Level Design Portfolio | Alberto Jaen Jimenez

Level Design Portfolio

Hi! I´m Alberto Jaén Jiménez, a level designer with a passion for creating engaging and intuitive gameplay spaces. I´ve worked across indie projects, internships, and game jams, building everything from narrative driven 3D environments to mobile puzzle levels . My background in game design, UX/UI, and production helps me think about levels not just as spaces but as experiences.

Teamwork and multidisciplinary collaboration are big part of my work ethic, I consider them key to crafting successful gameplay that creates memorable moments for players.

I enjoy blending gameplay flow, visual identity, and player psychology to craft levels that are both fun and memorable.

Demo reel

Content

1st Person Parkour

Content

1st Person Parkour

INTRODUCTION

CGMA level design assignment focused on creating a level with linear progression using environmental shapes, composition and pacing to guide the player in an engaging way from start to finish.

Level inspired by *Mirrors Edge* saga.

DETAILS

Solo dev project
Implementation of movement mechanics (from DavieMakesGames youtube channel).
- Running
- Wall running
- Vaulting
- Sliding
- Crouching

Implemented a player guidance system known as 'Runner Vision', where key objects turn red as the player approaches to indicate the correct path, simulating the runner's instinct.
Introduced the mission and narrative context trhough cinematic sequence.

WALKTHROUGHT VIDEO

FLOWCHART

CINEMATIC

The cinematic ends by giving control to the player, presenting a clear vista of the immediate path and a landmark indicating the final objective (Hotel).

Dialogue lines:

-(Radio): Hello Faith we have new information about the attendees of the private party

-(Radio): running by the Pirandello Kruger in the Hotel Wealth.

-(Radio):The brother of Mayor Elaine Callaghan, Thomas Callaghan will be there.

-(Radio):The party is on the exhibition floor and phones and cameras are not allowed.

-(Radio): You need to take this opportunity to get to Thomas´s phone, download his information and

-(Radio): hack into the phone so we can track his usage. I will give you more information

-(Radio): when you get to the hotel. Security is going to be tight, good luck Faith.

Cinematic goal:

Introduce the mission to the player.
Provide narrative context.
Indicate the objective´s location.

FIRST ZONE (Rooftops)

Hotel and crane landmarks visible from the entire area.

Area purpose:
- Introduce player to:
  - "Runner Vision" (guidance system)
  - Movement and parkour mechanics
  - Interactable objects

The second rooftop is designed as a safe area to let the player get used to the parkour system.

Interactable object (Zip line).
- Bottle neck used to introduce player to interactable objects
- Used to connect first and second zones
- Core gameplay is fully funtional
  - Controls:
    Aproach to zip line -> text appears -> press "F" to use zip line
  - Realization (zip line system, animations and vfx) not placed

SECOND ZONE (Office Building)

Player lose sight of landmarks.

Area purpouse:
- Focus on set the player "flow" with runner vision
- Introduction to "crouch" mechanic
- Slow down the rythm

Ventilation pipe.
- Introduces the player to "crouch" mechanic
- Slows down the beat
- Reinforces the interactable objects mechanic

Servers room and stairwell.
- Conects to the THIRD ZONE (Rooftop under Construction)
- Used to start heat up the rythm again

THIRD ZONE (Rooftop under Construction)

Player regains sight of landmarks.
Set new local landmark (crane).
Continues heaten up the rythm.

Crane elevator (interactable object).
- Bottleneck used to provide a vista of the path to a possible entrance to objetive location (Hotel terrace)
- Downbeat previous to a high intensity moment

CRANE/HOTEL connection
- Peak intensity moment before reaching the objetive location
- Several consecutive leaps of faith

End of demo.

This secction connects to part two of the mission. (Mision_HackTomasCallahanPhone_Part2)

3rd Person Shooter

INTRODUCTION

CGMA level design assigment focused on creating three combat zones with limited size areas for each of them. The following level combine this three areas on a single map inspired by the *Ready or Not* game and it´s tactical scenarios.

This level features a tactical scenario based on a terrorist hostage situation.

DETAILS

Solo dev project
Implementation of:
- Enemy AI (JakubW plugin)
- Enemy paths
- Enemy spawn
- hostages AI
- Quick time events (JakubW plugin)
- In game cinematic

Combat zones with progressive dificulty for both stealth and fighting approches.

WALKTHROUGHT VIDEO

FLOWCHART

LEVEL INFO & LEVEL STARTS

Adittional level info:
- Enemy types:
  - Pistol_Enemy (eassiest enemy, equipped with a handgun)
  - Assault_Enemy (standar enemy, equipped with an assault rifle)
  - Sniper_Enemy (High-damage enemy, equipped with a sniper rifle)
- Pickable objects:
  - Weapons dropped from defeated NPCs
  - Ammunition magazines
  - Grenades

Player spawns in a safe zone where:
- Gets initial supplies
- Have a clear path towards first sight of danger

FIRST ZONE (Plaza)

Area introduced by a clear sight of near danger (dead body laid down over the street lamp)

Area purpose:
- Introduce player to:
  - Combat
    - First encounter with high ground advantage
    - Support stealth and direct combat playstyles
  - Enemy types
    - Pistol_Enemy
    - Assault_Enemy
  - Enemy detection system

ZONE 1 ends giving to the player a small view of ZONE 2 and enemies position.

