The Advisor Level Design Document

8/6/2019 The Advisor Level Design Document

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The Advisor Half-Life 2 Single Player Level

The AdvisorHalf-Life 2 Single Player Level

Designer: Sky Silcox

Page 1 of 69 Level Design Document

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Table of ContentsRevision Notes ........................................................................................................... 3Quick Summary ......................................................................................................... 4

Gameplay Overview .................................................................................................... 4

Objective Summary ............................................................................................ 4Technical Overview ..................................................................................................... 5

Campaign ......................................................................................................... 5Mission Location ................................................................................................. 5

Mission Difficulty ................................................................................................ 5Mission Metrics .................................................................................................. 5

Technical Details ........................................................................................................ 5Level Atmosphere/Mood ...................................................................................... 5

Story ................................................................................................................ 6Major Areas/Visual Themes ................................................................................. 8

Area 1: Foyer ............................................................................................... 8Area 2: Axis ............................................................................................... 14

Area 3: The Cell......................................................................................... 18Area 4: Control........................................................................................... 22

Area 5: Advisor Chamber ............................................................................. 27Map Objectives ................................................................................................36

Challenge Highlights ......................................................................................... 36Water Cooler Moments ......................................................................................36

Actors .............................................................................................................37Player ..........................................................................................................37

Key Actors ....................................................................................................37Combine Soldiers (Submachine Gun) ............................................................ 37

Combine Soldiers (Shotgun) .........................................................................37

Floor Turrets ..............................................................................................37Rebels (Inside) ...........................................................................................38

Supporting Actors ..........................................................................................38Rebel (Outside) ..........................................................................................38

Key Assets ...................................................................................................... 38

User Interface ..................................................................................................39Gameplay Details .....................................................................................................40

Gameplay Mechanics ........................................................................................40Level Progression Chart ..................................................................................... 41

Map(s) ............................................................................................................42Key .............................................................................................................. 42

Sketch(s) ..................................................................................................... 43Top Views .................................................................................................. 43

Perspective View .........................................................................................50

Walkthrough/Detailed Map Description ................................................................ 51Area 1: Ventilation Access ..............................................................................51Area 2: Holding Cells ..................................................................................... 55

Area 3: Stairwell........................................................................................... 58Area 4: Security ............................................................................................ 61

Area 5: Teleportation Chamber .......................................................................64Area 6: Exploding Facility ............................................................................... 67

Sky Silcox Page 2 of 69 Level Design Document








Technical Overview

Campaign

• Name: The Advisor

• Level Position: Only level in the campaigno After Eli dies, Gordon leaves White Forest. On his way via helicopter to the

Borealis, the restored helicopter has mechanical difficulties. The pilotmentions that there is a hidden research facility that holds a secret that not

even Magnison should now of but they probably have the parts and the staff that would make repairs quick and painless. Stopping at the facility, no sign

of the researches is found. As the pilot begins troubleshooting the helicopter,Gordon proceeds inside to ask for help. Inside, a calamity awaits him.

Mission Location

•

Theme: retrofitted plant interior as research facility• Mood: Vertigo

• Setting: An old water way station in White Forest fitted for resistance research

• Time: Afternoon

• Season: Morning

• Weather: Clear skies

Mission Difficulty

The difficulty uses a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 being easiest and 5 being hardest.

• Start: 1

• Middle: 2• End: 1

Mission Metrics

• Play Time: ~5 minutes

• New Characters: None

• Visual Theme: Black Mesa East

• Physical Dimensions: 1024L x 1024W x 768H

Technical Details

Level Atmosphere/Mood

The level consists of a hastily set up, make shift science lab in an old utilities tunnel. Theconcrete and tile lined walls support the arched overhead ceiling. The center of the facility is

a now refitted holding area with a large, open, dome like, circular interior space, much likethe interior of a large missile silo. An injured Advisor, now held captive sits in the center,

manipulating the environment within a 512 unit radius with its telekinetic powers, making





physics objects float in the air and turning the atmosphere to deadly, sub-zerotemperatures within its now limited radius of effect.

The space is generally well-kept but contains the usual debris of a used but cared-for

workplace. Crates, boxes, tools, and various bits of debris float in the air. A thin volume of embers (snow) floats in the air, moving ever upward due to the strange gravity effects. The

bodies of the researchers slump here and there. The 512 radius around the Advisor has athin sheet of ice on the ground due to the freezing temperatures. Strange mists float as thesuper-cooled air hits the warm air of the tunnels about the silo adding to the surreal

appearance of the room.

