Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Demo Reel

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Blog

Blog 4/8/2025
This week, I started a mini project and gave myself a 40-hour time limit to complete it. It was a really interesting challenge, as it required me to carefully plan out my time, prioritize tasks, and decide what to focus on. Here’s how I broke down my hours:Playing Borderlands 3 (Research): 8 hours
LDD/Planning: 4 hours
First Pass Blockout (Whitebox only): 4 hours
Second Pass Blockout (Replacing assets): 16 hours
Lighting Pass: 2 hours
Scripting: 4 hours
Bug Fixes: 2 hours
Final Pass Blockout: 2 hours
Total: 42 hoursI went over my planned time by 2 hours, but the process helped me learn a lot about time management and how to work more efficiently. Below are some screenshots from the project!

Blog 4/1/2025
This week, our capstone project underwent a major overhaul. A lot of the narrative changed, and the scope and budget were significantly adjusted. As a result, much of the work I had already done will need to be redone to accommodate the new direction. This shift definitely impacted our production, but I learned a lot about what to do—and what not to do—in situations like this. I also realized how important it is to speak up at the right time, before things start heading in the wrong direction. There were a few moments when I sensed we were going off track. I tried to voice my concerns, but they were pushed aside. In hindsight, I should’ve tried a different approach or brought my concerns directly to the leads.

Blog 3/25/2025
This week, I started another personal project. The goal is to incorporate as many level design elements as possible and seamlessly fit them into the game. Here’s a look at some of my initial planning:

Blog 3/11/2025
This week, I wrapped up a project I’ve been working on for the past six weeks. It was an interesting challenge because it wasn’t a traditional level design project. This one leaned more toward art and scripting. My goal was to explore how I could create an engaging experience in an environment where the core mechanics were minimal, relying on level events to drive the fun. I think I was fairly successful in achieving that, but this process also made me realize how challenging it is to balance these elements. It gave me valuable insight into how I should collaborate with artists and engineers on projects like this in the future.

Blog 2/18/2025
This week, I made a lot of progress in setting the tone of my level. The sequencer took me four hours to plan, refine, and execute. It’s nowhere near as polished as it would be in a final game, but I think I’ve created a solid proxy. Now, when the art or narrative team reviews it, they can easily understand my vision and what I’m aiming for.

Blog 2/11/2025
This week, I started blocking out my level. As expected, scale is a major challenge when the player controls a character that's ant-sized. I'm working on a systematic approach to address this issue. I want to ensure the game feels cohesive and that objects don’t seem out of place, even with scaling adjustments. Currently, I have the scale set to 1:20, but that won’t work for every object—some will need to be 1:15 or 1:25 to maintain consistency.

Blog 2/4/2025
This week, I focused on developing the functions for the level I'm about to create. I'm still in the prototype phase. I did a lot of work in Blueprint to ensure everything functions as intended. So far, I haven’t added any action blocks yet, but my next step is to incorporate these blueprints into a scenario and turn it into an action block that I can use when building the level later. The game I'm building is very versatile. As you can see, it features a 2D top-down view, platforming, and pure production-value interactions.The theme of the level I'm about to create is also important because, as you might guess, it's going to focus more on music. This is one of my core pillars. I'll do my best to integrate this element into each gameplay moment.

Blog 1/28/2025
This week, I focused on developing the metrics gym for my upcoming level. This is still very much a work in progress, but I’m putting extra effort into refining it because I’ve seen firsthand how beneficial a well-structured metrics system can be. By establishing clear movement metrics—such as jump height, run speed, gap distances, and object interactions—I can ensure a consistent and polished gameplay experience.My goal is to build the level around a solid, data-driven foundation rather than relying on guesswork. This approach will help me fine-tune platforming sequences, traversal challenges, and interactive elements to feel just right.I still need to do more prototyping and playtesting to verify that all my level events function as intended. Once I’ve gathered enough data, I can make informed adjustments to improve pacing, player flow, and overall gameplay feel.

Blog 1/21/2025
This week, I took a deep dive into analyzing the level design of my all-time favorite game, It Takes Two. It was a fascinating process that helped me better understand core mechanics and design direction, while also preparing me for potential design tests during future interviews. Additionally, I made progress on my capstone game, Punk Rock Exosicse, refining the block-out stage. Here are some updated pictures showcasing my progress!

Blog 1/10/2025
This week marks the start of my second semester in the FIEA program, and we’ve also begun work on our capstone project. Building the level has been an interesting challenge since we don’t have gameplay or mechanics yet. For now, we’re focusing on creating a metric gym and a real-world blockout of the setting and space we envision.I’ve left room for potential combat encounters and events that could take place later. Below are some pictures of the blockout. This is very much a work in progress, and as gameplay mechanics are developed, the space will be adjusted accordingly.

