StarHelm

Platform: Windows PC

Engine: Unreal

Language: Blueprints

Tools Used: Unreal Engine 5, Miro

Duration: 11 Weeks

Completion: 2024

Role: Level Designer, Concept Designer, Prop Placement, VFX Artist, Market Researcher

Overview:

Take control of the battlespace in VR. Build your fleet throughout an immersive story driven campaign and battle your way across the universe in thrilling real time fully 3D Space Battles. Upgrade your ships and make custom group formations between missions and take on a wide variety of enemies with your own fleet. The fate of entire civilisations rests in your hands. My key role on this collaborative project was the creation of the gamplay hub level and promotional video

Concept Trailer

Story of Development

The Brief:

StarHelm is a concept for a Virtual Reality Real Time Strategy game set in space created for the Indie Game Development unit at Manchester Metropolitan. Within this unit we had to come up with an idea for a game and create a pitch presentation that we would deliver to publishers where we would demonstrate how we would develop the concept to a full release. This included carrying out market research, in depth iteration of the design, and timelining the production of the game.

Designing StarHelm:

To create an engaging product we utilised the Miro whiteboard software to create complex flowcharts that detailed the game processes and gameplay loops. We blended together satisfying real time stategy mechanics, with immersive VR design ideas to create a unique and interesting concept to present to publishers.

RTS Elements

VR Elements

RTS Elements

Designing The Level:

My personal role after ideation and aiding in the design of StarHelm was the creation of the environment for the prototype pitch video. This involved planning out the level through the use of digital drawing tools and mood board creation through collection of images to influence the art direction. I then brought this to life through a level design method known as Kit-Bashing, this process starts off by collecting the necessary assets from online libraries such as the Unreal Marketplace and SketchFab. Afterwards, I would construct the environment with these structural assets and clear the design with the rest of the team. Once the open space was designed I proceeded to use the same method to populate it with props that would inform the viewer of the functionality of areas in the demonstration video. I finalised this by then adding lighting and effects where necessary. During this process I felt excited creating something with a professional quality that I hadn’t seen before in my work with white boxing. This workflow proved effective as I was able to build the level in time for the prototype video to be created for the pitch to a polished standard.

Development and Skills gained:

I used this project to embrace a new methodology for level creation in order to bring more life to my work. I gained skills in my level design practice as well as branching out into the Niagara system to create different effects to improve the visual feel of the video

Scripting

I scripted the movement of the camera through Unreal Engines Level Sequencer

Design

I designed the initial concept with my team by brainstorming following the brief being released.
I designed and built the level for the promotional video.
I designed and created visual effects for the projections.

Business

I conducted market research into the financial feasibility of developing this game.
I aided in the creation of production timelines to calculate development costs.
I improved my skills in pubic speaking through delivering the pitch.