use as cover

APC Static Mesh


Hanging Chain Static Mesh


Hose Static Mesh


Power Box Static Mesh




Propane Tank Static Mesh


Sandbag Wall Static Mesh


Barrel Static Mesh


Stairs Static Mesh

Add elevated path to level

Platforms Static Mesh

Add elevated path to level

Platform Supports Static Mesh

Supports elevated path in level



Fluorescent Lights Static Mesh


Pillar Static Mesh


Grider Static Mesh


Ammo Crate Pickup Item

Item Gives the player more ammo

level abstract: stranded...

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