Vlog 11/19/24
Alright, it’s whitebox week, and let me just say—I really need to get better at remembering to take photos. Like, future me is definitely gonna regret that. I started out strong! I was super quick, got the whole level blocked out in no time. Feeling great, right?
And then... iteration happened. I playtested a ton, ran into all kinds of challenges, and ended up reworking so many rooms. One big issue is verticality. At some point, I realized the level felt way too flat, so I went back and added a bunch of vertical elements. Problem solved? Nope! That totally threw off the pacing. Suddenly, the flow was all over the place, so I had to make even more changes to balance it out.But here’s the win: I put every room in its own folder. Seriously, that saved my sanity. Being able to just grab a room and move it around without messing up everything else? Absolute game-changer. Iteration is messy, but staying organized makes it so much easier

Vlog 11/12/24
This week, I've been thinking a lot about iteration. It's fascinating—there's almost no such thing as too much iteration, yet hitting the point of diminishing returns is trickier than I thought. Iteration is constant in my process, but I’m realizing I rarely push it as far as I could. Throwing away the first, second, even fifth drafts is pretty normal because those early ideas tend to be derivative. Clearing out the obvious solutions helps uncover something fresh. Plus, it’s a great way to ‘fail fast,’ letting me rapidly prototype and explore new directions

Vlog 11/5/2024
This week, I didn’t work on any in-engine tasks, but I focused on refining our capstone game pitch. It’s been challenging because the pitch wasn’t originally mine—I’ve had to enhance and improve it without altering the core direction. This has been tricky since I need to retain the original concept while carefully cutting elements of theme, tone, or mechanics that might clash with the overall pitch. Throughout this process, I’ve had to ask myself a lot of questions: Do the mechanics fit the theme? How does the tone shape the story? Does the theme align with the narrative? It’s been tough, but I’ll have more updates on my capstone game pitch next week

Vlog 10/29/2024
This week, I had the oppertunity to work on a 2 week narrative game. I get to do a lot of sequencer and set dressing of the game. The level looks good and all, but I was so focused on making the level look good, I forgot I also need to make the level play good. I end up have to do a lot of patches to make the level playable. I think next time, in a short project like this, I will do the reverse. Make the level playable first, and then make the level looks good.

Vlog 10/21/2024
This week, we were tasked with real-world environment blackouts. I spent a lot of time on proportion and scale. I spent around 4 hours on this project, and 1 hour was just me trying to find an object in the world that I could use for proportion. The result was a pleasant surprise. Most people who looked at it thought this was a photo of the location. All I used was just plane texture and simple geometry. This made me realize how powerful can blockout be if done correctly.

Vlog 9/30/2024
This week, I did a little art test to concept proof the tone of my personal project. The set design part of this scene was not hard, I already have a story in mine, but lighting and fog are big issue. I start to put downlights, but the more lights I put in, the harder it gets. I actually started to reduce the amount the lights in the scene and it became more manageable. Fog was also hard to get right because I wanted blooms in the light, but didn't want the room to be overly bright. This took me a lot of times and trial and error. I'm still not happy with how it looks, but I will keep working on it

Vlog 9/23/2024
This week, I worked on a game pitch. It is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. Designing on-paper mechanics for an audience requires a lot of thinking. It is especially hard when you have to create something for two groups of audiences. We will be doing another one next week, but I think I understand the structure better now. Creativity is forceable if I can build my framework correctly around the game pitch.In conclusion, the game pitch is not something everyone does every day, but it helps to practice and approach design from the audience's perspective. Knowing what kind of production value and gameplay will appeal to them is a huge help to make a good level.

Vlog 9/17/2024
This week, I used Unity for the first time. I had a tough time. But I also noticed I was picking it up super fast. This helps me know that I can easily pick up whatever engine I must use.

Vlog 9/9/2024
This week, I got stuck whiteboxing a room for my personal project. I tried many things, but it just doesn't feel good. So it got me thinking, why am I stuck in this room? I think I didn't apply what I learned last week very well, which is designing for cause and effect. In my LDD, it was not clear what am I trying to achieve in each room and throughout the level.
For this week's lesson, I think I need to focus a lot more on how to plan better with LDD. I should be constantly inspired when I'm designing a room, not getting hard stuck.

Vlog 9/3/2024
This week, I learned how important it is to have an intention for my design. Having a design space Makes my life better, and makes my level better. Before, I always wondered why certain rooms or spaces in my level just worked, and why some took me so long to develop, and I still end up not feeling good. Its because I didn’t have a clear theme and objective for this room. Everything in the game is not a coincidence, it has a cause and effect. If it worked without an intention, it's just pure luck.
In conclusion, I think from here now on, I need to think more about the constraints, the goal, the theme, and what am I trying to achieve at this level. What should the player feel in this room? The production values that go into making a level can make a big difference in how the entire level feels.

