Gravitron - Level slice

The protagonist in this level is a character called Marcus, a so called privateer breacher specialized in
deep space salvaging of damaged ships.
In the following level secton Marcus has just barely escaped certain death while entering through the
hull of a seemingly damaged and isolated ship called Gravitron.
The player is given control while Marcus is stuck at the other side of a caved in corridor, having lost all
his gear and weapons in the previous process.
By establishing a communicaton link with the pilot of the players vessel, Steven, its conveyed that the
Gravitron is currently in a hibernatng state and the mission to collect its valuables goes on as planned.
The player is however not alone inside the ship as other scavenger partes have docked with the Gravit-
ron during the tme while Marcus breached the outer hull.
The slice of the level made is progressed by powering up each secton of the ship through energy tubes,
and the pacing is initally quite low only to be ramped up considerably towards the end with lots of ene-
my encounters.

The player is supposed to have basic knowledge of the movement, shootng and regeneratve health but
some elements will stll be needed to be explained more explicitly in order minimize player frustraton
during this level.
Such as the mechanic of the Gravity Gun found early on.
Gravity gun gameplay
Power up energy statons
Turret encounters
Low gravity arena secton
Puzzle elements
Turret mount
1. Intro
2. Gravity gun pickup
3. Power staton restoraton
4. First area cleared
5. Main weapon pickup
6. Power staton #2 restoraton
7. Turret encounter & gravity shif
8. Second area cleared
9. First enemy encounter
10. Second wave of enemies
11. Third wave
12. Power staton # 3 & 4 restoraton
13. Tougher enemy type
14. Brief puzzle element
15. Second turret encounter
16. Third area cleared
17. Big turret blockade
18. Power down of staton #5
19. Reprogramming of turret
20. Player controlled turret
1 - INTRO

The player (Marcus) starts of in a caved in corridor briefy afer having breached the ship.
Camera shakes and restricted movement speed of the player controller establishes the
characters damaged state. (This is a short, tmed event).
By dialog with the pilot of the vessel (Steven) who brought them there, the player is introduced
to the infltrated ships current situaton. Its currently in a hibernatng state and each secton
will probably require to be powered up in order to progress.

The alien ships intercom system also makes its frst appearance in this corridor.
2 - GRAVITY GUN PICKUP

The corridor eventually leads to a room housing the frst inventory pickup. On a table in the
middle of the room, the Gravity Gun is found. By utlizing its power, the player can pick up
heavy objects (right mouse buton) and/or push them away (lef mouse buton, objects can
also be controlled distance-wise with the scroll wheel).
In the room player can either try the gadget on crates or the energy tube. Objects that the
player can interact with are highlighted discretely with an outline.
3- POWER STATION RESTORATION

The power statons is indicated and easily recognizable throughout the level by their strong
bluish color. The energy tubes link with the power statons are conveyed by emitng a similar
color.
Once the player gets the tubes in proximity of the power staton, the tube will be sucked into
the staton and the way ahead will be lit up to indicate progress.

4 - FIRST AREA CLEARED

Lights toggled by the power staton will lead the player out into the corridor again where a
door previously blocked by crates is now manageable.

A buton is placed to the right of the door and is powered by staton, and thus the door can be
opened.
Here the interact buton is also introduced by a three dimensional E appearing when
approaching the buton. When the doors has been opened and the crates in front are dis-
persed the frst area of the level has been cleared.
5 - MAIN WEAPON PICKUP

The next room is temporarily shrouded in darkness, except for an area by a pillar where the
corpse of a dead soldier provides the player with a weapon. By pressing E by the soldier, a
cinematc is triggered and the weapon is picked up, as well as showing the own ship passing by
outside the big panorama window.
Steven contnues to enlighten the player with more informaton regarding the situaton.
6 - POWER STATION #2 RESTORATION

The noton from the previous room regarding the blue lights and the connecton between
tubes and power statons will lead to the player again triggering the power supply.
Upon doing this the room will immediately be illuminated
7 - TURRET ENCOUNTER & GRAVITY SHIFT

The provision of power to the area in this case has a drawback by actvatng one of the ships
integrated and automated turrets, mounted in the ceiling.
Since this is the frst turret in the level, it utlizes a grenade projectle type that bounces on the
foor before detonatng. In this way the player gets a heads up before risking to lose health. The
intercom system also gives notce of the turrets actvaton.
Once the player has destroyed the turret, a bunch of grenades are accidentally spawned, lead-
ing to the chain efect of explosions. Since the ship was already unstable from earlier events,
the gravity simulaton inside the ship is disrupted.
8 - SECOND AREA CLEARED

The player can either get accustomed to the new behavior of the low gravity or conclude the
secton by progressing to the area previously blocked by the turret and the electric beams.
A identcal buton as seen in the frst corridor opens the door to the next area.
9 - FIRST ENEMY ENCOUNTER

Immediately upon entering this area, one single enemy character starts to move towards the
player and starts to shoot. The enemy takes cover behind a structure and the player has the op-
ton to do the same at two locatons. (Crouch acton on lef shif or C).

