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Ulfheim Reimagined

September 26, 2019

Keith constructs the new Ulfheim. Click to watch the video on YouTube.

The preceding video was originally Livestreamed at Twitch.tv/shroudoftheavatar (now archived at YouTube) as part 5 of 5, in which Keith described the new Ulfheim during its construction.

Keith recreated a scene named Ulfheim intended for veteran players in Shroud of the Avatar that included recreating the scene from the ground-up, including terrain editing and other world building, enemy spawning, resource spawning, creating three wave battles, and quest creation, among other level design elements.

Entry Highlights

  • Scene creation (includes blockout, final worldbuilding, POI design, compass markers, ambient music, ambient FX, path grid implementation, storycraft, ambient lighting, interactable lighting, swimmable water, etc.)
  • Player spawning design (includes propping for spawn points and resurrection points)
  • Writing and narrative design (includes NPC keyword-and-response dialogue, NPC barks, readable book props, etc.)
  • Quest design (includes plotting, writing, markup-based scripting, NPCs, combat, puzzles, etc.)
  • NPC design (includes creation and placement of enemies, quest contacts, merchants, trainers, tutorial NPCs, and utility NPCs, as well as patrol paths, ambient emotes, and visual variations)
  • Combat design (includes triggered battles, wave battles, boss fights, and quest-related activities, and may include player abilities and NPC abilities)
  • Traps and hazards design (includes implementation of collapsing platforms, explosive objects, lava, poison gas, etc.)
  • Puzzle design (includes physical puzzles [e.g. move through a trapped corridor], mental puzzles [e.g. match 3 symbols], conversational puzzles [e.g. solve an NPC's riddle], Easter eggs, etc.)
  • Utilities design (includes creation and placement of scene exits, teleporters, doors, lights, crafting stations, elevators, etc.)
  • Propping (includes creation and placement of interactables, breakables, secret panels, readable books, player-placeable decorations, flora, rocks, etc.)
  • Rewards and collectables design (includes creation and placement of harvestable resource nodes, incidental gear and treasure, quest collectables, Easter eggs, etc.)
  • Art (includes creation of NPC visual variations and inventory icons)

Veteran players need great threats to throw themselves against and choices that affect how they can approach those threats. Ulfheim was intended to be such a place, but started as a duplicate of another scene with slightly different enemies. Keith re-imagined Ulfheim to be a core experience for players looking to great challenges.

Keith recreated Ulfheim from the ground up to be a multi-level experience. Players looking to hunt and harvest can do so in the open wilderness areas. Seasoned players can venture through the gates into the cannibalistic barbarian community and engage in three wave battles, each one more difficult than the last.

While fighting through the barbarian community, players can complete activities like free "Mistreated wolves" from cages or break totem sculptures to change the composition of enemies in the final battle and affect their virtuous reputations. A group of veteran players seeking the toughest battle can bang drums to alert those in the final battle that they're coming, nearly doubling the enemies in that final fight.

But Keith also kept in mind that many players enjoyed the old version of Ulfheim for its existing enemies and resources. He made sure the same wolves, bears, and tree-like Reapers would remain in Ulfheim, as would all of the iron ore and other resources. In fact, the new design allowed him to add more of them, and he was able to add them in "cluster" groupings that are highly praised by players.

Prior to the release of the revised Ulfheim, most players were optimistic but a few were concerned that the new scene wouldn't be as appealing as original old version. After the scene was added to the live server, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

"[T]he new Ulfheim is AWESOME! I'll be playing that a lot! This is the best adventure added to the game in a looong time -- you rock!!!"
—Elgarion

"[L]ove this scene! Love the diversity of mobs, the danger and what I love most is the design nice density of mountains, tree's and what not. Thank you. Hope to see more of these."
—Feeyo

"Way better than the old version, lots of satisfying [barbarian] smashing instead of just the handful on the road. The progression/choices/etc. were a nice change of pace. I like that you have a defined progression/goal instead of just sitting in one place or going in circles.

"I had a glorious time outside the bandit area, in the big valley of endless maple trees, cotton bushes, and iron nodes, reapers and obsidian creatures. It is a harvesting extravaganza. For me, having the occasional reaper or wyvern was a bonus ... but definitely requires you are more 'on your toes.'"
—kaeshiva

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