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Peblito: Rock and Roll

My Contribution Highlight

Story and background

Peblito: Rock and Roll is a 3D platformer where you play as Peblito, a small yet determined pebble, on his journey through a mystical volcano on the day of the foraging festival. Here is a video of the gameplay compared to whitebox.I worked very closely with other disciplines in order to get two levels done within 3 months of time.

Project details

  • 3 months (20 hours per week)

  • Engine: Unreal Engine 4

  • 17 People Team

  • Responsibilities:

  • Level design

  • Setdressing

  • Lighting

  • Iterate action block

Overview

Walk Through

Temple Level's Design Decisions

LandMark

I faced a constraint where the landmark couldn’t be placed at the center of the area. To work around this, I designed a composition where the landmark maintains a central visual impact without occupying the actual center. This ensures that players can always spot the landmark from anywhere in the level, guiding them effectively without breaking immersion.

Speedrun capability

Speedrunners aren’t our target audience, but who doesn’t love a good shortcut in a platformer? I designed these shortcuts as a fun novelty that encourages players to seek them out. My goal is for players to finish the game, or talk about it with friends, and remember the thrill of discovering these rewarding challenges.

Leading lines

I intentionally avoided placing crystals off the main path. This was crucial because the scene is a lava chase where the lava slowly rises, catching up to the player. Using shiny crystals as visual guides keeps the player focused and helps them escape the danger more effectively.

Environmental Storytelling

One of my responsibilities was set dressing, but I aimed to do more than just make the game look good. I focused on adding narrative moments to enrich the player’s experience. By collaborating closely with the design team, I ensured that the environments and storytelling remained cohesive across all levels and areas.

Sandbox

After reviewing playtest feedback from the previous level, I created a playground area to refine the player’s skills. This space features plenty of collectibles and fun platforming, encouraging players to experiment with dashing, jumping, and vine swinging to reach exciting spots. My goal was to prepare them for the next set of challenges.

Credit Level's Design Decisions

Goals

  • Engaging and interactive

  • Blue/Orange color schemes for cave

  • Don't let players think they can die

  • Visually interesting

Summary

I also designed the credits level, which takes a different approach from the rest of the game. In this level, players roll downhill, smashing through crystals that form the developers’ names. The goal was to make the credits more interactive and engaging, leaving players with a fun, memorable finale.

Restriction

  • Player can't die in this level

  • Players will be in rolling form

  • Players can't get stuck

  • level length under two mins

Priority

The team agreed that this level would only happen if we had extra time—and luckily, we did. However, since we built it during alpha, with tasks constantly popping up, I made a conscious decision to prioritize polishing other levels first.

Things I’d do differently

Have a plan
This was my first large game project, and I didn’t realize the importance of planning things like level outlines and 2D maps early on. It came back to bite me in later iterations, but we managed to solve the issues. This experience also taught me the value of teamwork—I worked closely with other team members to address and overcome the challenges.
Play test like a player, not a designer
One area where I fell short was playtesting. I should’ve been asking myself more player-focused questions like, "Do players know where to go? Is the level too hard? Will players understand what to do here?" During playtests, I need to switch my mindset between the player and the designer to get a more accurate sense of the experience.
Metrics
We didn’t have proper documentation for metrics, and as a platformer, that was a mistake. Looking back, having a solid metrics system in place would’ve improved the game’s consistency. It would also have made communication between designers smoother, and players would’ve had a clearer understanding of the space and distances.

More iterations on action blocks
I joined the project mid-production, which left me with limited time to design my level using the provided action blocks. As we neared alpha, I had to redesign some of the action blocks quickly, but it was a hasty fix rather than a well-thought-out solution. If I had more time, I would dive deeper into the action blocks, studying how players react to them and how to refine them for a better experience.
Playtest my peer's level
While it’s important to focus on my own level, playing and reviewing my peer’s levels is just as valuable. I became so absorbed in my own work that I neglected this. Moving forward, I want to provide feedback to my peers, exchange ideas, and collaborate more to improve the overall game.

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Level Art

Here are some of the work I've done for a game jam, and personal projects.For the first sets of pictures, I created a simple snow scene with a composition in mind. After I finished with the terrain, foliage, and rocks, I wanted to get a better tone of the scene, so I did some lighting exploration with day and night scenes.The second sets of pictures are the level art I did for the 2022 Epic MegaJam. The theme I was going for is an Asian futuristic neon city.For the third set of pictures, I took away all the lights from the room and placed my own in. I want to explore the possibility of tone shifting using different colors.

