Placeholder Character in Polished Level?

Greg DAlessandro

I am working on my portfolio to become a level designer.
Current goal: To create a single-player level that captures the essence of Dark Souls and teaches the mechanics to the player without creating a carbon copy of their level design. 

Question:
Would it be unwise to have a placeholder-looking character in a polished level (with final-quality lighting and art assets) for a portfolio? (placeholder-looking character similar to the below image) Or does it make more sense to sculpt and model a character with details/textures, since I want to make a polished complete level?


I will be using this tool (Epic Games Animation and Rigging Toolkit) to create the rig and create a temporary skeletal mesh while I work on the player mechanics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knbZ_g8Hgvk&list=PLZlv_N0_O1gb2ZoKzTApbv3LvhaXJ9elg


Thank you.

PyrZern

... Why not do the whole thing in Unreal Engine ? Level design should work great in it. And it already comes with this dude for you. You can show off the level by running around in it too.

Greg DAlessandro

PyrZern said:

... Why not do the whole thing in Unreal Engine ? Level design should work great in it. And it already comes with this dude for you. You can show off the level by running around in it too.

I will be using Unreal Engine 4, and will create blueprints for handling the mechanics and animations, but I will be creating art assets for the level in Maya. As far as I know, I don't believe that I can create animations in UE4 (for attacks, blocks, parries, rolling, etc). 

I know that it is not necessary, but I want to showcase a finalized level with art assets that I made. (Including the character) Also, that default character would clash with the aesthetics and theme that so am going for.

Marshkin

You could do two sets of renders - one without the placeholder, and one with the placeholder character in there for scale. 

Greg DAlessandro

I should have mentioned: I will be creating a fully playable level.

Eric Chadwick

You only need a character if its a 3rd person game.

Eric Chadwick

If the aim is to show off level design, then use a placeholder character with default animations. Unless I'm misunderstanding your design intentions, you shouldn't be designing the character animations at all. Your job as level designer is the interactivity and flow of the level itself. That's what you'll be judged on for a level designer role.

Greg DAlessandro

It will be a third person game with similar mechanics and feel of dark souls. My intention is to have a playable level which teaches the player's mechanics via the level design (So I would have to animate the character).
My goal for this level is:

• For it be fully playable (it will be the tutorial stage/beginning area)

• To successfully teach the player's mechanics through the level design (without explicitly telling the player via text prompts)
• Have a fully polished level -  including good lighting (to show that I am capable), environment art assets (to show that I can artfully populate the scene/ show that I  can model/ texture art assets, and to show that I can complete a level from start to finish)
• To practice creating blueprints (to show that I understand technical/scripting knowledge)
• To show that I understand the other processes of creating a game.

Cay

I'm not a level designer.. but creating/animating characters and Environment Art is usually not what they do. You should focus on what's important, because creating a playable level including art takes a lot of time.
You will end up abandoning it along the way.

Greg DAlessandro

Wouldn't it be good to have "all bases covered"? To show my capabilities not just through level design. If I ever join a smaller company isn't there a chance that I might work on environment art assets as well as level design?

Eric Chadwick

Yes it's good to be more well-rounded at a smaller place. But you're biting off a lot for 1 piece. Focus on one aspect and make that fucking rock. Then later after that's solid, sure come back and add to it. 

monster

Cay said:

I'm not a level designer.. but creating/animating characters and Environment Art is usually not what they do. You should focus on what's important, because creating a playable level including art takes a lot of time.

This.

Check out these two level design portfolios. Both former students of the Guildhall where I teach. (I don't teach design.)

http://jraymond.squarespace.com/independent/
http://www.mdirenzo.com/personal-levels.html

I linked to their personal projects. Notice that both used only existing assets from commercial games to showcase their design skills. Moddable games that use Unreal Engine and Source Engine have lots of great assets you can use. Also, notice that both have gone on to have pretty successful careers working on properties like Halo, Tomb Raider, Wildstar, and Elder Scrolls.

Greg DAlessandro

Thank you for the replies. Do you know of a list of moddable games besides Unreal Tournament, Elder Scrolls, or Gears of War? 

Eric Chadwick

This might help
http://www.mapcore.org/topic/3598-level-design-help-files/

Greg DAlessandro

That definitely will help me with level design, thank you. But I can't seem to find games that I can make levels for (besides Portal, Unreal Tournament, or Skyrim) I will be making a portfolio piece with the Skyrim Creation Kit, as well as a puzzle level for Portal, but I'd like to make a playable single player level that isn't an FPS.