• Fury, Then Silence

    Project:  The Long Dark: WINTERMUTE / Episode 4

    Engine:    Unity 3D

    Timeline:    In Fall 2021 for the Fury, Then Silence update

    My Achievements

    Started from an outline, with writer and lead, to craft story beats and mission structure in concert

    Advocated for collective goals in trial of new production paradigms during Episode 4 planning

    Created pitches, gathered reference, and worked with art team on eye-catching new environments

    After scripting to match the outline for each of the major beats, I retained ownership of the opening and closing chapters for this episode.

    Blackrock Blues

    CHAPTER 1

    We now return to Will Mackenzie’s perspective, picking up his story a few days after the events of Episode 2, Luminance Fugue.

    Mathis gives him another good whack on the head, and he wakes up in a cell at Blackrock Penitentiary. After talking to the prisoner in the neighboring cell, the Warden, he quickly finds himself running errands for Mathis. He works to help the injured Warden as well. But an unexpected ally reveals herself.

    Donner

    CHAPTER 4

    Mackenzie has fulfilled all of Mathis’ requests to help free the criminal’s son, Donner.
    But nothing goes as planned. He must walk, crawl, sneak, and sprint his way out while avoiding suffocation, wolves, and armed convicts in the watchtowers.

    The watchtowers with spotlights are a new gameplay feature used to heighten tension in this chapter. I specified their mechanics and tuning parameters, then collaborated with one engineer to deliver them as functional gameplay objects.

    “More new gameplay systems are revealed as the story picks up.

    …Suffocation adds a level of anxiety that works well with its limited use. I hope some of these concepts are brought to existing Survival maps because they are some of Hinterland’s best work in either mode.

    The surprises don’t stop with new gameplay systems. Episode 4 features a lot of stories for players to dig into, including some high-stake moments to wrap things up.”

    Bill Lavoy, via ShackNews

    Blackrock Penitentiary layout

    I worked alongside environment artists developing this key location for the first year. My focus areas including all of the yard’s interactable elements and interiors.

    Blackrock is one of only two regions in the game that was created specifically for a story episode – the other being Milton which we created for Episode One – so I think that lends it a bit of extra cachet, as not only was an entire episode staged there, but the episode focus meant we could put a lot more attention and resources into it.

    Raphael van Lierop, via ShackNews
    BREAKDOWN FOR MY CONTRIBUTIONS

    Established the backbone

    I built the initial scripting structure for this episode from opening scene to end credits

    Standardize Mission Jumps and Save Jumps

    Scripted and documented tools for rapid iteration, supporting both designers and animators

    Develop mission content from concept onward

    Guided two other designers with feedback and technical solutions for their deliverables

    Deliver on Creative Director’s vision for a thrilling setpiece finale

    Will escapes a burning prison, evades convicts in its yard, facing all these hazards to save his ally

    Note: My focused work on this episode began early in January 2020, and continued as a background task alongside a series of special content releases for Survival Mode, until my exit from Hinterland in January 2021.

    Click here to read more about level design on The Long Dark!

    Will Mackenzie close up from The Long Dark's Story Mode intro credits. My name is one of the ones listed in this capture.