Devlog #3 – Level Design Progress: Building a Pub

One of the more enjoyable things about level design is making custom models and modular building parts to create environments. This past week I've been working on creating a pub, which will serve as the first safe place the player will enter at the beginning of them game. As the game is set in Post-Outbreak Britain, a pub feels essential.

I've created texture sheets that contain things like, bottles, wood panels, wall paper etc, then UV mapped my models to the images on the sheet to create materials. I've found this the most efficient way of creating lo-fi textured props over the years of my gamedev journey. Attached is an image of some of the props I've made, I think they turned out quite well, although I am not very good at modelling! I don't have the patience to do super detailed models and materials, which I why I generally stick to the 90's/early 2000's aesthetic!

What I've found challenging so far is making the environments seem grounded and real. Like places that would really exist. This has been particularly challenging with the street sections but I believe it will come together more once I've added props and decorated it.

I have the first 10-15 minutes of gameplay working now. Basically, after leaving their home, the protagonist explores the deserted streets and alleyways until they find a key to the pub. They then have to fight, or, if they haven't found a weapon yet, evade the infected and run to the pub.

They will encounter another survivor here. However, the safety of the pub doesn't last long and the player will soon have to escape to the next section of the game.

I've attached some images of where the pub environment is at currently. The plan is the flesh it out a bit to make it looks more like somewhere that actually exists.

The streets will serve as a sort of hub, while indoor spaces of the pub will serve as levels (a bit like how silent hill did it, although the plan is for this game to be shorter and so the indoor spaces will be of smaller scale)

I'm planning on doing a clinic next. What do you think? What else needs to be in a zombie game set in the UK?