The Shattered Peak

We set out to build a survival experience rooted in scarcity, tension, and the constant feeling of being on the brink of failure. The core design question was: how do you create a world that feels open and threatening while still guiding players through a clear progression? We wanted players to feel lost but never actually be lost while also providing powerful in-game narrative.

As Lead Game Designer, my aim was to design systems, game areas and encounters, develop the narrative, and oversee the team’s design decisions. I also maintained constant communication with the artists and programmers:

I structured the ideation process around three phases: diverging to generate volume, discussing to introduce scope constraints, and finally converging on a concept that resonated with the whole team. From there, I identified core systems, assigned prototype priorities, and built a pitch deck and initial GDD. During prototype phase, we tested the prototype externally, and I compiled a feedback analysis that showed problems early enough to reshape the concept and change direction before committing to full production.

Ideation final state: The concept we converged on at the end of the ideation phase. It would change several times becoming something very different through iteration during prototype and development.

Progression followed a metroidvania-style structure, players found objects that allow them to reach new areas, with each zone escalating in difficulty through a creature aggression rating system (image 2 and 3). The goal was to create the illusion of open-world freedom while maintaining tight directional control.

Challenge: Players needed to feel free but never lost in a world built on total darkness. We solved this through layered guidance, dividing the map into distinct areas with unique landmarks (image 1 and 4), introducing a compass as an early pickup (image 3 and 5), using strategic lighting to pull players toward points of interest (image 6), and by incorporating dialogue cues as a narrative tool and, implicitly, as confirmation that they were on the right track (image 7).

1. Prototype map: The map is created using the real world topography of Mitkof Island. We extracted the heightmap and created the terrain starting point using Gaea and then refine it to our need. We ended up using only zones A_II, A_F, A_I, and A_V.

2. First map design concept: We divided the map into various zones sketching point of interest and placing key items determining progression. Red decimal numbers represent the creature aggression rating.

3. Mid map design concept: We scaled down the map repositioning key items,including letters for story progression, and positioning campfires. The final map would be scaled down even further cutting out the top side of the map and the cave.

4. Final map: This is the map I realized that can be found in the game. It features the main point of interest and areas that the player will traverse. It was meant to look as though the points of interest had been drawn by a child.

5. The compass: The main navigating tool while out in the woods. Players must find their way around by memorising the map, which can be found at points of interest, and using the compass.

6. Lighting: The game is extremely dark and the player is often caught up in snowstorms, which makes strategic lighting a powerful tool for guiding the player.

7. Dialogues: The dialogue is integrated into the environment via triggers placed on the map, drawing inspiration from "What Remains of Edith Finch", allowing the story to be delivered and guide the player.

During production I owned the map layout, area-level design, overall pacing, and progression structure. I also handled UI and menu design, wrote and maintained the GDD on Confluence, and led the final polish pass: lighting, materials, SFX placement, dialogue positioning, and audio.

Design documentation, pitch decks, and reference materials from this project.