Level Features
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15-20 Minutes of Gameplay
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1 Main Quest
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1 Side Quest
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Unique Electric Trap Mechanic
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Choice-Based Ending
Project Details
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Creation Kit (Fallout 4)
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Level & Systems Designer
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Solo Project
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Development Time: 300 Hours
Introduction
"The Nuka Conflict" is a Fallout 4 single-level mod. The player aids the Nuka-Cola Gang in reclaiming their headquarters, an old Nuka-Cola factory, from a group of invaders.
In the end, the player is left with making the choice that determines the fate of the gang.
Scripted my own unique mechanic: Electric Power Breaker Traps.
Design Goals For This Mechanic
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An electric trap to be used in combat against enemies.
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A gating system to access locked areas.
Nuka-Cola Factory
Click to see all floors.
Vertically stacked level with a focus on reuse of space.
Factory Layout Changes
LDD Map
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Core layout remained the same.
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Reuse of space.
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Utilized new electric trap.
Final Map
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Slightly expanded layout.
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Added more verticality.
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Added more electric traps.
Conveyance
I used multiple levels of conveyance to steer the player in the right direction to progress through the quest even if they become sidetracked by exploration.
Teaching the player to shoot damaged panels to open doors.
Improving sightlines for player's current goal and long-term goal.
Conveyance to finding the sightline to shoot the power breaker.
Fitting of a quest in Fallout 4, the player is tasked with making a morally gray choice in The Nuka Conflict. The player must choose which faction to side with amongst the rupturing Nuka-Cola Gang.
Axel - The Bleeding Heart
Terra - The Lawful Leader
Background
Axel went against Terra's orders and stole medicine from a rival gang to heal their sick.
The Choice
The player must choose to either endorse Axel's choice to save his friends or ally with Terra to punish him for inciting the attack from the rival gang, killing several of their allies.
The Aftermath
If the player sides with Axel, he takes over as the leader of the Nuka-Cola Gang and they keep drinking the poisonous cola.
If the player sides with Terra, Axel is killed and the gang swears off the cola... leading to even more dissent and fracturing.
The Nuka-Cola Gang burning the last of their poisonous Nuka-Cola.
What Went Well
Stayed within Scope
Focused on reuse of space to keep scope within reason and to focus on polishing later on.
Iterated Quickly
This left me with plenty of time to iterate based on feedback from playtesters.
Breaking Down Tasks Effectively
I made sure not to combine multiple different elements into one task, allowing me to track my changes and progress more effectively.
What Went Wrong
Planning Layouts for Encounters
Areas for combat were originally too small and required some minor layout changes early on.
Visual Impact
If given more time, I would have improved the impact of the player's decision at the end of the quest.
Balancing Combat
Figuring out how best to balance the AI given some of their odd and unpredictable behavior.
What I Learned
How to Best Use Unique Gameplay
For future projects, I will think ahead about how the player will use this tool and how to make it more effective.
Immersiveness
Adding more scripted sequences can add to the narrative of my quest as well as the feel and tone I want to portray.
The Importance of Distinct Spaces
Without clear spaces, the player can get lost and lack an understanding of where they are going and where they have been.
