Realm of Silence
Realm of Silence is a total conversion mod for Quake 2 currently on hiatus. As co-developer on the project I served as game and level designer. Early in its development the project was put on hiatus as other things in life took priority, however, it served as an excellent learning experience dipping my toes into 3D level design and multiplayer PvP game design. The videos below showcase two levels I created for this project, one for a basic pvp (player versus player) deathmatch gamemode competing for the most frags, and the second of which designed as a pve (player versus enemy) mode to fend off waves of incoming enemies.
The first person arena shooter's primary gamemode focused on a MOBA derivative of CTF where skill and team strategy are fundamental. The game included a selection of characters/champions that each feature different weapons, abilities, and thus playstyles. Two 5v5 teams compete to capture the enemy team's "rune key" and bring it back to their own base, meanwhile combating enemy defenses and collecting resources to empower their own. Maps in this gamemode consisted of three lanes that connect them. The top and bottom lanes included many connected rooms and hallways on the edges of the map, meanwhile the middle lane is far more straightforward and open. A labyrinth of rooms between the lanes was known as the jungle, filled to the brim with dangerous AI monsters. To achieve victory, each teammate would progress towards occupying a role on the team. The assault characters occupy the outer lanes, killing enemy creep to gain resources and eventually destroy the enemy towers that guard the outer lanes. Skirmisher characters spend their time in the map's jungle, killing monsters to collect skulls that provide team buffs. These buffs are key to escalate coordinated pushes and win team fights. The tank and support character work as a coordinated pair to secure the middle lane, preventing any pushes onto their base and eventually pushing into the enemy base to capture their rune key.
Realm of Silence in description is alike many other MOBA games, but in its systems differs greatly. Typically in games of this genre, a character is locked into a single role, restricting you from ever filling another position while playing the character of your preference. The biggest complaint in these games comes from player toxicity, typically derived from other teammates taking the character or role you desire. Characters in Realm of Silence are not role-locked, and instead may progress into any role during a match by choosing items and abilities that benefit the position they are playing. If things are not working out, players may even redistribute their points mid-round and swap roles with eachother. Every champion is designed with a pool of abilities and weapons they may choose from, allowing players to build their characters around their team instead of being forced to rely on someone else to do their job in order to win the game. Although development was put on pause, the game's design document fully constructed the kits of 8 characters with abilities to fill several roles and introduce dynamicism in how their abilities would interact.
