I submitted this level for a competition, the goal being to create a level with a ‘Treasure Hunter theme’. I was lucky enough to take first place.

I gained inspiration from many area’s of film, video games and real life locations. The main idea behind the level is to simply progress through an environment set within ancient caves, bearing a wealthy secret. Before I started the map, I fixed on setting the level in ‘Ha Long Bay’ hence the title. 

When creating the caves I spent a long time studying the way valve made their caves for Episode 2, following their example, I blocked out the level using brushes in a grid like formation, usually between 128 - 256 units tall and wide, with a little bit of thickness. Robert Briscoe, level designer and environment artist for the remake of ‘Dear Esther’, originally a mod for hl2, has served as a brilliant inspiration http://dear-esther.com/ . His work is very inspiring and ive been following him (no creepyness intended) for a long time. Tomb Raider also influenced the level a fair bit.

In one of my favourite childhood movies ‘The Goonies’ there is a pirate ship hidden in a large cave. I wanted to create a similar scene within my level, with a pirate ship. As the outdoor location had been an Asian one, I chose to use an Asian looking ship. The ship (along with its cargo) is the real ‘Treasure’ of the map, this is why you’re here.

Lighting the level was an interesting challenge. There weren’t a lot of ways I could logically light the ancient untouched caves, so I used a combination of mystical flaming bowls and magical ambient light, which is made up of mainly greens and blues.

The map has no real ‘Ending’ just as it has no ‘Beginning’, and I never intended to have them. After the competition ended I went back and changed some of the exterior and created a boat which the player arrives to the caves by. I got the idea from playing ‘Mission improbable’, a HL2 single player mod by Magnar Jessen. http://www.magnarj.net/

Overall I have enjoyed creating this level and found that competitions are a great motivator, so I’ll certainly be taking part in many more. You can download the map here : http://www.gamefront.com/files/21139542/ha_long_treasures_rar

And get the .Vmf here : http://www.gamefront.com/files/21144957/Ha+long+treasures+SRC.rar

Someone posted a video of himself playing through the level, it was interesting to see the map almost through someone elses eyes (note this is an earlier version of the map)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6HMG4-Jqwk&feature=player_embedded

High-Poly Glock 17 created for Project Nomad

http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/818752-The-Nomad-Project

Some better renders if the 18 Pounder (Hi poly).

I created this level using the UDK for our first progression project. I have continued work on it since using it as a learning exercise. I have learnt how to use many features of the UDK, and improved on my asset creation. All of the assets seen in the project have been created by myself give or a take a texture or two. 

The idea behind creating this project was to create an environment based on a real world example. In this case Pripyat, Chernobyl was my setting, where i focussed on re-creating the pool located in the deserted city. To do so I gathered as many photo’s and video’s of the building I could. I then drew out a sketch of the pool with its interior to about 80% accuracy. I then moved on to creating the basic structure of the pool with BSP, exported that and began creating the assets that would be used in the same scene. This way all my assets were already to scale when i brought them into the editor. When I had finished making all my textures and static meshes, I started fleshing out the map until the point its at now. 

Overall I am happy with what I have created, but also realise I have to improve in many area’s such as texture creation and management. I don’t think I will take this project any further as I feel I’ve explored as much as I can in this one level.

Weapon created for a zombie game project based on Unity 3D. The low poly UV mapping and texture wasn’t great. To see more of this little project, see ‘Old Unity Work’.

18 Pounder Field gun, created using 3ds max for Iron Europe, a Red Orchestra : Heroes of Stalingrad modification. 

German transport truck (Opel Blitz). Made using 3ds max and photoshop. 

This model was used in ‘Der Zoo Bunker’.

WIP Mil Mi -6 Helicopter.

WIP German armoured car (Sdkfz 222). Modelled in 3ds Max, using reference photo’s and blueprints.