Noble Sacrifices
Teaching Mechanics
Level Designer / Scripter
GAME: Starcraft 2
DEV TIME: 4 Weeks
GAME MODE: Single Player
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Design Doc
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Game Overview
Level Summary:
"Noble Sacrifices" is a single-player mission for Starcraft II that teaches intermediate skill players important mechanics for the Zerg faction. The player must survive waves of Protoss attacks while sacrificing one hundred Zerglings before the end of twelve minutes. To accomplish this, the player must use their Queen units effectively, both to defend their base, to heal their defensive structures, and to increase the rate at which they can produce units.
Screenshots:
 Overall Map LayoutThe player's two bases on the right and left, the enemy base at the bottom, and the sacrifice point at the top |  Sacrifice PointThe place where the player sacrifices zerglings |  First Zerg BaseThe player's left base at the start of the level |
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 Second Zerg BaseThe player's right base at the start of the level |  Protoss BaseThe enemy NPC's starting base |
Development Timeline:
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Week 1: Whiteboxed level, scripted win and loss conditions
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Week 2: Implemented waves using AI Waves system
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Week 3: Add pings warning the player of incoming attacks, decorated the level
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Week 4: Created the opening cinematic, final polish
Postmortem
What Went Well
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I was able to quickly create a unique, good-looking Starcraft II level without prior experience in the engine
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I was able to add wishlist features, such as the explanatory opening cinematic
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The level is relatively well balanced
What Went Wrong
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I wasn't able to add a closing cinematic to give the level a proper denouement
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The level doesn't have as many "Wow! moments" as it should
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The level is not as true to the multiplayer experience as it should be to teach relevant skills
What I Learned
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It is better to use in-built systems of an engine and modify them as necessary than to re-implement them for your individual case
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Thinking about an appropriate decoration palette for a level early on can speed up polishing later