ESCAPE SIMULATOR LEVEL
This level is a Holiday themed community map for Escape Simulator. Escape Simulator is a first-person puzzle game where players explore interactive escape rooms.
The game can be played single-player or co-op and supports community rooms through the in-game level editor, which is what I used for this self-study project.
ABOUT ESCAPE SIMULATOR
Escape Simulator is a first-person puzzle game that can be played single-player or co-op. Players explore a collection of interactive escape rooms: solve puzzles, deduce riddles, and if everything fails, break stuff. If it’s not nailed to the wall, players can pick it up, examine it, or push/throw it.
SELF STUDY PROJECT
I love escape rooms and solving puzzles and as this game comes with a level editor, it was the perfect opportunity to practice making puzzle designs! The level editor supports adding your own 3D models and textures, so to add to the challenge I set it as a goal for myself to make several custom assets using Blender.
LEVEL OVERVIEW
Level Description
You’re visiting your Grandma for Christmas but she needs to run some errands… Leaving you home alone… Will you find Grandma’s secret candy stash?
- Play Time: 15 minutes.
- Difficulty: Easy – Medium.
- Other: Reading Required, Colourblind Friendly.
Summary
The level is divided into three acts to ensure the room has a clear beginning, middle and end.
- Act 1: Players find a note from Grandma saying she has to run some errands and that she can’t find the tree topper for on the Christmas tree, asking players to keep an eye out for it. While exploring the room, players open Grandma’s candy stash.
- Act 2: The candy turns out to be magic and players shrink down in size, ending up on the kitchen counter. Here they need to find another piece of candy to grow back to their normal size. While doing so, they find the tree topper Grandma lost.
- Act 3: Players find the second magic candy piece, grow back to their normal size and put the tree topper on the Christmas tree, finishing the room.
Walkthrough
WORKFLOW BREAKDOWN
Sketching
After having practiced with some tutorials for the level editor, I started sketching some puzzle ideas and made a list of custom assets I would need.
Custom Assets
Knowing the theme of the room and the broad strokes for the puzzles, I made an asset list and started working on creating the assets in Blender.
Working on the assets and building the room puzzles in the level editor happened along side each other, making it easy to make any adjustments to the assets when necessary.
Building & Iterating
After having built the first iteration of the room, I started doing focused playtests. Based on my observations and comments/feedback received from testers I made a list of action points after each playtest. These points were used to polish the gameplay and overall player experience of the room.
RECEPTION
36 000+
Downloads
5/5
Star Rating
11 500+
Ratings (93% Positive)
The level was featured on the front page of the Steam Workshop and chosen as one of the Top Community Rooms of December 2022 by the Developers.