SECOND ZONE (Pedestrian Street)

Area introduced by reduced vistas of the whole space from the Plaza.

Area purpose:
- Introduce player to:
  - Sniper_Enemy
  - In case of direct action playstyle
    - Enemies from THIRD ZONE will hear the gunfight and act as reinforcements
  - First combat with low ground disadvantage

After player wins the high ground:
- Gains new local landmark: the restaurant
- Slows down the rhythm and gives the opportunity to plan the next fight from an advantage position

THIRD ZONE (Restaurant Entrance)

Last big fight before finding the hostages.

Area purpose:
- Increase stealth difficulty
- Prepare player for the last fight (Backtracking after freeing the hostages) by:
  - Creating a mental map of the combat area
  - Gathering supplies from defeated NPCs:
    - Guns
    - Ammo
    - Grenades

FOURTH ZONE (Restaurant)

Enemy placement and visual storytelling guide the player to the hostages.

Area purpose:
- Introduce player to:
  - Quick time events
    - Multi-click door interaction
- Freeing the hostages
  - Creates a false sense of mision acomplised that leads to a unexpected final fight
After the Quick time Event and once the hostages are freed, the game triggers the Level Sequence "LS_EnemiesEntrance"

Backtracking to THIRD ZONE

Final fight catches the player off guard.

Area purpose:
- Peak intensity moment
Realization (Hostages hiding system during gunfight) not placed

Backtracking to FIRST ZONE

Area purpose:
- Keep the player on guard until hostages are safe.
- Reinforcements arrive
  - Hostages are secured
  - End of level

3rd Person Adventure

INTRODUCTION

CGMA level design assignment focused on the creation of a level composed of multiple interconnected zones, each with its own identity to support orientation and facilitate player mental mapping.

The following level was built around the idea of creating a section of an open world game map inspired by the *Sekiro Shadows Die Twice* IP.

Gameplay emphasizes narrative-driven exploration.

DETAILS

Solo dev project
Implementation of:
- Grappling hook system (based on Lucid Tales youtube channel)
- Enemy paths
- Spawn system
- Spawn checkpoints
- Interactable NPCs (dialogues)
- Modular building set for level design

Realization (combat and stealth system) not placed.

WALKTHROUGHT VIDEO

FLOWCHART

ZONES DISTRIBUTION

3RD_PERSON_ADVENTURE_TOP_VIEW_ZONES_V2_e

NARRATIVE CONTEXT

The Ashina clan maintains a fortified stronghold to guard Kakuremino-Dera, a temple believed to hide the Kakuremino Cloak, a mythical Tengu artifact said to grant invisibility and alter reality itself. Folkrore says Tengus use this cloak to hide entire temples and deal with intruders.

As war escalates and Ashina forces are decimated their enemies take advantage assaulting the stronghold with the goal of stealing the Cloak and using it against the Ashina despite legends warning that those who try to get the Kakuremino Cloak will face the anger of the Tengu.

NPC narrative conversations:
- Npc_Villager_Human_OldWoman
  - "(Whispers that sound like prayers)
    Ahh… where could they be...
    Traveler… you seem strong, please... sniff... help me!
    My grandson Kenjiro and his friends left during the siege..
    Sniff They said they would take the kakuremino to defend the village... but they haven´t returned…
    Please, search for them!"
    - Location: ZONE 2 Village
- Npc_Villager_Human_OldMan
  - "Hurgh... Their interest was in the Kakuremino-Dera temple, and still, they destroyed the whole village… harg… At least cough, cough… at least I saw some Young ones flee across the old bridge... Ahhh… if they survive, our legacy Will live on... cough cough cough"
    - Location: ZONE 2 Village
- Npc_Villager_Human_Man
  - "They may seize the stronghold, but no human is more powerful than the Tengu...
    And those graves are proof of it!"
    - Location: ZONE 2 Village
- Npc_Villager_Human_Young
  - "You may be able to end me, but Kenjiro Will take the Kakuremino cloak!
    He is the one worthy and Will protect the lands of Ashina!"
    - Location: ZONE 5 Woods

CORE GAMEPLAY

After the player reaches the core gameplay objective (acquiring the Kakuremino Cloak), the character faints under the power of the Tengu embedded in the artifact and awakens in the Tengu Realm, a distorted variant of ZONES 5 and 6

3RD_PERSON_ADVENTURE_CORE_GAMEPLAY_TENGU

To exit the Tengu Realm and return to reality, the player must locate and defeat the Tengu entity that has embedded its power into the Kakuremino Cloak.

