Level Design is an Art not a science
I’ve always had a strong affinity for world building. Rodent Rampage gave me the perfect outlet to create an imaginary concept unlike anything I’ve ever seen in the video game space before. The Rodent Rampage universe is a unique blend of sophisticated science fiction and a hodge-podge of homemade technology. Players find themselves immersed in super-sized or at scale worlds completely alien to everyday life.
The universe gave me a unique opportunity to integrate my particular passion: color theory. Each world has it’s own unique palette and feel that enhances the quality and engagement throughout. And of course, I brainstormed, modeled, textured, shaded, rigged, animated, and blocked each and every bit of the three levels myself. Even the lighting, compositing, environment, light maps, colliders, ambiance, sound effects, and interactable locations I laid out and designed.
FOREST
Sunny, Magical with a subterranean Secret
At the very beginning, the Forest level started with nothing more than a sphere, a plane, and a sketch I had drawn on the back of an insurance card. By the end, we had a 100% hand modeled and textured 3D world with a story and universe to match. The Forest is Rodent Rampage’s flagship level. It’s the most iconic and memorable level the game offers. With it comes Rodent Rampage’s signature vivid, colorful handpainted cartoon style.
From the terrain, modular cliffs, trees, branches, bushes, plants, flowers, mushrooms, crystals, skeletons, and more the Forest level sports +500 different objects. Each model, material, and texture hand crafted.
Playroom
Late Night, Ethereal, yet somehow Cozy
The trick with the Playroom level was to meet the look and feel of the Forest without using any of the same colors, tropes, or imagery. While there needed to be perfect continuity in style and storyline, we were taking a realistic at-scale world with easily concealed boundaries and making it enclosed, restricted, and super-large. The lighting, ambiance, and color theory took a complete 180° turn.
It was a neat trick.