Level Blockout
I’ve started building a rough blockout of the level to test scale, movement flow, and spatial rhythm. The goal at this stage isn’t visuals, but understanding how narrow corridors, room sizes, and navigation pathways feel when walking through them in first-person.
To keep everything consistent, I set some basic player metrics:
Player Height: 180 cm
Max Jump Height: 90 cm
These numbers help me check whether doorframes, hallways, and interactive spaces feel realistic and match the atmosphere I want — cramped, uncomfortable, and believable.
Level Reference Research
More reference research can be found here: https://sites.wsagames.com/hl1d23/research/
These references helped me study how Kowloon Walled City was built, lived in, and navigated before it was cleared. Each source offers a different perspective: the recreated interior shows atmosphere and lighting, the infographic explains structure and density, and the archival photography documents how residents adapted balconies and living spaces over time.
Using these materials, I focused on understanding scale, circulation, and how public and private areas blended together. This research guides the layout, mood, and environmental storytelling of my level design.
Development Progress
I’ve started translating my reference research into the first stage of the 3D environment. The current focus is testing layout, spatial rhythm, and player movement rather than detail or textures.
To keep performance efficient, I’m only modeling areas visible to the player instead of building the full structure. This approach preserves the visual feel of the Kowloon Walled City while avoiding unnecessary rendering.
The proportions and layout are based on the references above and my earlier study of player height and scale consistency. This ensures corridors, balconies, and sightlines feel believable and match the cramped architectural logic of the original space.