3D Art

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Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Repair.Me

Repair.Me is a space puzzle game that place in a space ship.
I mainly worked as a technical designer. Setting up cutscene using sequencer and blueprint for the first two room. I was also in charge of white box and setdressing as well.

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Medieval War City

Medieval war city is an 3rd person action adventure game takes place in a burning medieval city.

  • Hour: 90+

  • Team Size: 1

Goals:

  • Medieval/War theme

  • Civilians saving mechanic

  • Exploration

Restrictions:

  • Approximately 10-20mins of gameplay

  • At least one secret room and unique loot

  • Must have NPC interactions

Mood Board/Reference

While searching for references, I put a lot of my emphasis on architecture. The moment players enter the game, they should know the era immediately. I also look for compositions. What will draw players' attention? What color will suit my theme?

Flow Chart/2D Map

While I do want players to explore the level more, it is a very linear level. I made sure that besides the golden route, there are lots of side quests and buildings that players can explore and learn about the world. For the flow chart, I try to keep the pace tie between fighting, questing, and exploring. As the game goes on, the fights become harder, so I introduce explosive arrows and unique items to players to match that difficulty. Making sure the player's power and game difficulty stays in balance.

Gamplay

There are lots of interactable NPC, objects in the world. Players can talk to NPCs and save them. Players can also destroy objects to create an advantage for themselves.

Final White Box

For the white box, I put a lot of emphasis on how to make people better understand my level setup. There are lots of proxy props and houses to show the architecture of this place. There are a lot of proxy lighting to show the mood I was looking for. I also did a lot of proxy blueprints with the NPCs, boss battle, quest, and cutscenes. Now, they are by all means not optimized, nor look good, but it does show the function of the level and my design intention.

Post Mortem

Normally, after finishing a project, I like to look back and think about the things I could have done better. What would I do differently? What will I do if time isn't a limiting factor? This time, I actually returned to this project and did a small renovation. Below is a gif of how the level looks like before.

What did I do to improve my level?
I added lights and VFX to better express the mood of the level. I adjusted the difficulty of the game by adding more covers and changing enemy placement. I added a new market area to add more world-building to the game. I added more cutscenes to enrich the story even more. Players can now also destroy status to make it into an obstacle. All entrances are also gated and make more sense why they are gated.
More learnings
Looking back to my 2nd iteration, I think I can improve the level by having more elevation and fewer symmetry rooms. The level is also too straightforward, players barely take any turns in the first half of the level. I also didn't have a solid landmark to let players know where they are headed to.

Gamplay Video

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Cywork

Story and background

Cywork is a first-person RPG set in a 3D space facility where researchers are studying an advanced energy source. However, a group of space pirates seeks to disrupt their efforts.Players can choose a faction, either aiding the facility or siding with the pirates, leading to different endings based on their decisions.

Goals:

  • High-tech future theme

  • Use the environment to influence choice

  • multiple ending

Project details

  • 1.5 month (20 hours per week)

  • Engine: Unreal Engine 5

  • Personal Project

  • Level Design

  • Level Art

  • Narrative

Restrictions:

  • Approximately 15 minutes of gameplay

  • Within 2 months half time

  • Must have cut scenes(proxy)

Overview

Pre Production

Mood Board

Before deciding on my points of interest (POIs), I like to explore interesting visuals related to the theme. I focus on unique architecture, silhouettes, and colors while also considering potential mission ideas that could take place in these locations. Once I identify promising POIs, I dive deeper to ensure a variety of engaging and diverse experiences.

Brainstorm

During brainstorming, I jot down any element or idea with potential, keeping the scope wide open. As I move into the planning phase, I gradually narrow things down, refining the best ideas and piecing them together into a cohesive blockout.

Early Blockout

Once I’ve selected my POIs from the brainstorming phase, I box them out in the engine to get a feel for the space. It took several iterations to reach this point, but establishing a solid foundation was crucial for me to ensure the level flows well.

Topdown

Explicit and Implicit
Narrative

I used implicit narrative to subtly warn the player of upcoming danger. For example, a dead body in a crawling position near a door hints that the character was trying to escape something. Additionally, there are explicit narrative elements, such as lab logs, computer logs, holographic speakers, and cameras that interact with the player, all adding depth to the story.

Gameplay Walkthrough Video

Gameplay Scenarios

Surprise attack

For this encounter, I made sure the player has places to fall back to for cover when they’re scared by the enemies. There’s also an explosive barrel near the elevator to add an extra layer of tension. This moment also serves as the player’s first introduction to the pirate faction and their objectives.

