The Level Design Process
Calamity Chasm is the very first game I worked on and it had me experimenting a lot with my process and helped me try to decipher and get down my workflow and understand how to have good planning before production
Calamity Chasm's level design is very interesting. I wanted to promote movement and the usage of traps to not only get rid of more enemies, but to also traverse through the map.
Figure 1
Figure 2
In Figure 1, this is my first 2D layout for Calamity Chasm, first off I just jumped in before the project had a scope defined. By doing that, I ended with a big map with multiple chokepoints and different areas for different encounter with enemies.
Figure 2 presents a second iteration of the Calamity Chasm layout. Although the project scope was still not fully defined at this stage, this version was more grounded than the first. I reduced the map size, simplified navigation, and began organizing areas with clearer purposes for enemy encounters and player flow. This helped the team begin visualizing how gameplay could evolve, even in the absence of a finalized scope.
Figure 3
Figure 3 shows the limitations I was given once the project scope was defined na d Figure 4 represent the two different 2D layout explorations trying to explore different approaches. With clearer gameplay goals and constraints in place, I focused on tighter, more readable level shapes, designing for encounter variety, player flow, and modular iteration. Each layout tested different combinations of sightlines, verticality, and chokepoint density, allowing the team to assess which direction best supported our intended gameplay experience. I explored different configurations that balanced enemy encounters, traversal flow, and spatial clarity. After team discussions and playstyle considerations, we selected the lower-left layout for its strong use of verticality, navigational variety, and encounter potential.
Figure 4
Once the 2D layout was approved by the team and confirmed to be within scope, I transitioned to Autodesk Maya to begin whiteboxing the level. Given the complex shape and iterative nature of the design, using a 3D modeling tool provided greater flexibility and speed compared to Unity's ProBuilder. This approach allowed for quicker iteration and more efficient testing during the early stages of development.
This approach also made it easier for artists to finalize the environment art despite the time constraints we encountered, allowing for more testing and giving me greater freedom to iterate on the level layout without starting from scratch. Since Calamity Chasm was designed as an arena shooter map, I prioritized quick iteration to test player flow, sightlines, and encounter pacing, ensuring that changes could be made efficiently as we refined combat dynamics and overall balance.
