Early Blockout Level — Learning the Fundamentals of Level Design

Overview

This project represents one of my earliest attempts at building a fully blocked‑out level in Unreal Engine. The goal wasn’t polish or aesthetics — it was to learn the fundamentals of space, scale, player flow, and readability. This was the first time I approached level design with a structured blockout mindset, focusing purely on layout and player experience.

Design Intent

  • Practice greyboxing and rapid layout iteration
  • Understand player scale and how it affects traversal
  • Experiment with sightlines, chokepoints, and reveal moments
  • Build a functional space without relying on art
  • Learn how to guide a player using only geometry

What Worked

Even as an early project, this blockout helped me understand:

  • How players interpret space
  • How to create a critical path
  • How to use elevation and room size to control pacing
  • How to think in terms of encounter spaces rather than “rooms”

What Didn’t Work (And Why It Matters)

My instructor wasn’t a fan of this blockout — and that feedback was important. This project taught me:

  • My initial layouts were too linear or too open in places
  • Some spaces lacked clear purpose or gameplay intention
  • Sightlines weren’t always controlled
  • Player guidance needed more intentional composition

This critique became a turning point in how I approached level design.

Key Learnings

This project helped me develop:

  • A stronger understanding of readability
  • Better control over player flow
  • A more intentional approach to encounter design
  • The ability to iterate quickly based on feedback
  • A mindset shift from “building rooms” to “designing experiences”

Tools Used

  • Unreal Engine
  • Basic Blueprint logic
  • Greyboxing workflow
  • Simple collision and navigation testing

Reflection

This blockout wasn’t perfect — and that’s exactly why it belongs in my portfolio. It marks the moment I began thinking like a level designer. The mistakes I made here directly shaped the clarity, structure, and intentionality of my later work. Every project after this improved because of what I learned in this one.