Cold Front was made as an assignment for level design class focused on stealth-oriented gameplay. This project was selected to feature in the Academy of Art Spring Show in the Game Development Department section (https://springshow.academyart.edu/schools/game-development/). The first video showcases the finalized version walkthrough. The first draft walkthrough is included as well to showcase some of the changes that occurred.

To that end, player abilities were limited to movement, the ability to hide set areas to avoid detection, and activate certain interactive components. Entering an enemy vision cone or proximity volume results in a failure. The player plays through the third level in a four level mission during this blockout. The overarching objectives are for the player to infiltrate the facility and steal prototype weapons data. This level has the player sneaking through the upper area of the facility before making their way across a large bridge to the research wing of the base. The player has reached this point by arriving along the coast, sneaking to the harbor then infiltrating through it to the upper base. The current blockout brings the player up to the final portion before the bridge crossing.

The Unreal Engine First-Person Template was used as the basis for the character controller though all other gameplay elements were scripted by me as part of the blockout. Enemy Soldiers and Security Cameras serve as the primary threats to the player and must be avoided while moving through the space. The enemies perform established patrols and can be routed to destinations when needed. Security Cameras have fixed observation zones or pan between two points.

The space is meant to be a sci-fi setting focused on a military base during a major snowstorm/blizzard. The initial levels feature the player entering the facility as the storm begins to intensify while this mission and the final would have the storm greatly hindering vision in the exterior spaces. The geography is mountainous with an alpine aesthetic covered in snow with the base situated on a river delta. The bridge the player needs to sneak across spans this river delta with the base occupying space on both sides.

The Metal Gear Solid series was the primary gameplay inspiration though Dishonored certainly played a role. The Call of Duty franchise stealth missions also served to help inspire some ideas. The general aesthetic was inspired by many different sci-fi games such as Mass Effect, Halo Reach, Killzone, and even Red Faction though a big point of inspiration came from a mission in Call of Duty: Ghosts where the player infiltrates a research facility in the Andes.