Helldivers 2
Level Designer
Released: Feb 2024
Game Engine : Stingray
Date : 2022 - Present
Development: Ongoing
Game Description: HELLDIVERS 2 is a 3rd person squad-based shooter that sees the elite forces of the Helldivers battling to win an intergalactic struggle to rid the galaxy of the rising alien threats.
Arrowhead Game Studios
Tasks and responsibilities
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Level Design
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When creating levels, I take the level through the entire process—from making a blockout to developing a fully polished level. This includes tasks such as:
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Sculpting and painting terrain
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Placing meshes
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Setting up objective logic
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Placing enemy spawn markers
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Adding decals and VFX
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Setting up random groups
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Adding lights
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Before a level is enabled in the game I need to test the following:
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Navigation for all enemies
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See if the terrain paint holds up across different planets
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Lighting during nighttime
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Taking part in feedback sessions with other members of the level design team
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Mission design
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I collaborate with level designers to create and design new missions based on narrative and director's briefs.
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Improve existing objectives
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Scripting
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Implementing mission logic and prototype new mission mechanics using our in-house scripting language
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Taught scripting to other members of the level design team
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Responsible for providing learning material for the level design team
What is a level in Helldivers 2?
A level in Helldivers 2 is essentially a confined area that will be added into the procedural generation of the game world each time you drop down. Since the prepared spaces are blended into the environment, I must work within constraints such as the maximum diameter of the level. I also need to consider factors like the shape of the layout as making all the levels just one circle would become notable in the world generation.
The Importance of Player Guidance
Given the chaotic nature of this game, important elements in the level need to be easy to find and readable in the environment. This means using level design concepts such as framing, silhouette, leading lines, and verticality to make key objects stand out.
Layout and Spatial composition
When I make a level I often start with the layout. One concept that stuck with me is the term “Spatial Composition”, which in practice means taking the whole level and breaking it down to different clearly defined areas. For example in a Super Earth level you can have one area for storage, one area where they live and one area where they work.
Once I have established the areas, I try to use height variation, colors, gameplay etc. to make each area stand out in the level, making it easy for the player to digest the overall space. Depending on the objective, I focus on adding more weight to that area by for example, putting it on the highest point in the level.
Notable Features
CR 10 Outpost: Fortresses
Released: 6th august 2024
In the new update, a harder difficulty has been introduced. A fortress is a larger and more challenging type of outpost that only spawn in the new difficulty.
What I did:
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I developed four levels on my own, two levels for the Terminid (bugs) enemy Faction and two levels for the Automaton (bots) faction, taking each from blockout to final version.
Trailer for the new update
Automaton Fortresses
Automaton Fortress 1
Highlights:
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Focus on making the base feel layered, where the deeper you go, the more fortified it becomes
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Providing players with multiple ways to enter the base
Automaton Fortress 2
Highlights:
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Using a large tower as the center piece
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Started of creating a very symmetrical base to then create asymmetry by changing one side
Terminid Fortresses
Terminid Fortress 1
Highlights:
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Using huge pillar in the center that the levels revolves around, makes for a great landmark.
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The levels spirals around the pillar, starting on an elevated platform, spiraling deep down to the core of the bug nest
Terminid Fortress 2
Highlights:
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The level is a valley that is shaped like an S for two reasons:
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My name is (S)imon
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The S-shape is good for breaking line of sight and I can place key objects by both ends of the S.
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Evacuate High-Value Assets
Realesed: 15 april 2024
Evacuate High-Value Assets is a game mode where the objective is to defend against hordes of enemies as Super Earth is trying to evacuate helldivers using a cryo rocket.
What I did:
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I took part in all brainstorming sessions regarding the mission and level design
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Used the editor to prototype different ideas
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I ended up making one of the two levels, taking it from sketch, blockout and the final polished version
Playthrough of my level by Youtuber Jumpycode with friends.
Gallery showcasing the finished level
One of the main goals for the level design was to make players really feel like they are getting pushed back deeper into their base by the enemy forces. In order to accomplish that the level is divided into three different layers: an outer, middle, and inner layer.
Detailed information about the level
The specific design goal I had for my level was that each layer would offer different gameplay experiences. For example, in the third layer I wanted a “last stand” feeling where the players would gather together within the walls and fight back anything that breached the gate. To achieve this I removed the option to defend from on top of the wall and I added strategically placed turrets and ammo to incentivize defense from within the walls.
Here is one my favorite clips showcasing exactly what I was aiming for with the design:
Clip of a player defending from within the wall inside the third layer. Originally posted by u/Rudradev715 on Reddit. This is a clip of Youtuber Asmongold reacting to that video.
Activate TCS (Terminid Control System)
Realesed: 15 april 2024
Activate TCS is the first part of a three-act story structure story mission where players need to activate the Terminid Control System.
What I did:
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Took part in brainstorming sessions and prototyped ideas that led to the final design
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Working closely with my level designer colleagues Chris Brettman and Vendela Bolin designing the mission and level design
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I took part in all the playtest of both my own level and the other level as well discussions for the level design that resulted in the final product.
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Pushed for choke point design
Playthrough of my level by Youtuber Nacai with friends.
Gallery showcasing the finished version of my level
In a regular mission, the objective locations are spread out on a large map with world generation in between. For this mission, we experimented with making it take place in one large level instead, allowing us to design a more linear and focused experience.
In the level, players encounter a large central structure with three connecting pillars. The players has to start up each pillar in order to activate the main system. Activating a pillar triggers a defense event, during which hordes of enemies spawn and attack the pillar. You as player have to defend it for a set duration.
A lot of focus was placed on designing the areas surrounding the support pillars. Here I pushed for adding clear chokepoints where the enemies would be funneled into.
Pillar area design up close
This was the first time I designed a level of this size which was both very fun and challenging. I struggled a lot to add details to all the spaces at end, and got help from my fellow level designers Vendela Bolin and Helena Kasper with polishing.
Level design improvements for the Terminid enemy faction
One of my first independent assignments on Helldivers 2 was to create a gym to explore the behavior and capabilities of our Terminid (bugs) faction to see how we could improve the level design. After creating multiple rooms which examined their behaviors, I was able to explore interesting encounters which could be repeated in other levels. Methods of escape, putting the player on the backfoot, or giving them a position of power to exploit.
One of the key discoveries that I found was that adding cover objects actually makes it harder for the players. The bugs primary way of attacking the players through melee attacks, so covers makes it harder for the player to notice the bugs before it is too late.
I delivered my work as a presentation to the team, documentation for future reference, and the levels in playable formats. My lead assured me he was pleased with the outcome and it formed the basis of our level design for Bug Levels for the remainder of the project.