Personal Project - Hammer Editor
Half-Life 2 : Forsaken Facility
Designed for a Level Design Jam with the theme “Five Rooms”, I aimed to push myself to create a level that would encourage me to practice my scripting capabilities. The intention behind this level was to start with a very claustrophobic feeling, that would eventually dissipate as the player would find his way out of the locked down facility. With the established theme of the jam, I wanted each of the five rooms to have a distinct player experience and challenge.
Summary
In this level, Gordon must infiltrate a long abandoned military test site in a last resort attempt to launch a prototype missile at the Combine Forces. Navigating through the dark corners of the bunker, he will have to turn the power back on and launch the rocket before the Combine stops him.
Intentions
Learn & Practice Hammer Editor
Challenge myself by scripting exotic events that would make my mission memorable and dynamize gameplay
Lean into the Horror themes of Half-Life
Work on my pacing and framing
Integrate a “puzzle” in the level
Constraints
Jam Theme : Five Rooms
Create a fully playable level (no “just blockout” levels)
4 week time limit (Level Design Jam)
Hammer Editor only
Use Steve’s Lee’s “no 2D / Topdown map” technique and instead plan my level in text & bulletpoints
Gameplay Beats
Beat #1
Gordon must navigate the collapsed tunnels leading to the abandoned facility
I wanted this section to set the mood for the level rapidly by making it dark, claustrophobic and full of creature noises as well as jump scares.
Beat #2
Gordon encounters an APC blocking his way forward and must find a way through
To convey the way to the player that the objective is past the APC, I added a flashing red light at the end of the tunnel on the other side. Also, to give a hint to the player that he must use the crates to hop onto the vehicle, I made sure there was a dead NPC with loot on the top of the APC, while the crates were fell out of a truck in front of it.
Beat #3
Gordon must activate the outside door leading into the abandoned facility
I challenged myself technically here by scripting a new ‘generator’ prop that required the player to place a car battery in. To help guide the player, I added a first battery that had a green color next to it, while an empty socket had a red light flashing. As visual feedback, it would turn green once the player inserted a nearby car battery into it and a sound FX would play once it locked in place.
Beat #4
Gordon must navigate a Barnacle infested basement to reach the bunker
First, I wanted to convey the ‘grab’ behavior of the Barnacles by having a zombie get grabbed and eaten in front of the players eyes so that they know to stay away from the hanging tongues. Also, from the POV of the collapsed bridge, I made sure that most of the geometry in the room led to the right side, where there is a ledge that the player can hop onto to traverse to the end of the room.
Beat #5
Gordon enters a control room overseeing the outside of the facility, giving him a view of his end-goal.
I wanted to use this section to give the player a clear view of his goal in this level. Therefore, through a wide window in this room, I made sure that the player could see both the launch control room as well as the silo in the outside courtyard area. The launch control room was made purposely dark with a flashing red light, to draw the player’s eye.
Beat #6
Gordon reaches the console that leads to the outside, but realizes that it lacks power.
To make sure that the player understood that the player needed to restore power to the console, I added flashing red lights like the previous generator, while also adding power cables that when followed lead to the electric room in the basement of the bunker.
Beat #7
Gordon must navigate a pitch-black electric room and activate the three power generators within.
To guide the player, I added power cables that lead to each of the generators. Also, a blinking light and sparks would allow them to easily navigate to the next one in pitch-black darkness. I wanted this section to feel as the climax of the “claustrophobic” section so I made sure to make a winding and tight path to each of the generators.
Beat #8
Once the power restored, Gordon can take a breather and open the main door to the outside courtyard.
I wanted this section of the level to feel as a refreshing moment, so once the three generators are activated, the lighting in the whole facility is turned on and removes the entire stressful atmosphere from the bunker. To help the player understands that he activated the main door console, I added SFX that cue that a “main power” is now back on while also changing the light status on the prop just like the generators did. To prevent the player from having to backtrack all the way to the start, I also added a one-way shortcut leading directly to the start of the room.
Beat #9
Gordon reaches the outside courtyard and encounters Combine Forces infiltrating the facility.
To make sure the player understood his destination, I designed the vantage point so that when he enters this room it clearly leads toward the missile silo, while making them understand the way is locked with a Combine Force Field in the way.
Beat #10
Gordon reaches the Launch Control Room and dispatches Combine Special Forces that are trying to sabotage the prototype missile.
This room was built with a bit of environmental storytelling in mind, with various computers and analysis equipment with a massive launch console in the middle. I wanted the room to have a direct birds-eye view of the entire outside area, so that the player can clearly see his goal and the scripted event that would follow. I also added both a health station and shield station, so that they understand that a challenge is coming and this is a time to prepare.
Beat #11
Gordon activates the launch console and the missile starts it’s launch sequence, but jams half-way through.
I wanted to challenge myself with this final bit on the scripting side, making it so that when the player presses the button, he sees the missile silo open with smoke emanating and a launch sequence SFX starting. By adding Combine Forces rappelling down the side of the mountain and epic combat music, I intended to make the player understand that the climax of the level is beginning and a big fight is coming.
Beat #12
Gordon fights the encroaching Combine Forces and must repel a Special Forces dropship landing.
Once again as a scripting challenge for myself, I wanted to add a final challenge as a “boss” to this level. I made it so that once the player defeats enough Combine, a dropship appears over the ridgeline and starts delivering Special Forces on the battlefield. To make sure that the player does not simply stand in front of the dropship and kill them as they exit one by one, I made it so the dropship has a deadly machine gun enabled while dropping the enemies but it disables once it is done, so that the player can once again exit cover and continue the encounter.
Beat #13
Gordon must manually override the silo electrical panel to finalize the launch sequence.
After defeating the last of the Combine Special Forces, I added SFX feedback, faded out the music and the force field unlocked. The player could then access an electric panel that they opened and activated, initiating the missile launch therefore completing the mission.