Rush

For players who prefer to fight without overthinking, this route is perfect. It’s riskier than the alternative, but I’ve ensured there are plenty of cover spots and explosive barrels to help the player along the way.

High ground

The high ground route offers a safer option. The catwalk provides natural cover, with some ground-level covers extending horizontally. If the player wants to avoid combat, they can simply crouch and quietly move through the catwalk.

Route

The objective (the key card to disable the reactor) is located in the room next to the reactor room. There are multiple ways for the player to navigate through the reactor room to obtain the key card. Some routes have more or fewer enemies, while others offer more stealthy options.

Endings

After the player gets the keycard, they can choose to disable the reactor or not, and it will affect the ending of the game.

Ending 1

If the player chooses to join pirates, and disable the reactor, the player will have to kill the facility people. This also triggers the alert, and the reinforcement of the facility will break in.

Ending 2

If the player chooses to help the scientist, they will have to fight the pirate. The player will also have to be careful and not let the scientist(facility fiction) die in the crossfire.

Ending 3

If the player didnt do any quest around the facility or the pirates and go straight up to the final room, they will just die because both fictions knows nothing about the player.

Things I’d do differently

Don't rush into the art phase
I jumped into the art stage a bit too early in this project. I thought I had spent enough time on the white box, but I found myself constantly revisiting it because it wasn’t ready for art yet. While it wasn’t a huge issue in this personal project, I can see how rushing into the art phase could cause significant problems in a team environment.
Research the engine limitation and playtesting
I planned for playtesting in this personal project but couldn’t execute it because I didn’t know how to properly package the project or optimize performance to maintain at least 30 fps. Next time, I’ll invest more time researching engine limitations and performance budgets to ensure better results.
Cover placement and metrics
Questions like “What counts as full cover? What’s half cover? Can I jump from here?” are ones I should’ve asked earlier in the project. Ensuring I have a solid metrics system in place during the whiteboxing phase will save time and improve overall gameplay.

AI blueprints
I’m using an asset pack for the AI, but through testing, I’ve found the behavior to be inconsistent. While they shoot accurately, they sometimes bug out and shoot randomly if there’s a height difference. If I had more time, I’d work on improving the AI’s behavior to make it more reliable.
Boss Battle
Currently, the boss battle feels too similar to regular encounters in the game. I want to make the boss fight stand out and provide a unique experience. This will take some extra effort, but I believe it’s crucial for adding variety and excitement to the gameplay.
Blocky Room
If I had more time, I’d push myself outside my comfort zone to experiment with different room shapes. I want to explore how these variations would impact both gameplay and the overall level design.

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

Hi, I’m Hang Zheng, and I’m very passionate about creating memorable player experiences through level design!I specialize in white boxing but have dabbled in design documentation, scripting level events, proxy modeling, and cutscenes—anything that enhances the player’s journey. While I’m not a generalist, I believe this approach helps me create better levels and makes my work easier for my team.I love playing co-op and competitive games like League of Legends, Marvel Rivals, and Overwatch to socialize, while I turn to immersive single-player games like The Outer Worlds and Atomic Heart when I’m in the mood for solo exploration.Outside of games, I’m equally passionate about sports, especially volleyball, swimming, badminton, and ping pong.
Don’t hesitate to ask me to play—whether it’s in-game or out on the court! 🎮🏐

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

The Music

Story and background

The Music is a third-person adventure puzzle game where players experience the life of a musical prodigy at ages 5 and 15. Using a single core mechanic, players navigate the world and immerse themselves in the character's journey and story

My Goal

My goal for this project is to explore how production value and action blocks shape a game's tone, style, and player experience. I want to examine how elements like cutscenes and environment enhance immersion and reinforce narrative beats.

Project details

  • Engine: Unreal Engine 5

  • Personal Project

  • Level Design

  • Set Design

  • Gameplay Design

Restriction

  • No use of major asset pack

  • Needs to use same location

  • Needs level event/scripting

Final Layout and Design Principles

The player's main objective is to reach the magical station that transports them to the next era. The core idea is for players to experience the same setting across different time periods, each with a distinct tone, mood, and set design. To achieve this, my design approach focuses on the theme and mood of each level. I carefully consider what events are appropriate for each stage to reinforce the narrative and gameplay experience.

Gameplay Highlights

Introducing Base Mechanics

I introduce this mechanic in a very simple way—by simulating how things should function in the real world. For example, we all know that a music box usually has a crank, but in this case, the crank is missing. This naturally creates a connection between the two objects, guiding the player to understand what they need to do with the mechanic.