10 - SECOND WAVE OF ENEMIES

The next wave of enemies are two in numbers. Both of them have a range of diferent spawn-
ing locatons, movement routnes but also two separate weapon types. One has a standard
Linkgun and the other a modifed version of the Rocket launcher, fring projectles bouncing on
the walls.
The second enemy also has a higher chance of choosing to take cover on the elevated balcony
as seen in this example, invitng the player to notce and explore the upper route.
11 - THIRD WAVE

The third wave is instgated when the player rounds this corner. This can result in a seeming-
ly chaotc space of enemies if the player decides to rush through without killing the earlier
spawns.
Another enemy type is integrated in this wave of three spawns, who doesnt take cover and in-
stead goes afer the player in a more direct manner.
Depending on the players route, enemy behavior, and their spawn points; this following area
can play out in a number of ways. The area is however built in a way to provide a more open
batle arena type of area, utlizing the strengths of the AI available, and giving a empowering
feeling to the player while using the low gravity gameplay to their advantage.
12 - POWER STATION # 3 & 4 RESTORATION

Its up to the player to either take care of the enemies before handling the power statons in
the area. There are two of these, embedded in the central structure.

The intercom system announces that power supply while result in stabilizing the gravity simula-
ton. Once one tube is placed the gravity will increase by 50 percent, proving it more difcult to
reach the elevated areas which will prove to be signifcant in the coming secton.

The gravity shif is conveyed through difering post process efects changing the rooms charac-
ter.

13 - TOUGHER ENEMY TYPES

One tube in place will result in a elevator door being triggered and the appearance of two
tougher enemy types, having more health and one bearing heavier weaponry than the previ-
ous enemies.
The tubes can stll be extracted to again actvate the low gravity and possibly more control
when dealing with the new enemies, depending on player preference.

14 - BRIEF PUZZLE ELEMENT

To bring down the pacing for a moment afer the combat in this area the player is faced with
a problem. In order to actvate the door leading to the next secton on the second foor, both
power statons must be actvated, thus bringing the gravity back to normal but also removes
the opton to jump to the higher scafolds.

The player must then either build his own structure to climb, with objects in the surroundings
or fgure out how to shoot the tubes into the statons from the second foor.
15 - SECOND TURRET ENCOUNTER

The placing of the tubes inside both power statons will as in previous room actvate a turret
guarding the exit.
The difculty of this turret is slightly ramped on as it fres multple rocket projectles at the play-
er.
If the player however is smart and takes out the turret before the power is restored or disables
the power sources again this secton will prove to be much easier.

16 - THIRD AREA CLEARED

Same door structure with accompanying buton concludes the third area and provides a short
breather for the player afer a tense session.
17 - BIG TURRET BLOCKADE

Immediately afer triggering the door to open to this area, an enemy will spawn and start to
sprint down the corridor only to be obliterated by a huge turret at a vantage point at corridors
end.
Players trying to sprint past in a similar fashion will soon release this atempt to be futle. The
turret also has a red shield protectng it from projectle fre. Another soluton is hinted while
the enemy frst died, in the form of panels breaking loose from the walls upon projectle im-
pact.
The players must use one of these to obstruct the turrets view and in this way sneak past it.
18 - POWER DOWN OF STATION #5

Although the player now has come up behind the turret, the way ahead is stll obstructed by
the shield of the turret.
Your companion and pilot Steven will here make an appearance and hintng the possibility of
power down the shield by removing its power source as well as providing informaton concern-
ing a large amount of hostles approaching the area.
19 - REPROGRAMMING OF TURRET

Once the red shield is dispersed the player can approach the turret and is prompted to press
E when in proximity. This instgates a reprogramming sequence of the turret and the last
thing for the player to do is to reconnect the power in order to fnally take control of the turret.
20 - PLAYER CONTROLLED TURRET (THE LAST STAND)

The last playable secton of the level concludes with the player getng in control of the turret,
just as numerous waves of enemies start to spawn at the other side of this open area.

The green shield indicates the turrets switched allegiance and protecton of the player. The
player is, in this case invulnerable and the sequence acts as suitable release of the level secton
as the player should feel really empowered by killing hordes of enemies. This is also amplifed
by the projectles of the turret causing instant kills in most cases.
Afer having killed a certain amount of enemies the screen will fade to black and Marcus next
step will have to be contnued at a diferent tme.