Digital Memory - Angela
Creation Date:
January 1, 2021
Project Description
"Angela" is a narrative exploration game focusing on memory and trauma. The player experiences the world through the eyes of a young protagonist reliving the memories of a tragic loss. The game environment is designed to reflect emotional states and guide the player naturally through the experience.
My Contribution
As a Level Designer & 3D Artist, I was responsible for:
✅ Designing the game's environments with a strong focus on player guidance.
✅ Creating 3D assets for key locations such as the church and surrounding areas.
✅ Iterating on level layouts to ensure a balance between narrative immersion and gameplay clarity.
Level Design Concept & Research
To create an intuitive and immersive world, I conducted extensive research on player guidance techniques - f.e. through a GDC talk from Dan Taylor or an article by Mike Stout. My goal was to lead the player naturally through the environment without explicit markers, using elements such as Focal Points, Views & Vistas, and the Rule of Thirds.
📌 Design Considerations:
How do players naturally navigate spaces?
What environmental cues can enhance immersion?
How can light, architecture, and layout support storytelling?
These principles shaped the initial level layout and visual storytelling approach. The following are my notes and concepts from this process.
Level Design Concept & Research
To create an intuitive and immersive world, I conducted extensive research on player guidance techniques - f.e. through a GDC talk from Dan Taylor or an article by Mike Stout. My goal was to lead the player naturally through the environment without explicit markers, using elements such as Focal Points, Views & Vistas, and the Rule of Thirds.
📌 Design Considerations:
How do players naturally navigate spaces?
What environmental cues can enhance immersion?
How can light, architecture, and layout support storytelling?
These principles shaped the initial level layout and visual storytelling approach. The following are my notes and concepts from this process.
Iteration & Greyboxing
Before creating assets, I developed a greybox prototype to define the spatial layout and test navigation. This process helped refine the scale, proportions, and flow of the level.
📌 Key Iterations:
Refined pathways to direct players naturally towards key objectives.
Improved terrain layout for better environmental storytelling.
Enhanced composition to emphasize the emotional impact of key moments.
Iteration & Greyboxing
Before creating assets, I developed a greybox prototype to define the spatial layout and test navigation. This process helped refine the scale, proportions, and flow of the level.
📌 Key Iterations:
Refined pathways to direct players naturally towards key objectives.
Improved terrain layout for better environmental storytelling.
Enhanced composition to emphasize the emotional impact of key moments.
3D Asset Creation – Church & Environment
During the early stages of development, I focused on creating office-style assets to fit the game's original vision. However, after the project pivoted to center around the church setting, I shifted my focus to designing environmental assets that reinforced the themes of memory, trauma, and surrealism. My goal was to craft a space that felt grounded yet emotionally charged, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the narrative.
📌 Design Challenges & Solutions:
✅ Adapting to the project’s shift: The initial office-style assets had to be repurposed or discarded as the game moved toward a church setting.
✅ Establishing a cohesive environment: The transition required a redefinition of the architectural style and the creation of new assets, such as the church benches and coffin.
✅ Enhancing symbolic storytelling: Engravings and ornaments were added to the church benches to subtly reinforce the game’s themes of grief and memory.
✅ Integrating interactive destruction mechanics: Breakable elements, such as shatterable windows and a collapsing floor, were designed to add a dynamic, emotional climax to the scene.
The shift in direction allowed me to apply environmental storytelling principles, ensuring that the level’s atmosphere, props, and layout worked together to enhance the narrative experience.
3D Asset Creation – Church & Environment
During the early stages of development, I focused on creating office-style assets to fit the game's original vision. However, after the project pivoted to center around the church setting, I shifted my focus to designing environmental assets that reinforced the themes of memory, trauma, and surrealism. My goal was to craft a space that felt grounded yet emotionally charged, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the narrative.
📌 Design Challenges & Solutions:
✅ Adapting to the project’s shift: The initial office-style assets had to be repurposed or discarded as the game moved toward a church setting.
✅ Establishing a cohesive environment: The transition required a redefinition of the architectural style and the creation of new assets, such as the church benches and coffin.
✅ Enhancing symbolic storytelling: Engravings and ornaments were added to the church benches to subtly reinforce the game’s themes of grief and memory.
✅ Integrating interactive destruction mechanics: Breakable elements, such as shatterable windows and a collapsing floor, were designed to add a dynamic, emotional climax to the scene.
The shift in direction allowed me to apply environmental storytelling principles, ensuring that the level’s atmosphere, props, and layout worked together to enhance the narrative experience.
Final Level & Player Guidance Implementation
The final level was built to enhance emotional storytelling while ensuring clear navigation through subtle environmental cues. The use of the player guidance techniques I mentioned before are visualized in the following images as well.
📌 Design Highlights:
Opening shot composition: The player’s view is framed to immediately draw attention to the church.
Pathway lighting: Subtle environmental storytelling through light placement and object arrangement.
Interior design: The church’s somber atmosphere reinforces the narrative themes of loss and grief.
Final Level & Player Guidance Implementation
The final level was built to enhance emotional storytelling while ensuring clear navigation through subtle environmental cues. The use of the player guidance techniques I mentioned before are visualized in the following images as well.
📌 Design Highlights:
Opening shot composition: The player’s view is framed to immediately draw attention to the church.
Pathway lighting: Subtle environmental storytelling through light placement and object arrangement.
Interior design: The church’s somber atmosphere reinforces the narrative themes of loss and grief.
Conclusion & Key Learnings
This project was a defining experience in my transition from 3D Art to Level Design. I realized the impact of strong environment design in storytelling and how player guidance techniques can shape player experience.
🔹 Key Takeaways:
Iteration is crucial: Early level versions were functional but lacked emotional depth—constant refinement led to a stronger experience.
Visual storytelling matters: Every element, from lighting to object placement, should serve a purpose.
Player guidance without UI: Subtle cues like architecture, paths, and sightlines are more immersive than UI markers.
This project reinforced my passion for Level Design & Environment Art, shaping my future focus in game development.
Conclusion & Key Learnings
This project was a defining experience in my transition from 3D Art to Level Design. I realized the impact of strong environment design in storytelling and how player guidance techniques can shape player experience.
🔹 Key Takeaways:
Iteration is crucial: Early level versions were functional but lacked emotional depth—constant refinement led to a stronger experience.
Visual storytelling matters: Every element, from lighting to object placement, should serve a purpose.
Player guidance without UI: Subtle cues like architecture, paths, and sightlines are more immersive than UI markers.
This project reinforced my passion for Level Design & Environment Art, shaping my future focus in game development.