I set out to create a level that could stand alongside those found in Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. Something simple, succinct, with a variety of player mechanics represented. I collected relevant info in game to try and find out what sort of scope of work I was working with. Then I created a top down map, iterated heavily in Blender and Unreal, and tested until I had a layout that truly felt like something I’d encounter in the city of Karnaca.

Playing the space

When the player crosses the threshold into the level, they’re greeted with three legitimate choices for how to progress:

• Climbing nearby crates and platforming across the wooden barricade

• Sneaking under a shop’s security door

• Jumping into an adjacent store’s window

Going under the shutter or climbing past the barricade get you into the area just past the gate, where you can proceed or unlock the gate to dispatch the guard in the previous area.

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Creating the space

I started off by using the closest form of reference I could get - actual maps from Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. In game, the player can find these maps that give stunning top down views of the gameplay spaces. They show that each mission in Death of the Outsider is defined in a few key ways:

• The Starting Location

• The Primary Location (Where most of the indoor, Dishonored type gameplay will occur)

• The space between

I chose to create one of the spaces between. The Approach, if you will. Designing an Approach level would allow me to focus solely on matching the style, general vibes, and “play your way” choice making that I particularly enjoy. Additionally, since I won’t have any of the dishonored mechanics to test with, it made the most sense to keep with something simpler.

I created a top down 2D map that presented basic building shapes as well as indoor + outdoor areas. I marked up the map with transitions between the spaces, and annotated each transition with what it was / how the player interacts with it. This led to a gameplay first feeling top down layout that filled me with confidence.

Afterwards, I created an initial blockout in blender.