Daniel Platt aka voodoochopstiks
Level Designer
Stockholm, Sweden
platt [at] ond .se
+46703139916

BIONIC COMMANDO
Developer: Grin
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: Xbox 360 / Playstation 3 / PC (Windows)

As a Single Player Level Designer on Bionic Commando the building part consisted primarily of using static meshes made by
the environment artists. I worked closely with them in ensuring that they worked gameplay-wise for the player to move around
as well as requesting needed units where I lacked or was unable to repurpose existing units in a convincing manner.
The job entailed enemy/effect/sound/static mesh and detail placement, layout, encounter design,
placeholder lighting and environment effects(later touched up by lighting artists),
and also level scripting in an in-editor graphical setup.

For Multiplayer Game Design I was selected by the Creative Director because of my competitive deathmatch
playing and level design experience to come up with interpretations of and overseeing the making of classic multiplayer modes
(deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag) as well as of the assets the multiplayer mode required.
I worked with programmers, graphics artists, concept artists and sound designers on this task.
Time constraints and being prioritized behind the singleplayer meant the job often entailed working
at it outside of work hours and getting my workmates to do the same, for the good of the game.

Lead Multiplayer Level Design meant that I would build my own levels from scratch, and give feedback on my teammates' multiplayer levels,
making sure they would fit well gameplaywise, checking swinging and navigation and changing their item/spawn/level layouts for balance,
fun and excitement. I also saw to it that we had enough gameplay variation in the map pool to cater to several tastes of players,
as well as a visual variation and smart use of existing single player assets to provide areas with a fresh feel to the player.


All level designers worked on pretty much every level in the game, but these are the levels where I feel that I was the one who did
most of the work on them from start to finish, so I can call them 'mine':

FISSURE A
Fissure A is a singleplayer level that takes place in the recently cracked open fissures beneath the post-nuclear Ascension City
It features atmospheric scenes/radio dialogue transport areas and an 'indoor' fight against a flying enemy transport
as well as some ground based infantry that provide ample targets for rocks/cars thrown with the recently acquired 'Throw' ability.

For this level I recieved a rough layout with some scenario instructions, reshaped that layout for swinging/navigation,
lengthened it, reconstructed and beautified it with non-placeholder static meshes, chose combat areas/scenarios,
added enemies, placed triggers for music/dialogue/scenario events/enemies/enemy behaviours, placed AI navigation nodes,
some lighting, backdrop construction, placed effects as well as handling bug fixing and balancing.

















STATION
Ascension City Station is also a singleplayer level that takes place in the fissures. It introduces the Heavy Grunt to the player.
It's set in a subway station with a large rift in it having been created by 'The Bomb', It's combat heavy and features
the player making his way through a heavily irradiated and mined area, being introduced and subjected to several
different variations of Heavy Grunt encounters(less cover, more cover, being forced to approach two from the front,
or having the option to sneak around one in the middle of a platform). The level features the player hacking a relay transmitter
to disarm a mine field, allowing him to use them as vital swing points to move on through the stage.

For this level I also recieved a rough layout built by a colleague, with some scenario instructions, I reshaped that layout for swinging/navigation,
as well as making it larger and more impressive to the eye, reconstructed and beautified it with non-placeholder static meshes,
chose combat areas for scenarios that I was written, added enemies, placed triggers for music/dialogue/scenario events/enemies/enemy behaviours,
placed AI navigation nodes, some lighting, backdrop construction, placed effects as well as handling bug fixing and balancing.

My colleague Martin Tegnemark did some modifications to this level later on in production, reshaping the transition between
the beginning and middle of the level as well as changing the navigation, forcing the player to meet two heavy grunts head on.
This kind of work was very common on Bionic Commando, with most level designers contributing to most levels.























VERTIGO
Vertigo is a small deathmatch level set on top of a downtown rooftop. It was made late on in the production to support
smaller amounts of players or duels (but works well with all 8 slots filled). It was selected for its easy to learn layout
and swift swinging to be the only Multiplayer Demo level for Bionic Commando.

For this level a colleague started off with another level in the game(Elevation), reusing parts, with a modified layout,
I changed the layout around, beautified it, placed and balanced multiplayer entities(spawn points, pickups etc),
some lighting, backdrop construction, placed effects as well as handling bug fixing and balancing from playtest sessions.







RUMBLE IN THE RAVINE
Rumble In The Ravine is an open and mid-sized capture the flag level set above a canyon lake, it is a mirrored layout
with differences in the colours of background decoration and lighting to tell the player which base he is currently in.
It features a faster but rather item-less and slightly risky 'middle run' to get from base to base quickly,
with the guns and armour placed in a more spread out manner around it, while allowing view of the flag.

Here I came up with the level idea, designed the layout, constructed, beautified it, balanced it, placed and balanced multiplayer entities(spawn points, pickups etc),
lighting, backdrop construction, placed effects as well as handling bug fixing and balancing from playtest sessions.











CAPTAIN'S DOMAIN
Captain's Domain is a larger, open deathmatch level set around a massive ocean research station out to sea. It features safer
swing routes as well as faster but more dangerous shortcuts that can be taken at the risk of missing a swing point
and plunging to the stormy seas below. Weapons, health pickups and armors are quite spread out, encouraging quick movement
and looking out to ambush people swinging over open water where they are without much cover.

Here I came up with the idea, designed the layout, constructed, beautified it, balanced it, placed and balanced multiplayer entities(spawn points, pickups etc),
lighting, backdrop construction, placed effects as well as handling bug fixing and balancing from playtest sessions.









SCORCHED EARTH
Scorched Earth is a small, very pretty, but frantic Capture The Flag level with a tighter build, it usually features fighting within 6-7 seconds
of a round beginning, defense and offense blends together as bases nearly overlap, and players have to be quick to capitalize
on a flag platform having been rid of defenders, and equally fast on the response to stop enemy flag carriers making it home safely.

Here I came up with the idea, designed the layout, constructed, beautified it, balanced it, placed and balanced multiplayer entities(spawn points, pickups etc),
lighting, backdrop construction, placed effects as well as handling bug fixing and balancing from playtest sessions.