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Track Designer
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QA
Team Size: 53 developers
Software: UE5
Platform: PC | Steam Deck
HardDriverz
Design Goals
Unique Track Design
Create a unique track that also had distinction from the other tracks to establish the fun and variety in the player experience.
Promote Different Playstyles
Creation of gameplay that coincides with the narrative beats, serving as more than blockers
Balance Fun & Challenge
Achieve a game experience that felt rewarding and created room for mastery
Design Implementation
Track Features
I implemented several different features across the Dune track, two of which were the split pipe roads and the loop-de-loop.
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The pipe roads provided a short-cut and the ability for the player to fly-off and create a 'feel-good' moment
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I worked alongside two artists to form the loop-de-loop asset and emphasize the feeling of speed in the map
Obstacles
A key part of creating the fun was successfully implementing obstacles into the track that would be challenging and provide a skill check.
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I used the half pipe assets so the gatcha ball obstacles would continuously roll and give players a small window to dodge them
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I incorporated the moving robot obstacles as they provided a different challenge in terms of the physical window of opportunity and reaction time
Utilizing Shape and Angle
I used the shape and angle of tracks to target certain play styles and help achieve the overall casual style of play intended.
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For curves and bends, I incorporated on-camber track design to ease navigation and traction
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I also tailored different features of the track to support different kart attributes and strategies, such as a donut-like loop that enabled long drifting
Postmortem
What Went Well
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Ideation process to brainstorm track elements and see what worked well together
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Collaborating with teammates to ensure good flow between islands and tracks
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Creating opportunities that engage with the different kart attributes and associated play style
What Needs Improvement
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Transitions between track features could be slightly extended to give the player more control
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Further iteration on the gatcha ball obstacle to create more consistency with designer intentions
What I Learned
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Comfort in working with splines and making fine-tuned tweaks for smooth road and connection of pieces
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Balancing the amount of props and focusing on strategic placement to give clear affordances while maintaining aesthetic
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How to work on a large-scale project and communicate across disciplines and numerous teams