During my two years working on Dead Matter, I contributed to the design and development of numerous locations, creating immersive, visually compelling, and gameplay-focused environments that aligned with the game’s narrative and mechanics. Below, I’ll highlight some of the key locations I worked on, my design philosophy, and the challenges I overcame.

Key Locations I Contributed To:

• Canmore Hamlet Golf Club Building: A mid-game exploration area balancing open spaces and tight interiors to create tension. I used environmental storytelling—abandoned golf carts, overgrown vegetation, and scattered debris—to convey decay and abandonment.
• Canmore Hamlet: A large residential hub designed to feel lived-in, with interconnected buildings, hidden pathways, and interactive elements. The layout supports both combat and stealth gameplay, catering to diverse playstyles.
• Exshaw Cement Plant: An industrial location featuring large-scale machinery and a complex layout. I emphasized verticality, multiple navigation routes, and environmental hazards like collapsing structures to heighten tension.
• Dead Man's Flats: A desolate area with a haunting atmosphere. Using lighting, fog, and sparse vegetation, I crafted a moody environment that complements the game’s survival-horror themes.
• Baymag: A high-tech facility contrasting with the game’s natural environments. Its sleek, futuristic design includes verticality, flooded underground maintenance tunnels, and multiple navigation options, adding layers of danger and exploration.
• Exshaw Community: A large residential area near the main highway. I designed it to evoke isolation and danger, featuring a mix of ransacked and preserved houses with ample loot, rewarding players who venture off the beaten path.

Personal Contributions:

I had the unique opportunity to create two locations named after myself, which were added to the game:

• Pasko Lake: A serene yet eerie lakeside area offering players a moment of respite while maintaining an undercurrent of danger. Reflective water, dense forests, and subtle ambient sounds create a memorable atmosphere.
• Patryk’s Cave: A hidden underground exploration area designed to evoke mystery and discovery. Intricate rock formations, dim lighting, and hidden pathways reward curious players.

Level Design Philosophy:

My approach focuses on creating spaces that are both visually engaging and functionally meaningful. Key principles include:

• Player Agency: Designing environments with multiple paths and solutions to encourage exploration and replayability.
• Environmental Storytelling: Using visual cues, props, and lighting to tell stories without explicit exposition.
• Gameplay Integration: Ensuring every location supports the game’s mechanics, whether through combat, puzzles, or traversal.
• Atmosphere and Immersion: Crafting mood and tone through lighting, sound design, and environmental details to deepen the player’s connection to the world.

Challenges and Solutions:

• Balancing Realism and Gameplay: In the Exshaw Cement Plant, I ensured industrial machinery felt authentic while serving as interactive elements. This required close collaboration with art and programming teams to blend form and function seamlessly.
• Optimizing Performance: For large, detailed environments like Canmore Hamlet, I used modular asset design, efficient lighting techniques, and occlusion culling to maintain visual fidelity without compromising performance. Careful set dressing and light complexity management were crucial in achieving this balance.

Below are some of the locations I worked on for Dead Matter.