Stranded

Setup

Players find themselves alone in front of the House of Commons. Watch the video.

Architecture

Despite its majestic architecture, the House of Commons is laid out like a fortress. The stairs act as a bottleneck, and cover is laid out to cover the entrances. The balcony-mounted Troika machine gun offers an excellent line of fire over most of the battlefield.

First Challenge

A Troika Cabal rains fire down on the player from the balcony of the House of Commons

Environmental Storytelling

The House of Commons remains largely intact, but shows signs of repeated conflict, as evidenced by the rubble strewn across the groung, ruined sections of wall and defensively placed sandbag walls.

Shifting tactics

Players fight the Troika Cabal at close range. Shotguns are optimal here.

Interior Architecture

The interior of the House of Commons has fared considerably worse than the exterior. Access to the rest of the building has been cut off by collapsed walls and ceilings.

Encounter Design

Wretches ambush the player inside the House. White lighting provides a clue for where to go.

Staged Objectives

Activating the distress beacon starts a timer. Players have seven minutes to complete the level's objectives.

World Building

Ruined buildings rise in the distance, giving players a view into the outside world.

Final Challenge

Once rescue arrives, the player must reach the helicopter alive.

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Game

Gears of War

Description

Stranded was my first serious attempt at a Gears of War Level. The player must fight a desperate battle for survival against insurmountable odds, while completing several objectives that enable their escape at the end of the mission.

The mission focused on creating a highly detailed environment with numerous events and a smooth, yet challenging progression through the level.