After defeating the Tengu_Boss, the player wakes up and gains control over the artifact.

The level ends.

ENEMY ARCHETYPES

Core Enemies

Swordsman_Human
Swordsman_Tengu
Swordsman_YokaiFrog

Shield_Human

Archer_Human

Unarmed_BigCrow

Unique Enemies

Boss_Tengu
Mini_Boss_Swordsman_Human

ZONE 1 (Mountains)

Level starts with:
- Setting global landmarks:
  - Temple (ZONE 6)
  - Stronghold (ZONE 4)
- Clear path to the next zone (ZONE 2 Village)
  - Used as a safety net for grappling system practice

Zone works as:
- Introduction to:
  - Combat system
  - Stealth system
  - Spawn system
  - Narrative (interactalbe NPCs)

ZONE 2 (Village)

Interactable NPCs location

Npc_Villager_Human_OldWoman
- "(Whispers that sound like prayers) Ahh… where could they be... Traveler… you seem strong, please... sniff... help me! My grandson Kenjiro and his friends left during the siege... Sniff They said they would take the kakuremino to defend the village... but they haven´t returned… Please, search for them!"

Npc_Villager_Human_OldMan
- "Hurgh... Their interest was in the Kakuremino-Dera temple, and still, they destroyed the whole village… harg… At least cough, cough… at least I saw some Young ones flee across the old bridge... Ahhh… if they survive, our legacy Will live on... cough cough cough"

Npc_Villager_Human_Man
- "They may seize the stronghold, but no human is more powerful than the Tengu...
  And those graves are proof of it!"

ZONE 3 (Valley)

Area purpose:
- Traversal
  - Multiple path choices that connect ZONES 2, 4 and 5
  - Narrative
    - Enviromental storytelling
      - Connects the stories of Npc_Villager_Human_OldMan and Npc_Villager_Human_OldWomanby finding one of the three young villagers

ZONE 4 (Stronghold)

Area purpose:
- Main combat area
  - Reward:
    - Grant access to hi-value pickable items and loot from Mini_Boss_Swordsman_Human
    - Access to a more straightforward path to ZONE 5 (Woods)

ZONE 5 (Woods)

Area purpose:
- Bottleneck that funnels the player to:
  - Narrative
    - Player finds Npc_Villager_Human_Young (another of the three young villagers), updating the context ofthe stories of Npc_Villager_Human_OldMan and Npc_Villager_Human_OldWoman
  - Pinching
    - Constrained path that leads the player to ZONE 6 (Temple)
    - Visual storytelling
      - Reference to Npc_Villager_Human_Man story
        
        As player aproaches the Temple the amount of graves visible in the path increases
- Interactuable NPC location:
  - Npc_Villager_Human_Young
    - "You may be able to end me, but Kenjiro will take the Kakuremino cloak!
      He is the one worthy and Will protect the lands of Ashina!"
    - Location: ZONE 5 Woods

ZONE 6 (Temple)

Area purpose:
- Core gameplay objective location
  - The player finds the Kakuremino cloak
    - After the player picks up the artifact
      - Character faints and wakes up in ZONE 7 (Tengu realm)
- Narrative
  - Visual storytelling
    - The player finds Kenjiro (third young villager) lying on the ground next to the Kakuremino cloak
      - Updates the stories of Npc_Villager_Human_OldMan and Npc_Villager_Human_OldWoman

ZONE 7 (Tengu Realm)

Distorted version of ZONE 5 (Woods) and 6 (Temple).
- To help the player correlate reality with its distorted version, the ZONE 7 path is divided into four key elements
  - Deep forest
  - Waterfall
  - Graves
  - Temple
Area purpose:
- Gameplay
  - The player is under Tengu´s power and must fight their way back to reality
- Narrative
  - To take control over the Kakuremino cloak the player must find and defeat the Tengu that used the artifact against him.
  - Visual storytelling
    - The player finds Kenjiro´s dead body inside the Tengu Realm
      - Closes the stories of Npc_Villager_Human_OldMan and Npc_Villager_Human_OldWoman
      - Gives additional context to Npc_Villager_Human_Man story

Deep Forest
- Area purpose:
  - Exploit vertical traversal

Waterfall
- Area purpose:
  - Introduction to Swordsman_Tengu type enemies
  - Continue vertical traversal challenges

Graves
- Area purpose:
  - Funnel the player toward the Temple
  - Let the player get used to fight Tengu type enemies

Temple
- Area purpose:
  - Provides a spawn checkpoint to prepare the player for the final boss battle

After the player defeats the Boss_Tengu
- Character wakes up in the real world
- Player gains control over the Kakuremino Cloak artifact
- Level ends

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