Too Close To The Sun

September 2023.

Made in Unreal5.

Coded in Blueprint.

Three-person group.

Design Overview:

Project Scope:

A lager scale full product.
Expansive levels, multiple routs and a stalker enemy.
A present and coherent narrative.
Developed in Unreal Engine 5.
Utilised Procreate, LogicProX, and a collection of vintage dictaphones.

Design Goals:

Create an immersive survival horror game set in a visually striking distant future.
Incorporate recursive sprawler elements across three interconnected areas plagued by menacing abominations.
Craft extensive-level design to ensure immersive and challenging gameplay experiences.
Develop a highly effective and evocative audio experience to enhance horror and immersion.
Implement a non-linear narrative intertwined with audio elements to deepen player engagement.

Steps Taken To Achieve This:

Fully design three interconnected levels, meticulously outlining level flow and mapping.
Block out and dress levels to ensure an immersive, consistent world with excellent flow.
Contribute significantly to the game's audio design, utilising a variety of hardware for enhanced immersion.
Create a non-linear narrative in parallel with level design, involving writing dialogue and story beats.
Produce comprehensive documentation and diagrams for all levels, pickups, and notes.

Evolution Of The Project:

Continuously work on the project with excitement about its future release.
Stay tuned for updates and additional insights into the atmospheric horror awaiting players.
Enjoy pre-alpha footage offering a glimpse of the chilling and immersive world crafted in "Too Close To The Sun."

A lager scale full product.
Expansive levels, multiple routs and a stalker enemy.
A present and coherent narrative.
Developed in Unreal Engine 5.
Utilised Procreate, LogicProX, and a collection of vintage dictaphones.

"Too Close To The Sun" is an ongoing project that was initially conceived for the Epic Mega Jam with collaborator Tadg Enright featuring audio performances from Roman Banwell and _Szora. It's a survival horror game set in a distant future on a visually striking planet. The game incorporates recursive sprawler elements, engaging players across three distinct yet interconnected areas, all of which are plagued by menacing abominations.

My role in this project primarily revolved around extensive-level design and to this end I fully designed three interconnected levels. To effectively execute this task, I created comprehensive documents that meticulously outlined level flow and mapping. These documents served as a blueprint for crafting immersive and challenging gameplay experiences.

The levels once designed were blocked out and dressed by me, this allowed me to craft an immersive consistent world with excellent flow. Beneath can see documentation relating to the flow of the game tutorial.

In addition to level design, I contributed significantly to the game's audio design. We aimed to create an audio experience that was highly effective and evocative, enhancing the overall sense of horror and immersion for players. The soundscape we crafted is pivotal in setting the game's tone and atmosphere. I had full control over the audio and utilised a variety of hardware from vintage tape machines to modular synthesis.

One of the standout features of "Too Close To The Sun" is its non-linear narrative, intricately interwoven with the audio elements. This non-linear storytelling approach adds depth and complexity to the game's immersive horror experience, giving players a sense of agency in uncovering the story's mysteries. I created this non-linear narrative in parallel with the levels, this involved writing dialogue and story beats.

I created substantial documentation and diagrams for all levels, pick ups, notes

As our team continues to work diligently on this project, we're excited about the prospect of a release in the near future. Stay tuned for updates and additional insights into the atmospheric horror that awaits players.

Please enjoy this pre-alpha footage, offering a tantalising glimpse of the chilling and immersive world we are crafting in "Too Close To The Sun."