Anthony Gatturna
Level Designer
Aqua Beat Abyss
Level Design Process
Main goals of the level
The level is designed with distinct zones to enhance player engagement and exploration. The disco floor offers high-energy interactions, while the ruined rock arches challenge movement and spatial awareness. The whale skeleton provides a space for discovery. Each zone has a specific gameplay purpose, ensuring varied experiences as players progress.​​​​​​​​​
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Basic Geometry: Created a rough blockout using simple shapes to define corridors, open spaces, and interactive objects.
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Pathways & Flow: Mapped out main pathways, ensuring clear direction while allowing exploration, and accounted for underwater movement speed.
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Verticality: Used vertical spaces to emphasize ocean depth with platforms and areas above and below the player’s path.
Breakdown
Paper Map vs In Game
Detail WIP Shots
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Detailing the World: Replaced placeholders with detailed models (coral, shipwrecks) and added soft, blue underwater lighting.
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Water Physics & Effects: Added bubbles, floating debris, light refractions, and wave distortions.
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Interactive Elements: Designed interactive objects like levers, air bubbles, and environmental triggers.
Challenges
​Complex Water Effects: Rendering water particles, refractions, caustics, and floating debris while optimizing performance to prevent lag or frame drops.
Detailed Meshes: Handling detailed environment models (coral, boulders and foliage) while making sure the level stays performant on lower-end systems by managing poly counts.
How I overcame them
Used Screen-Space Effects: Replaced 3D effects with screen-space post-processing for better performance without losing visual quality.
Simplified Water Shaders: Optimized water shaders with pre-built, less complex versions to reduce refraction and caustics demands.
Reference Sheet
View Modes
I used kitbashing to rapidly create the underwater environment, combining pre-made assets like coral, rocks, and DJ disco set pieces for a cohesive design.
Solo Project
Status: Complete
Platform: Unreal Engine 5 PC
Genre: Adventure
Role: Environment Artist & Level Designer
- Assets created in Blender, Textured in Substance Painter and used in Unreal Engine 5
Gallery
