Predicting Subversion Impact in a Narratively Driven Quest
Jon Jon Jon Jon MATARANGAS
Level Design
Predicting Subversion Impact in a Narratively Driven Quest
The goal of my thesis was to identify what makes a subversion memorable. To do this, I had to categorize subversions into seven categories: Action, Environment, Narrative, Betrayal, Pattern, Stereotype, and Genre. By looking at a variety of sources including games, TV shows and movies, I identified that these are the seven types of subversions that one can encounter in media.
Looking at the seven types, I decided to focus on Action, Environment, Narrative, and Betrayal subversions as to not overscope the project and remove as many variables as possible that could interfere with the data. I used four variables( impact, severity, time, and number of prior subversions) to make an equation that calculates a subversion’ s memorability. From these, I created seven subversions( two Action, two Environment,
two Narrative, and one Betrayal), and then created an hour-long level in the game Fallout 4, called“ Vengeance”. The level creation took me roughly 300 hours from document phase to launch.
This was an extremely beneficial project for me as a designer because it was the largest project I’ ve ever solely developed. My other projects ranged from 5-20 minutes of gameplay, whereas this one spans roughly an hour. The project makes a great portfolio piece for me, as I was in charge of every aspect, including writing the narrative, balancing the combat, and implementing the art and lighting to make it feel realistic and aesthetic. It could also be useful to other designers in the industry to help enhance their understanding of subversions.
38 LEVEL DESIGN