Project work summary
While working on Booklet's Big Story, I worked on level design. I created the layout for the finale level. I also gave regular critique to other level designers on the team.
ProjecT Summary
Booklet is the only empty storybook in all of the Grand Library! Journey alongside them as they wrestle with feelings of unbelonging while striving to find their own story in this 3D puzzle platformer. Booklet's dealing with some big feelings! Every section of the Grand Library you explore will empower Booklet with an ability they can use to overcome thematic puzzles and conflicts.
Production Summary
Project Title: Booklet's Big Story
Project Platform: PC
Project Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Project Timeline: August 2024 - May 2025
My Role
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As a level design contractor on Booklet's Big Story, I was tasked with filling in gaps found in the team's level design. Booklet's Big Story was very ambitious, in terms of the scale and quantity of their levels. So, the team contracted me to assist in the creation of the game's finale. My main responsibility was working with the narrative designer, to ensure that the finale matched up with the rest of the narrative of Booklet's Big Story.
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While working with the team, I also assisted the other level designers with the iteration of their own respective levels. I sat down with a couple of them and gave them critique of their levels, so that they could have more feedback to work with.
Level Design Process
When it came to designing/iterating the level layout for the finale in Booklet's Big Story, my process could be broken down into seven steps:
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Communicate with narrative designer to better understand the finale's required narrative beats.
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Identify what elements the level needed to include, in order to align the game's experience with the core gameplay pillars.
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Draft concept sketches of the level with these considerations in mind.
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Create a level graybox in engine based on the level sketch.
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Collaborate with designer on the team to implement win state and game mechanics external to the player.
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Send level prototype to the team, so they can test to see if it successfully aligns the game's experience with the core gameplay pillars. Continue iterating and receiving feedback until it does.
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Implement iterated art assets into the level.
Mark the Bookmark
Mark the Bookmark instead became more of a background element of Booklet's Big Story. Mark the Bookmark became an interactive UI element who would randomly appear in the menu. Mark the Bookmark also became tied to achievements, in which accomplishing them unlock new costumes for him.​
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Including Mark the Bookmark really helped sell silly, fun world Booklet's Big Story was attempting to create. He adds a certain liveliness to the world that wasn't there without him.​
While working on Booklet's Big Story, I created a character named Mark the Bookmark. Mark the Bookmark was originally intended to be a companion to Booklet. He was supposed to give Booklet extra abilities such as a grappling hook and a glider. Mark the Bookmark, due to scope had to be adapted in a new format.
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The need to include Mark the Bookmark in a more limited capacity was determined through my collaboration with the narrative and systems designers on the team. The story and gameplay were both scoped for what they needed, and adding Mark the Bookmark in meaningful capacity would stretch the scope of the game too far.
*I'm only responsible for Mark the Bookmark's base concept, original design​ and voice acting. Booklet's Big Story's UI/UX designer, Tucker Pauli, is responsible for Mark the Bookmark's new design and engine implementation.
Post Mortem
Working on Booklet's Big Story taught me the importance of prioritizing responsibilities when taking on a larger work load.
I was working on Dual Shadows, at the same time I was contracting for Booklet's Big Story. Taking on two capstone projects at the same time can prove to be quite the difficult task. To mitigate the stress created by this workload, I needed to prioritize only the most important work for each game.
Of course, Since Dual Shadows was my main capstone game, I always prioritized it over Booklet's Big Story. Despite this, Booklet's Big Story was counting on me to deliver work for major deadlines. I had to prioritize the most important Booklet's Big Story work over the lesser important Dual Shadows work. Simultaneously, I needed to cut lesser important Booklet's Big Story work, if any Dual Shadows work was on my docket. For example, I was asked to set up Steam achievements for Booklet's Big Story, when I had other Dual Shadows work to do. I had to cut the achievements, as they weren't necessary for the game's vision, and I needed to focus on my own game.
Team Barvo
Producer: Evan Gartner
Product Owner, Systems Designer, Level Designer: Timothy Clark
Lead Artist, Environment Artist: Caleb Spainer
Environment Artist, Tech Artist: Emery Sadler
Character Artist, 2D Artist, Animator: Alec Ortiz
Lead Designer, Systems Designer, Level Designer: Quinn McDonnell
UI/UX Designer, Systems Designer: Tucker Pauli
Level Designer: Jack Carty
CCC Designer: Jonah Thompson
Lead Narrative Designer: Daniel Martinelli
Lead Programmer, Data Manager: Samuel Barnett
Gameplay Programmer, AI Programmer: Michael McDonald
Lead Sound Designer: Zachary Webber
Level Design Contractor: Liam Dunphy
Texture Artist Contractor: Scarlette Leonard
Prop Artist Contractor: Marc Chartier​
Voice Actress: Sophia Bourgeois​
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