Jonah Perry | Level Designer
Crime Or Punishment
Project Summary
Crime Or Punishment is a 2D isometric adventure game about corrupt detective Leo Faulker. As Faulker, the player is called to a crime scene, at the behest of the mafia, where they must alter evidence and fabricate clues to shift blame from mafia associate Patrick O’Dowd, and implicate another. The player can freely explore the ‘Sweet Rine’ speakeasy, and interact and change the crime scene as they see fit. Only when they leave will they discover if they have succeeded. Crime Or Punishment started as a submission to the 2023 GMTK Game Jam and since has been developed into a commercial demo.
Responsibilities
My responsibilities within the project were:
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Working as part of the design team to develop the core gameplay loop.
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Designing evidence pieces, working with the narrative designer to create narrative hooks for each evidence piece, and balancing their links to each suspect to allow for multiple endings.
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Utilising tools created by the programming team to implement evidence pieces in the level, with their associated actions, art, and narrative elements.
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Working with the art team to develop and integrate the environment art assets for the level.
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Working with the programming team to create a backend system for tracking player choices with each evidence piece.
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Programming the custom ending generator that summarises the player’s actions within the ending cutscene.
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Managing the GitHub repository for the project.
Level Summary
Crime Or Punishment uses a simple hub layout for the Sweet Rine speakeasy, its primary level. The player begins in the main bar of the speakeasy, but can freely explore to discover three other immediately accessible ‘rooms’: the alleyway, the private room and the bathroom. Each room, including the main bar, contains evidence pieces that can be picked up or altered to implicate a certain suspect. Some evidence pieces can be completed within one room, but others can span across multiple, such as acquiring the cocaine in the bar and taking it to the private room to tamper with the land deed. A final room, the liquor cupboard, can only be accessed by unlocking its door with a key left in the bathroom. Once the player is satisfied with their tampering, they can exit out the speakeasy’s mian door to receive their custom ending.
Level Design Goals
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The level needs to be a freely explorable, non-linear space.
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Level layout must be easily navigated, not maze-like.
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Delineate believable locations for each evidence piece.
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Create opportunities to include red herrings.
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Ensure each ‘room’ has a purpose, a reason for the player to enter.
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Each room within the level needs to be distinct to be more easily memorable.
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Ensure level layout and environmental elements are indicative of the time period and setting.