Toby McCall:: Portfolio

Highlights:

Unique gameplay via scripting
Dramatic lighting effects
Custom player controls

Tasks:

All Level Design and Scripting
Designed unique gameplay using Hammer's unique input/output scripting
Built a realistic factory structure using BSP, textures, decals and overlays
Created a dramatic effect of light streaming in from large factory windows

Engine:Build Time:Download:

Description:

The scripting sequences in this map include the main player controlled crane sequence and an automated crate manufacture sequence. The latter continually spawns and moves crates along a conveyor belt down to an automated crane that picks up the crate and drops it onto a flat bed train car. The main sequence teleports the player onto a clip plane above the factory floor and parents the crane mechanism to the player. Dynamically spawned track-trains allow the crane mechanism to travel up and down. Triggers and filters allow the crane to pickup certain items in the map while UI controls change left and right mouse buttons to pickup and drop those items.

I devoted a good bit of the development time to creating a realistic lighting effect from the windows near the roof of the factory. My initial concept was to create a visual "wow" moment with interesting shadows from the light eminating through the window frames. I'm very pleased with the result. I really like the shadows and ambient lighting color I was able to acheive. Playtesting feedback shows the gameplay to be fun and easy to understand. Many testers also commented on how the space "felt" like a factory. In all, I feel this map is a successful scripting experiment.