Third Person - Action Adventure
Tales of the Forgotten
Game Design & Level Design
Project Overview
Tales of the Forgotten is a solo-developed Third - Person Action - Adventure experience produced to showcase my expertise in Game Design, Level Design, and Game Production.
Developed entirely in Unreal Engine 5, I implemented all gameplay mechanics, AI behaviors, and environmental interactions through visual scripting during a 5 week timeframe.
This prototype not only highlights my ability to craft cohesive gameplay but also demonstrates my proficiency in integrating narrative seamlessly into the world. Through end-to-end management of the development process, I have ensured a unified, engaging experience that balances creativity with player satisfaction.
Focus Areas
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Game Design: Designed and implemented a fluid combat system, dynamic traversal mechanics, and ability features.
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Level Design: Developed a detailed three-act structure, with each act progressing in pace while maintaining narrative tension.
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Visual Scripting: Utilized Unreal Engine 5’s Blueprint system to develop core mechanics, including combat, AI behaviors, traversal, and environmental interactions.
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Narrative Storytelling: Crafted a game narrative rich in lore, seamlessly integrated into the gameplay and atmosphere through environmental storytelling and interactive objects.
Overview Screenshots
Game Design
For Tales of the Forgotten, I drew inspiration from the Native American legends and folklore that shaped my upbringing, using them as the foundation to craft a compelling narrative. The game is guided by three core design pillars—Combat, Exploration, and Storytelling—which served as the backbone for the entire development process.
I designed and integrated complementary mechanics to create a seamless and immersive player experience. Through visual scripting, I prototyped essential systems such as traversal, combat, and the Spirit Mask abilities, culminating in a functional demo that effectively communicated my vision and highlighted the game’s potential.
Narrative Summery
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In Tales of the Forgotten, you take on the role of Alo, a young Native American warrior, on a quest to uncover the truth behind the destruction of his village.
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Armed with the Spirit Mask, a sacred relic that grants him supernatural abilities,
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Alo must traverse a vast wilderness, solve environmental puzzles, and battle enemies to reveal a shocking betrayal.
Design Pillars
Combat
Exploration
Storytelling
Player Mechanics
The traversal mechanics are designed to empower players to navigate the world fluidly, allowing for meaningful interaction with the environment, including a jump feature. The combat system is dynamic, strategic, and satisfying, offering players a variety of options to approach encounters, complemented by a dodge roll for added mobility and evasion.
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Vaulting: Smoothly overcome low obstacles, maintaining momentum during exploration and combat.
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Crouching: Access hidden areas and tight spaces, rewarding curiosity and thorough exploration
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Target Lock: Focus on specific enemies for precision and enhanced combat flow.
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Combat Combos: Chain light and heavy attacks for versatile, engaging combat. This encourages experimentation and rewards skillful play
Mask & Abilities
The Spirit Mask is a sacred relic that grants Alo supernatural abilities, serving as the cornerstone of both gameplay and narrative. It is fueled by Spirit Energy, which is gathered by defeating enemies and discovering Relic Totems scattered throughout the world. This system encourages strategic use of abilities and rewards players for exploration.
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Spirit Heal: Restores 50 Health, costing 25 Spirit Energy with a 10-second cooldown. This ability provides reliable recovery, emphasizing strategic resource management.
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Spirit Rage: Doubles speed and damage for 10 seconds, costing 50 Spirit Energy with a 60-second cooldown. A high-risk, high-reward ability that can turn the tide of battle.
Spirit Mask
Explorative Items
The Spirit Resource system is a core gameplay mechanic, where players manage a maximum of 100 Spirit Energy to fuel the Spirit Mask's abilities. This system introduces a risk-reward dynamic, balancing combat, exploration, and resource management to keep players engaged and encourage strategic decision-making.
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Spirit Orbs: Dropped by enemies, providing 10 Spirit Energy to sustain players during combat.
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Relic Totems: Found in hidden areas, granting 50 Spirit Energy to reward exploration.
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Legendary Totems: Rare and well-hidden, offering 100 Spirit Energy, encouraging thorough exploration.
Spirit Orb
Totem Relic
Legendary Totem
Level Design
The refined blockout level is divided into three acts, each containing three distinct sections. This structure creates a natural flow that introduces mechanics, builds tension, and delivers narrative payoff. By applying proven design techniques and a deep understanding of player psychology, I crafted a level that is both intuitive to navigate and rich in discovery.
The level design is carefully crafted to seamlessly blend exploration, combat, and storytelling into a cohesive and engaging player journey. Each act is designed to balance pacing, player agency, and emotional impact, ensuring that players remain immersed and motivated throughout.
Level Layout
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Level Beats & Wakthrough
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Pacing & Tension Graph
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Design Techniques
I employed a variety of techniques to ensure players could navigate the environment intuitively and stay engaged with the experience. Ensuring players remain immersed in both the world and its narrative, my approach focuses on balancing challenge, discovery, and storytelling.
Framing: Using environmental elements like arches, light sources, and natural landmarks to subtly guide players toward key objectives.
Leading Lines: Pathways, rivers, and mountain ridges act as natural guides, directing players through the level.
Color & Shape Language: Consistent visual cues (e.g., glowing Spirit Totems, enemy designs) help players identify intractable objects and hazards.
Spatial Composition
Spacial Composition: Environments shape player emotions—vast open spaces instill awe, while tight, winding corridors create suspense. Varying spatial composition ensures the game world remains fresh and engaging.
Funnel & Reveal: Directing players through confined spaces before revealing grand vistas (e.g., the Bear Village) creates powerful, cinematic moments that enhance immersion.
Bait & Switch Subverting player expectations with surprises keeps them on edge and engaged with the world.
Bait & Switch
Pre - Production & Development Approach
My approach to game production for my projects follows an iterative process, mirroring real-world game development pipelines. From the outset, I treated each project as if it were a task requested by a studio, adhering to structured workflows and strict deadlines. I established a weekly schedule and consistently documented progress, ensuring transparency and accountability for each phase of development.
Planning & Development Approach
Week 1: R&D for a game idea and fill it in a GDD and LDD.
Week 2: Prototype all the technical necessities.
Week 3: Making a Rough Blockout of the Level.
Week 4: Making a Refined Blockout of the Level.
Week 5: Iterate and polish the whole game product.
Production & Procces
My Level Design approach is professional and structured. I begin by creating a well-written Game Design Document (GDD) followed by a Level Design Document (LDD), which outlines the content and specific design elements.
I start by laying down a rough blockout of the entire level to validate its scale and overall feel. Throughout this phase, I continuously iterate and playtest to ensure that the design works as intended. Once the rough blockout feels solid, I move into the Refined Blockout phase, where I add more detail to the level, fleshing out the environment and integrating assets to better communicate my vision.
Post - Mortem
Insights: Looking back, if I had more time, I would have prioritized additional playtests to further refine mechanics and level flow. I would also have focused on iterating more on the third act to ensure a stronger climax that fully capitalized on the game’s narrative and gameplay systems.
Conclutions: Working on this project has been an incredible experience that truly pushed me as a developer. From the early concept phase to the final iteration, I challenged myself to follow a structured game development pipeline, continually refining my designs through playtesting and iteration. Witnessing the game come to life, step by step, was both rewarding and insightful. Throughout the process, I grew significantly in game design, level design, and iterative development. I learned to balance creativity with technical execution while working under deadlines.
Credits
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Spirit Mask Asset by Dmitry Schnein
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Human Skull Asset by Johan Hansson
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Boat Asset by Dmitry Schnein
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Beer Skull Asset by Johan Hansson