{"id":438,"date":"2020-12-16T13:58:31","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T21:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/?page_id=438"},"modified":"2025-02-05T22:52:31","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T06:52:31","slug":"episode-4","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/the-long-dark\/episode-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Fury, Then Silence"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:3px;border-color:#999999\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"is-style-plain wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Project:\u2003\u2003<em>The Long Dark: WINTERMUTE<\/em> \/ Episode 4<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Engine: \u2002\u2003\u2002Unity 3D<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Timeline: \u2002\u2002 In Fall 2021 for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelongdark.com\/time-capsule\/errant-pilgrim\/\">Fury, Then Silence<\/a> update<\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:3px;border-color:#999999\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-x-large-font-size\">My Achievements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\">Started from an outline, with writer and lead, to craft story beats and mission structure in concert<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\">Advocated for collective goals in trial of new production paradigms during Episode 4 planning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\">Created pitches, gathered reference, and worked with art team on eye-catching new environments<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:28px\" class=\"\">After scripting to match the outline for each of the major beats, I retained ownership of the opening and closing chapters for this episode.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">Blackrock Blues<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details alignfull has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>CHAPTER 1<\/summary>\n<h2 class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">We now return to Will Mackenzie&#8217;s perspective, picking up his story a few days after the events of Episode 2, <em>Luminance Fugue<\/em>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"responsive-embed widescreen\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Most Terrifying &amp; Brutal Survivor Game in The History THE LONG DARK Episode 4 FULL GAME\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vH6-wQVOp5A?start=777&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio has-medium-font-size\">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.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">Donner<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details alignfull has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>CHAPTER 4<\/summary>\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">Mackenzie has fulfilled all of Mathis&#8217; requests to help free the criminal&#8217;s son, Donner. <br>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.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-columns alignfull are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:47%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prisontower.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prisontower-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prisontower-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prisontower-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prisontower-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prisontower-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prisontower.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:58%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"501\" src=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1-1024x501.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1-1024x501.png 1024w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1-300x147.png 300w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1-768x376.png 768w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1-1536x752.png 1536w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1-2048x1002.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"responsive-embed widescreen\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Long Dark - Wintermute Episode 4 - Last Chapter + Ending Cutscene\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PlSLI0_lp6k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio wp-block-quote has-text-align-left has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&#8220;More new gameplay systems are revealed as the story picks up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&#8230;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\u2019s best work in either mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The surprises don\u2019t 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.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>Bill Lavoy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shacknews.com\/article\/126988\/the-long-dark-episode-4-fury-then-silence-impressions\">via ShackNews<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-x-large-font-size\">Blackrock Penitentiary layout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I worked alongside environment artists developing this key location for the first year. My focus areas including all of the yard&#8217;s interactable elements and interiors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1024x681.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2490\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1024x681.png 1024w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-1536x1022.png 1536w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image.png 2017w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"is-style-plain wp-block-quote has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"\">Blackrock is one of only two regions in the game that was created specifically for a story episode \u2013 the other being Milton which we created for Episode One \u2013 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.<\/p>\n<cite>Raphael van Lierop, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shacknews.com\/article\/126988\/the-long-dark-episode-4-fury-then-silence-impressions\">via ShackNews<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details has-large-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>BREAKDOWN FOR MY CONTRIBUTIONS<\/summary>\n<blockquote class=\"is-style-default wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\"><strong>Established the backbone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\">I built the initial scripting structure for this episode from opening scene to end credits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\"><strong>Standardize Mission Jumps and Save Jumps<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\">Scripted and documented tools for rapid iteration, supporting both designers and animators<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\"><strong>Develop mission content from concept onward<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\">Guided two other designers with feedback and technical solutions for their deliverables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\"><strong>Deliver on Creative Director&#8217;s vision for a thrilling setpiece finale<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\">Will escapes a burning prison, evades convicts in its yard, facing all these hazards to save his ally<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><em><strong>Note:<\/strong> 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.<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignfull has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center is-image-fill-element has-very-light-gray-color has-very-dark-gray-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-9a85ee5f6bae3fcb277f412078910528\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 40%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:2em;padding-right:2em;padding-bottom:2em;padding-left:2em\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p style=\"font-size:36px;line-height:1.2\" class=\"\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/the-long-dark\/#story-mode\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"530\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-very-light-gray-color\">Click here to read more about level design on <em>The Long Dark<\/em>!<\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/credits-1024x639.png\" alt=\"Will Mackenzie close up from The Long Dark's Story Mode intro credits. My name is one of the ones listed in this capture.\" class=\"wp-image-1713 size-large\" style=\"object-position:50% 50%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/credits-1024x639.png 1024w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/credits-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/credits-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/credits-1536x959.png 1536w, https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/credits-2048x1278.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Project:\u2003\u2003The Long Dark: WINTERMUTE \/ Episode 4 Engine: \u2002\u2003\u2002Unity 3D Timeline: \u2002\u2002 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&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":528,"parent":362,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-438","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438"}],"version-history":[{"count":62,"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2519,"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/438\/revisions\/2519"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/362"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dodgethis.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}