Red Riding Hood (WIP)
Academic Project| UEFN (Unreal Engine Fortnite Editor)| Level Design
Project Red Riding Hood is a mission and quest–and quest-based academic project developed over three months. I was provided with a mission and quest book that outlined specific constraints and design guidelines. Based on these, I created a complete playable level from scratch, handling all aspects of pre-production, blockout, and scripting.
Project Red Riding Hood is a mission and quest–and quest-based academic project developed over three months. I was provided with a mission and quest book that outlined specific constraints and design guidelines. Based on these, I created a complete playable level from scratch, handling all aspects of pre-production, blockout, and scripting.
The project features three main missions, Attack, Fetch, and Escort, each designed to test different gameplay loops and pacing styles. To enhance player engagement, I implemented cutscenes, scripted gameplay moments, and interactive events, making the experience more dynamic and challenging.
On this page, you’ll also see my ability to design levels of various scales, from large combat spaces to smaller, focused environments, while applying strong affordances, signifiers, and natural tutorialization throughout the experience.
Overview
Pre Production
For the pre-production phase, I created bubble maps, time maps, an overhead map, and an encounter list. These tools helped me plan mission flow, pacing, and spatial composition before moving into blockout. This stage gave me a clear structure and direction, allowing me to visualize how players would progress through the level and providing a strong foundation to start building with confidence.
Time Map (estimate of how long each section would take)
Bubble Map
Level Layout
Project Red Riding Hood reimagines the classic fairy tale in a dark fantasy setting. The story follows Red, a brave young girl sent by her mother to deliver treats to her ailing grandmother. However, her journey is far from safe; the world is filled with lurking dangers, ancient ruins, and predatory creatures.
Along the way, Red encounters Mr. Lupin, the mysterious grey wolf, and faces numerous challenges that test her courage and instincts. Players must navigate through hostile environments, solve environmental puzzles, and battle creatures to survive the journey to Grandma’s home.
This project focuses on mission and quest design, combining exploration, combat, and storytelling to create a cohesive and engaging experience. Each mission, Attack, Fetch, and Save, highlights different gameplay dynamics and pacing, showcasing my ability to design progression through varied encounters and emotional beats.
Level Design Methods
Player Guidance
These expansive areas can be quite confusing when it comes to locating the final, particularly with the numerous foliage.
Mud to guide the player
Lighting is an amazing way to guide player (Shiny things attract humans)
I utilized lighting not just for navigation but also to establish the mood of the scene. In this shot, the Entrance stands out prominently, with green hues provoking feelings of Mystery,
Tutorialization
I focused on natural tutorialization through level design. Players learn mechanics by observing and experimenting, not through prompts. Examples include the Bomb Flower, where players discover its use organically, and the Parkour Section, which teaches timing and movement through layout and affordances.
Teaching parkour
Parkour (No Danger):
Introduces players to parkour in a safe environment. Failure has no consequence, allowing players to learn timing and mechanics through trial and error.
Parkour (With Danger):
Builds on the earlier lesson by adding risk elements like poison water. The distinct green hue acts as a visual signifier, instantly warning players of danger and reinforcing what they’ve learned.
Bomb Flowers
Introduction of bomb flower, an arrow is placed next to it, suggesting using a bow on it. The bomb flower explodes, breaking the structure
Now, a combination of Structure and an enemy. This teaches the player, "I can use the bomb flower to take down enemies"
Reinforcing players to use bomb flowers on enemies. placing them on open greound and making Brutes chase player
Finally, in the final boss, they use the culmination of everything they learnt.
Reveals
This method is excellent for player achievement, allowing them a moment to reflect on their progress thus far. It also serves as a great segue into the next of the section.
Reveal of the Temple
Castlle reveal from the cave
Big to small (Entering a claustraphobic space)
Affordances / Denying Affordances
I used affordances and denied affordances to subtly guide player movement and maintain flow. Elements like boulders, leafless trees, broken ruins, and blocked paths signal where players can and can’t go, helping direct attention toward the intended route without using explicit markers or UI hints.
If a player climbs out in the wrong direction, this suggests that them to go in the other direction
Boulders to block the wrong way, this also makes sense because the hill might have just had a landslide (Achieving environmental storytelling and player guidance)
Opening for the player to go through
Scene Composition
The scene composition featured three layers: the foreground, midground, and background. This design helps players easily their goal.
Green: Midground (The goal)
Orange: Foreground
Yellow: Background
Gameplay Scripting
Since UEFN doesn’t support traditional Blueprint scripting and Verse is a nightmare i, I had to find creative workarounds to implement gameplay interactions. I primarily relied on buttons and sequencer events to script cutscenes, encounters, and interactive gameplay moments.
Additionally, I used various UEFN devices to set up tasks, objective markers, and mission progression, ensuring players always had a clear sense of direction and purpose throughout the level.
This process challenged me to think critically about how to achieve my design intentions using the tools available. It highlights my problem-solving skills, adaptability, and ability to create engaging gameplay experiences even within engine limitations.
Light the flame puzzle setup, i used sequencer and the button device
To setup the objective i used the Tracker
Sequencer for the boulder chase
Mission and Quest
Project Red Riding Hood features three main missions
Each is designed with unique goals, constraints, and storytelling challenges that align with the core theme of Red’s journey through a dangerous fantasy world.
Mission 1: Attack
Attack mission Full gameplay
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The first mission introduces players to the wolf enemy type and Karl, a distressed farmer who pleads for help after losing his son in the forest.
The objective was to design a space and sequence that captured the feeling of entering forbidden or “evil” grounds, setting the tone for the darker parts of Red’s journey.
Key goals and constraints included:
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Introducing a TANK enemy type (wolf)
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Creating a cutscene to set emotional and narrative context
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Designing a level flow that remains under 7 minutes
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Building an atmosphere that visually and tonally signals danger
This mission focuses on player onboarding, teaching core combat, and pacing through environmental cues and encounter placement.
Mission 2: Fetch
Fetch mission Full gameplay
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In this mission, Red meets Mr. Lupin, who tasks her with collecting 10 enchanted flowers to create a bouquet for her grandmother.
The design challenge was to create a looping level structure, where players end the mission near the same location they started, creating a sense of spatial cohesion and smart reuse of space.
Key goals and constraints included:
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Designing a looping level flow
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Introducing a new NPC, Mr. Grimble, who reveals a secret entry to Grandma’s house
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Incorporating environmental storytelling, using the child’s stuffed animal to hint at past events
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Leading the mission into a boss battle finale
This mission focuses on exploration, light puzzle-solving, and environmental storytelling, balancing emotional beats with progression-driven gameplay.
Mission 3: Escort (WIP)
Playtesting was a crucial part of development. As a designer, it’s important to build a thick skin, take feedback constructively, and make meaningful changes. Since this project was large in scope, constant feedback and iteration were key to refining pacing, flow, and player experience.