Xylophone Puzzle

The xylophone puzzle was an interesting design challenge due to several constraints. I needed to create a music-related puzzle that didn’t rely on complex mechanics, was intuitive and easy to solve, and felt natural for a 5-year-old to engage with. By focusing on these limitations, I designed a puzzle that fits seamlessly within the level’s theme while maintaining accessibility and player engagement.

FoosBall

This section of the gameplay shifts focus toward mechanics-driven challenges. While it may seem intimidating at first glance, it’s designed to be manageable and engaging. The player must carry the ball across the area while avoiding being kicked by the foosball toys, adding a layer of timing and spatial awareness to the experience.

Topdown Board Game

This is a particularly interesting gameplay moment where the board game comes to life, and the perspective suddenly shifts from 3D to 2D. I designed this transition to enhance immersion, making the puzzle feel unique and dynamic. However, some players found it confusing, as they didn’t realize they could jump or that the mines could teleport them. This is something I plan to refine in my next iteration to improve clarity and player experience.

Walk Through

Level Design Process

1. Reference and relationship with gameplay

2. Initial Draft and Layout

This rough first draft helped me map out the key elements of the level without focusing on details too early. My initial goal was to establish the core layout and get a sense of how the space would feel. However, I underestimated how scale impacts navigation when the player is 20 times smaller than normal. This led to several iterations to refine spatial composition, ensuring the environment remained readable, engaging, and fun to traverse at a miniature scale.

3. Prototype

It's engine time! And metrics always come first. I also set up a few action blocks to test whether things are working as intended. At this stage, I can quickly gauge if the moment-to-moment gameplay feels engaging and fun, allowing me to refine mechanics and pacing before committing to full implementation.

4. Frequent Iteration

This level has been an interesting challenge to iterate on because there are a few fixed narrative beats that I can't change. As a result, I’ve had to design and refine around these constraints. My first draft of the level doesn't fully convey the story, and the game world still feels somewhat lifeless. I need to find ways to inject more energy and storytelling into the environment to make it feel immersive and engaging. Here are a few highlights:

Lifeless Space

In my first iteration, I was missing key set pieces to help players understand what’s happening in this room. Later, I added details like a five-year-old’s birthday party setup and the name of a teddy bear to convey the story without relying on text. These elements subtly guide players to realize that this is the bedroom of a five-year-old girl, enhancing immersion through environmental storytelling

Confusing Gameplay

In this mini top-down platformer, players were often confused about why they were being teleported, where they were when they arrived, and where they needed to go next. To address this, I added VFX to clearly indicate the destination, making the objective more intuitive. Additionally, I introduced a teleportation effect that plays upon arrival, grabbing the player's attention and helping them orient themselves immediately.

Lighting looks weird and off

This was an interesting challenge because lighting became difficult when everything was scaled up 20 times. Shadows were barely visible due to the vast distances, and the space felt empty because of the sheer size. My solution was to make the project Lumen-compatible, but this introduced a lot of issues—many of my materials and settings didn’t cooperate. The biggest problem was severe light leaks and artifacts appearing everywhere. To work around this, I had to use tricks like faking global illumination with primitive emissive shapes, strategically hiding them in the world to create the desired lighting effect.

Player Goal Was Not Well Communicated

My goal here is to guide the player toward the paper airplane. Since they don’t initially know its significance, they might ignore it. To draw their attention, I framed it with a paper ramp leading up to it and positioned it at a higher elevation. This gives it a sense of novelty and importance, making players more likely to engage with it out of curiosity

Things I’d do differently

Space with character
I think my biggest critique here is that while the environment looks colorful and pretty, it doesn’t feel alive. It’s missing moving elements and set dressing pieces that would make the space feel like someone actually lived there, and that these events really happened. Moving forward, I want to focus on improving this aspect of the experience in my levels.

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

The Factory

Story and background

The Factory is a first-person action game set in a sprawling steel mill. Players must overcome numerous challenges as they strive to escape, using time dilation as a key ability to navigate obstacles and outsmart their environment.

My Goal

My main goal is to create a blockout that clearly communicates my vision to other disciplines. I also aim to include cinematic, Hollywood-style moments to enhance the experience. Iteration is a key focus for this project, as I continually refine and playtest to improve the design.

Project details

  • Engine: Unreal Engine 5

  • Personal Project

  • Level Design

Restriction

  • Use little to no text

  • Use in engine modeling tool only

  • 10-15 mins gameplay

  • Has to use action block method

Final Layout and Design Principles

The player's main objective is to escape the factory. The core idea is to create a sense of progression by having the player been able to see the central furnace room three times throughout the game. To achieve this, my design approach starts with the furnace room as the focal point, branching outward from there. I carefully consider the angles from which the player can view the room, helping them stay oriented, understand their objective, and experience a sense of novelty and accomplishment when they finally return to this key location.

