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Junyi Zhang
Level Design
Best Practices for Stealth Encounter Design
The goal of my thesis was to demonstrate best practices for stealth encounter design by creating a stealthfriendly level that allows the player to finish without being detected . To this end , I designed “ Phantom Veil ,” a single-player Far Cry 5 arcade level in an underground military facility . The player ’ s goal is to eliminate the leader of a terrorist organization and get out without being spotted . The artifact aims to showcase how to provide a space for multiple kinds of stealth philosophies and experiment with how MDA Framework and Valence Theory influence stealth encounters .
I chose this topic because I enjoy playing stealth games , such as Amnesia , Hitman , Thief , and Assassin ’ s Creed , and I wanted to figure out how they succeed in stealth and whether it ’ s possible to enhance players ’ experience in stealth games even more .
The project took me about seven months to finish , and it benefited me greatly . In the first 3-4 months , I deeply researched stealth game design theory and experimented with artificial intelligence ( AI ) in Far Cry 5 . It turns out that applying MDA Framework and Valence Theory to stealth encounters is feasible and efficient .
I then finished implementing the level and playtested it . The result is fantastic . Most playtesters feel stealthy , and their stealth philosophy is well supported .
Overall , this topic allowed me to research stealth game design and develop best practices for stealth game encounters . I believe this thesis could be helpful for designers who wish to create more immersive stealth game experiences and seek to empower players to enjoy stealth encounters even more .
52 LEVEL DESIGN