Synopsis
KIRIGAN is a horror experience where players must sneak through an abandoned hideout and discover a way to escape. Immerse yourself in a truly horrific world; discover the mysteries of this nightmare come to life and learn how to avoid a deadly fate, but beware! Something lurks...
My Role
As the designer and engineer, I designed and implemented Kirigan's AI behavior throughout the game. I also designed the level and environment to match determined experience goals.
Project Details
KIRIGAN is an individual project made during the summer of 2022. Made in Unity in the Universal Render Pipeline, KIRIGAN showcases my skills in level design, enemy behavior design, and environment design.
My Process
The original idea behind KIRIGAN was to craft a small slice of a high-quality horror game. This meant putting extra care into the finite details. In terms of design, I wanted to have the environment affect the way you move around the map and having the enemy AI be dynamic while also predictable.
In order to beat the game you must escape the level, and to escape the level, you must activate three generators around the map. For each generator you activate, lights in that area get turned on. These lights are placed explicitly so that when activated, you can see Kirigan's (the monster) shadow before he can see you. This provides a diegetic progression path by rewarding the player for completing objectives. At the beginning of the game, the map is controlled by Kirigan, but by then end it's controlled by you.
When it came to Kirigan's AI, I wanted it to feel dynamic when playing while also providing a path to learn Kirigan's movements the longer you play, creating a natural decrease in difficulty. I achieved this by making Kirigan follow a set path that played around the level design, making it so that player never knows precisely where Kirigan was.
KIRIGAN Dev Log
Environment & Level Design
I really wanted to create a level that felt like it had a past. As the player progresses, they discover various clues as to what might’ve happened, developing a story along the way. Making each section of the map unique was also very important for orientation and visual readability. One area may include a graveyard of abandoned cars, a supply room lost to time, or a survivor's final campsite. Keeping things fresh is key to player retention and discovery. All assets are from the Unity Asset Store.
In-Progress Screenshots
Finished Environment Screenshots
