Aliens: Dark Descent

Aliens page

Aliens: Dark Descent is a Strategic game where players lead a squad of marines in real-time combat.

Developed by Tindalos Interactive.

I worked as a level designer during the development phase - 2 years

Trailer

Aliens: Dark Descent - Gameplay Trailer

Level Design Process

Aliens: Dark Descent - Level Design Process

Introduction

Atmospheric Processor

As Level Designer

Part two: The processor

This is a labyrinthine area where the player has to grope their way through a maze of corridors to the heart of the processor.

This area takes place in the dark following a power cut and places the emphasis on terrain analysis, close combat and surprise.

This part contrasts with the first in its flow to offer a different experience, here it will advance cautiously with the help of classes based on stealth and terrain analysis such as reacon or techer with drones.

Part three: The heart

This is the final battle against the Queen to recover the power core.

The subLevel is made up of electric pillars that electrify areas at regular intervals, giving rhythm to the fight against the aliens.

Secondary objective

Example of inherent

secondary objectives

Atmospheric Processor Secondary Objectives Survivors Choice

Atmospheric Processor Secondary Objectives Survivors

Flow

Some Atmospheric Processor scripted event examples:

Mobile Defense:

Semi static Defense:

Power cut:

APC Reveal:

As we've just seen, scripted events help to give rhythm to the flow of the levels by emphasising the systemic.

To create a balanced flow, I used various tools, including:

- In-game testing

- Iterations

As well as level pre-production tools such as:

- Flow charts

- Pacing curves

Atmospheric Processor pacing curve in early production:

Aliens Atmospheric Processor Pacing Curve Flow

AI Behavior

As Game Designer

Praetorian Behavior

The praetorian is a mini-boss type unit that can be encountered either scripted or systemically.

They mainly appear in areas close to the Queen.

To sum up its behavior, it is an alien that will only attack the player if it is followed by a critical mass of aliens. Otherwise, it will simply run away and call for reinforcements.

The aim with this alien is to hunt it down so as not to be hunted down.

If you don't kill it quickly, it will continue to:

- Summon enemies

- Increasing the stress on the marines

- Increasing the alien's aggressiveness

- Activating massive onslaught-type events and the appearance of other mini bosses

It's a cat-and-mouse game, but the praetorian also has offensive weapons:

- (AOE) to knock out marines

- Abduction, which allows him to grab a seriously wounded marine, carry him off in a spawner and disappear.

It's a powerful unit if you don't deal with it quickly, which creates tension that forces the player to keep moving and creates new, unforeseen situations.

Example of Praetorian Behavior

More here

There is a lot more

Of course, this exhibition of the creation of the Atmospheric Processor mission is incomplete, I made another mission named Olduvai, the last of the game and used several tools in their design that cannot be shown:

- Level Design rationalization (resources, difficulty, content, etc.)

- Quest Design
- Extensive written and visual documentation (Google Drive, Jira, etc.)
- Many conversations between teams and the sharing of ideas (Art, narration, programming, animation...)
- Blockmesh

- Scripting (Objectives / Scripted event / Exotic gameplay implementation...)

- Playtest

- Iterations

- Etc.

Here are a few more images of plans I've made for my missions, in-game images and processes.

Some pictures of my work