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Janne Markkula
Level Designer
Fisherman's Dream
A relaxing single-player level made for A Hat in Time, using the official
A Hat in Time Modding Tools (Unreal Development Kit).
My main pillars for the level design of this project were:
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Freedom of choice: The player is free to tackle the level in any order. Each path loops back to the starting area.
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Making use of the space around the island: Each path should weave in and out of the main island to add variety.
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Verticality: Reward the player's platforming skills with a gorgeous view of the entire island.
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5-15 minutes of gameplay (5 if you speedrun, 15 if you collect everything).
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Accomplishments:
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5/5 star rating by players on Steam
Project Details
Development Time: 3 weeks
Development Platform: Official A Hat in Time Modding Tools (Unreal Development Kit)
Main Responsibilities: Level Design, Scripting, Lighting and Atmosphere, Set Dressing, Optimizing Performance
Challenges: Learning an older tool (fewer high quality tutorials compared to new tech), Balance between challenging gameplay and a relaxing atmosphere
Level Design Showcase
(Full Playthrough + Secrets)
A full playthrough of the level. All secrets showcased in a separate section starting at 7:37.
Design and Process

The main routes, main collectibles and secrets visualized. The player is free to tackle the routes in any order.
Each route loops back to the center, where the player can choose their next path.

The original rough idea sketch for the level, which was my starting point.
The main idea and the design pillars stayed really close to the original, but the level design itself went through tons of iteration.

The level at various stages of development before the final version.

The final version of the level.

The final version of the level.

The level at various stages of development before the final version.
Most of the level was built with static meshes (similar to A Hat in Time's official levels), but the base of the island (and one of the smaller islands) were made with UDK's terrain tools.
Guidance Without Handholding
Orbs guide the player towards the first NPC, who explains the ultimate goal of the level.
The next nearest orbs lead the player towards the easier routes. This is the "intended" starting direction, but the player is allowed to go anywhere right away.
Beating the level requires bringing 9 vault codes to the yellow vault at the start of the level. Everything else is optional (talking to NPCs, collecting the small orbs, or finding the secret yarn balls), giving the player a lot of freedom,
with some guidance provided by the orbs placed throughout the level.
Greater Challenge Higher Up
The level is generally relatively easy and relaxing, but the higher up the player goes, the greater a challenge they will face.
This culminates in the final row of balloons at the end of the longest route, where the player needs to use all of the skills used throughout the level to reach the end.
Health Orb Placement
To keep the relaxing atmosphere, I didn't want the more challenging parts of the level to be too punishing for the player.
Health orbs are placed close to the most challenging sections, but out of the way of the main path, so it's harder for the player to take them accidentally.
In other words, the player can take the health orbs when they feel like they need them. For example, after a failed jump or two.
Screenshots of the final level




Trailer
Closing Thoughts
I really enjoyed working on this level, and for the most part, it was as relaxing to work on as it is to play.
My goal was to make a laid-back experience for the player, almost like a mini-vacation. To this end, the level has no enemies, every NPC is either helpful or funny (or at least my attempt at being funny), and the music track I chose is calm and relaxing. The inviting look of the level with its sandy beach, bright blue water and various greenery supports this goal as well, of course.
Since I wasn't planning on adding my own mechanics (or even enemies) to this level, most of what I wanted to do came pretty much straight out of the box from A Hat in Time. Since my focus was so narrow (mostly about achieving a nice flow to the level without being overly difficult), I was able to achieve it quite easily.
Originally, I wasn't even planning on adding NPCs, but looking through a couple of A Hat in Time modding tutorials, it was simple enough that I decided to add a few.
The platforming turned out fun, and those who have played it seem to like it (99% positive ratings on Steam at the time of writing).
Admittedly, the level is a bit on the simpler side.
What I would do differently, were I to start the same project all over again:
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I would try to add at least one unique mechanic.
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I played it really safe with this one by going with pure platforming. I like the end result a lot, but some kind of unique gameplay twist could have made it stand out even more.
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I would design areas more around Hat Kid's advanced movement mechanics
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Sliding down the sand slope at the start of the level is really fun, but the slope is short, and the sliding isn't necessary. Adding similar but longer slopes, and encouraging the player to slide down them, would probably have made this "mini-vacation" even more fun, and possibly even add an incentive for speedrunners to try it out.
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There are only a couple of spots where the air dash is absolutely necessary (most notably at the end of the long, winding row of balloons). Wall jumps are utilized even less. Adding a few more spots for these abilities would have made some of the platforming sections more dynamic.
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All assets used are from A Hat in Time. Slight modifications to some texture colors, otherwise used as is.
The level is available for free here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2995250528
A copy of A Hat in Time is required to play.