Gameplay Highlights

Introducing Time Dilition

I introduce this mechanic early in the game and design progression barriers that require players to engage with it in order to advance. This ensures they internalize its function through gameplay rather than tutorials alone. This example is a classic fan-blocking sequence, the player has to correctly utilize the time dialition mechanic to overcome the obstacle. This approach reinforces the mechanic's importance while maintaining a natural learning curve.

Advanced Challange

Maintaining an engaging game flow is key to the level I want to create. Now that the player understands how time dilation works, I’ve designed the next challenge to be slightly harder, enough that they likely won’t succeed on their first attempt but will still believe it’s achievable. This balance encourages experimentation and mastery without causing frustration, keeping the player motivated to refine their approach

Actions moments

Having strong mechanical action moments is crucial for my level. This aligns with one of the core fantasies of the game’s genre, allowing players to traverse the world and perform actions they wouldn’t normally be able to do in real life. These challenges engage players in a non-combat way, providing just the right amount of excitement to keep them invested without overwhelming them.

Hollywood Moment

This section builds on my previous discussion about the core fantasy moments of the game's genre. Players love Hollywood-style set pieces, grand entrances, explosive action, and cinematic sequences that make them feel like they're part of something larger than life. I want to incorporate moments like these into my level to heighten excitement and deliver a memorable experience that showcases the game's most thrilling mechanics

Walk Through

Level Design Process

1. Reference and relationship with gameplay

Researching for this project has been an interesting experience since I’ve never been inside a factory like this before. However, I managed to gather useful resources online to understand how a factory should look and feel. My goal is to create a level that feels believable and immersive. A key focus is designing architecture and signature props that clearly establish this as a steel mill rather than just a generic, large factory. Getting the scale right has been particularly challenging, as factories tend to be massive. Achieving the proper sense of scale required extensive research and plenty of trial and error.

2. Initial Draft and Layout

Now that I’ve gathered my references, it’s time to bring everything together! Creating an initial layout helps me visualize the flow, scale, and spatial relationships of the level. This first draft is essential for estimating the scope and overall expansiveness of the environment, laying the groundwork for the entire design. From here, the exciting yet challenging rollercoaster of iteration begins, where ideas are refined, adjusted, and improved through continuous testing and feedback.

3. Prototype

Its time to get into the engine! I used action block method to do my prototype. Lots of Blueprint were used to test out my game play. Here are some highlights from the prototype/action block I created. The goal of this process is to test gameplay, fail fast, and learn quickly. It’s about identifying what works for my level and what doesn’t, iterating rapidly, and making quick, informed decisions.

4. Frequent Iterations and Modeling in Engine

With all the components in place, it was time to build the level! Thanks to the advanced modeling tools in UE5, I did most of the work directly in the engine rather than using Maya. The iteration process was intense—my first draft was far from perfect. The design lacked balance, working well in one direction but offering little value in the other, which made the level feel incohesive. Through continuous refinement, I was able to create a much more believable and polished level, and I’m happy with how it turned out compared to where it began.

Space Doesn't Make Sense

In this iteration, the game functions as a playable level but lacks context for the player—there’s no indication of where they are, how things happened, why things are the way they are, or who is behind it all. Asking the 5Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why) will be a key focus for future iterations to create a more engaging and meaningful experience.

Unengaging Sniper Encounter

Sniper encounters are always challenging to design. In this iteration, the lack of verticality undermines one of the core fantasies of a sniper experience. Additionally, it fails to provide opportunities for counterattacks, making the encounter feel static. I want the player to actively engage with enemies rather than simply picking them off one by one. Future iterations will focus on creating a more dynamic and interactive sniper experience.

Making Cool Idea Make Sense

When I first saw the train in the reference, I was so excited and thought, "I have to include this!" However, I quickly realized that a train doesn’t quite fit the factory scenario. It was tough to let go of the idea, but in the end, I reimagined it in a way that made more sense within the context of the environment. While it’s not exactly a train, it still serves the same functional purpose.

Breaking up the sightlines and separating the space into two distinct combat zones helps to create more dynamic gameplay. By limiting the player’s visibility in certain areas, it encourages tactical movement and strategic decision-making. This separation also allows for different types of encounters, keeping the player engaged by varying the pacing and intensity of each combat zone.

The wheels provided some cool gameplay potential, but they also turned out to be difficult to navigate and hard to justify within the level. To improve this, I added an extra room to the left side and introduced high ground for the sniper encounter, creating a more balanced and strategic experience.

