Cosmocadia - Level Design

Project Title: Cosmocadia - Desert Biome

Overview:
Cosmocadia is a charming, casual, cozy adventure game. Explore the remnants of a group of once-grand sunken islands, piecing together their culture through diligent resource gathering and production. Uncover new island tiles, each helping restore the island to its former glory. Befriend and help adorable animal characters who will guide you in your quest to explore and restore. With a focus on exploration and production with a satisfying grind, you'll chop, mine, craft, and farm your way to unlocking the mysteries of the islands. Designed for both web and mobile, this relaxing game offers a delightful escape into a world of magic and discovery. This particular project will cover the Desert Island of Cosmocadia Islands. Within this context, this project demonstrates my ability to design a functional and engaging level for Cosmocadia, focusing on gameplay flow, resource management, and player progression. I was responsible for the level design and implementation of the desert biome, ensuring a seamless integration of gameplay mechanics with the environment.

Design Goals & Objectives:
- Create a clear and intuitive player progression loop based on the game's unlockable tile system, harvestable resources, and factories.
- Design a layout that guides the player through the level in a relaxed and satisfying manner, consistent with the game's casual nature.
- Strategically place resources, production buildings, and points of interest to optimize resource gathering and production efficiency.
- Establish clear landmarks to aid player navigation and create a memorable environment.

Gameplay Design & Implementation:
1) Resource Management & Production Loop:
- Planned the placement of resource nodes (cactus, stones, corn) and production buildings (tortilla maker, taco shop) to create a logical and efficient production loop.
- Strategically placed early-game resources near the player's starting point (docks) to facilitate initial progression.
- Designed the production loop with a clear progression from low-value resources (corn) to high-value items (tacos), incentivizing players to maximize production.
- The shop building was placed near the taco shop and docks to provide easy access to selling resources and finished products.

2) Level Layout & Flow:
- Implemented a linear path with a circular flow to provide a relaxed and intuitive player experience.
- Designed a clear path that guides the player to all points of interest, minimizing player confusion.
- Incorporated a deviated path to the corn fields, providing an optional exploration route that reinforces the production loop.
- The map was separated into two sections, the North and South, using a river. The North section serves as a resource hub and background, while the south section serves as the main production area.

3) Landmark Design & Navigation:
- Established the carousel in the town center as a central landmark, providing a memorable focal point for player navigation.
- Utilized the waterfalls in the northern section as a visual landmark, enhancing the environment's aesthetic and providing a distinct point of reference.
- The carousel serves as the main plaza, allowing players to easily return to a central hub after exploring the map.

4) Pacing & Player Guidance:
- Iterated on the placement of objectives and points of interest to ensure a balanced and engaging gameplay experience.
- Designed the path to gradually introduce new gameplay elements and production buildings, providing a clear progression for the player.
- The first gameplay elements encountered are the basic resources, allowing the player to understand the core gameplay loop.

Environment Art Integration:
- Created a visually cohesive environment that blends Wild West and vintage circus themes, enhancing the game's aesthetic and creating a unique player experience.
- Designed and implemented terrain, buildings, and props that complement the gameplay mechanics and facilitate player navigation.
- Ensured that the visual design of the environment reinforces the game's casual and cozy atmosphere.

Technical Implementation:
- Utilized Unity to implement the level layout, placed assets, and integrated gameplay mechanics.
- Conducted iterative testing to refine gameplay flow and ensure a seamless player experience.