I decided to scrap the alternate path option since the level is relatively linear, and adding a separate route felt inconsistent with the overall design. Instead, I focused on improving how the player traverses the room, making it more action-focused. This change enhances the pacing and keeps the gameplay dynamic, fitting better with the level’s flow.

Things I’d do differently

Environmental Story Telling
This is one aspect I wish I could have continued refining, but ultimately, I decided to exclude it because it was beyond my scope to integrate it logically within the level. Below is an art test I created during the brainstorming phase, showcasing how I envisioned this concept for the rest of the level. However, it turned out to be more of a burden than an effective environmental storytelling element. If I had more time, I would refine and integrate these ideas in a way that made sense and elevated the overall experience.

Hang Zheng
Level Designer

The Cold

Story and background

After their wedding, Hammerlock and Wainwright Jakobs set off on a well-earned honeymoon. But things quickly took a strange turn. The weather was far too cold for the season. Concerned, Jakobs went out to investigate, only to find himself in need of a Vault Hunter’s help.

My Goal

My main goal is to create a world that emphasizes environmental storytelling, light combat, and short, objective-based missions. The composition should naturally guide the player, using landmarks and moving objects to draw their attention without being forced. The combat preparation and design will be intentional and seamlessly integrated.

Project details

  • Engine: Unreal Engine 5

  • Personal Project

  • Level Design

Restriction

  • Under 5-10 mins of gameplay

  • Property setdress with assets

  • 40 Hours of work time

  • Must have a short mission/Quest

Final Layout and Design Principles

The player's goal in the level is to reach the space where a giant crystal is releasing cold air. This crystal is clearly visible in the background from the very first composition shot. The player is also aware of the secondary objective, as the smoke in the middle ground hints at it. I want the player to immediately understand their objective and direction from the very start.My plan has largely stayed the same, but I originally intended for the level to loop back to the starting area. After blocking it out, I realized that wouldn’t be feasible if I want to stay within the 40-hour scope for the project. However, I had a Plan B in place while I was planning and doing my Level Design Document. I cut the final underground area and made the village the ending point of the mission instead.

My Plan

My in game topdown

Walk Through

Level Design Process

1. Reference and research the game

Before I started building anything, I spent 8 hours playing the game. Taking notes, capturing screenshots, and analyzing the developers' design intentions. I looked for recurring "classic Borderlands moves" and studied how they structure their levels. This research phase really laid the foundation for my level. One of my biggest focuses is composition. How it delivers that initial WOW moment, while also supporting gameplay, player direction, and world-building.

2. Initial Planning

After gathering enough information and references, it was time to brainstorm. I love laying out my beats and thinking through every moment and event the player might experience. This ensures the design is intentional and helps me visualize any potential pacing or flow issues early on.

3. Prototype/Gameplay

Normally, this is where I’d include GIFs of my early prototypes, but I didn’t have time due to time constraints. However, I did create one mechanic that’s reusable in other gameplay scenarios and ties directly into the landmark, both visually and gameplay-wise.

4. Iteration

Even with my 40-hour time constraint, I made sure to leave room for iteration. Because I almost never get things right on the first try. Here are a few points where I’ll go over my initial intentions, what didn’t work, and how I improved them. Here are some of the highlights.

Compositional Mistake

In my first attempt, I tried too hard to draw the player’s attention by adding lots of props to simulate leading lines. However, this cluttered the scene and competed with the focal point. I took a “less is more” approach instead—a simple mountain silhouette created a natural and effective leading line. After removing the excess assets, the result was a much cleaner and stronger compositional shot.

Combat intention and co-op consideration

In the left picture, you can see that the player is being blocked off. This not only forces everyone down a single route but also misses a great opportunity to let players naturally understand what’s coming next. To fix this, I added an optional path that leads to a cliffside overview, where players can see the upcoming combat area. This creates an interesting moment of player communication, as one player can spot what's ahead and share that info with the rest of the team.

Lacking Story

At first, I placed a statue in the center of the town, thinking it would tell a story......But it didn’t do much, because it was just a statue. This was a result of not designing the space with intention. I took a step back and considered the game’s story: what could have happened here? I added frozen people caught mid-run, and others frozen while eating a meal. These changes made the space feel much more alive.

Things I’d do differently

Picking my battle
In a short 40-hour project like this, I had to pick my battles carefully. I spent way too much time trying to make frozen ice humans shootable and able to fracture into pieces of ice. I’m glad I did it—it was fun—but it wasn’t the most important thing.Play even more game
I played 8 hours of Borderlands before starting this project, but I definitely feel like it wasn’t enough. I played alone as well, which made me miss out on a lot of the co-op aspects of the gameplay. In hindsight, I would have had one of my friends play with me and spent a longer duration playing together.