The power ebbs at high and low intervals, lights flashing and the occasional spark flashing.

Bottom-lit handrails and props convey the sense of the unnatural where sources permit.Lighting emits a cool, almost blue appearance at the center of the facility and a warmer,

more natural quality further away from the center where the environment maintains itsnormal state.

Story

• Introo 1 month before the events at White Forest, the rebellion fights and wins a

small battle north of White Forest. With their victory they received theseverely injured body of an Advisor, a small Combine shield scanner that still

has functionality, and a partly functioning Combine force field generator.o Dr. Wong and Professor To set up a small facility close to White Forest rocket

launch site in an old underground pipe works, keeping their operation secret

from the egotistical and controlling Magneson.

o Research progresses and utilizing the Combine shield generator procured in

the battle, the research team creates a field which blocks the injured

Advisor’s weakened telekinetic powers. Rigging up the small Combine robot,

named, Eva, with remote controls, they probe and interact with the Advisor atclose range, a dangerous feat if done in person.o The Advisor plays along as its powers return, eventually gaining enough

power to pierce the shield with its mind, slowing infecting Professor To’sthoughts, driving him mad, eventually to the point of bringing down the

shield power enough to not set off the alarm but allowing the Advisor’s powerto effect the other researchers.

o Lab assistants Kynho, Skyler, Jimmy, and Eva (who the robot is named after)

all spiral into a zombie-like state of consciousness along with Dr. Wong and

Professor To. They kill and eat the repairman, Silcox, as he seemed to be theonly one not affected due to his simple-mindedness.

o For two weeks the facility sits silent, the residents wandering in a half-

conscious state about the halls. Professor To drifts in and out of a conscious

state, sometimes understanding what is happening, sometimes not.o At the beginning of the level Alyx and Gordon part ways after Eli’s death,

Gordon on his way to the Borealis along with the pilot of the helicopter that

they travel in.o Shortly after taking off, they run into mechanical problems with the old

helicopter and the pilot suggests that they land at the nearby research facility

o The pilot lands, begins tinkering on the helicopter and Gordon heads inside

seeking a part for the helicopter and adventure as usual. After entering the





door, Professor To locks it behind him via the security system console, leavingGordon no way out but through the small facility.

• In-Gameo As Gordon makes his way through the facility, he battles through several

rooms with Combine soldiers. The facility itself looks more like a run down

residential building at first glance. However, as Gordon moves along, he seeshastily assembled science equipment and hears the humming of electric

currents.

o As Gordon makes his way through the facility, he comes upon an opening

leading into a large, silo-like chamber. In the center sits and advisor. There

seems to be a strange energy about the space. Crates, boxes, and tools floatin midair, what looks like soot or snow cascades upward.

o As Gordon moves forward he sees a thin energy barrier that emits from the

Advisor. Crossing this barrier causes strange hallucinations and severe suit

damage due to the freezing cold of the room. Strange mists float.o Deterred from moving into the round room, Gordon finds a small, damaged

robot, sparking and emitting sounds on the floor in an alcove to his right.o

Gordon puts the robot on its charger and moves to a control room.o Overlooking the Advisor chamber, Gordon jacks in and remote-pilots the

small robot into the dangerous Advisor chamber.

o After interfacing with a control panel, the remote-piloted robot opens a small

door which contains a yellow bypass fuse. Pushing this fuse in the low gravity

environment, the robot paces it its proper slot.o Doing this two more times enables the reactor to send its energy to the shield

generator.

o Alerted to the hostile intent of the robot, the Advisor posses nearby rollermine

to attack.o

o Eventually, Gordon finds holding cells containing the rebels. Startled but

slightly relieved, they quickly tell Gordon that they are being held as researchsubjects for the Combine’s teleport experiments. A couple of the rebels werealready used for unsuccessful experiments and frankly, the surviving rebels

do not want to share the same fate.o The rebels tell Gordon that the Combine is getting closer to perfecting their

teleportation technology. As a result, the rebels need to destroy the

teleporter before leaving exiting the facility in order to cripple the Combine’sprogress. If Gordon lets them out, the rebels will head over to the

teleportation area and blow up the teleporter.

o Gordon eventually reaches a console to disable the force fields, setting the

rebels free. The rebels make contact with the rebel outside over a

communicator updating him on the situation. They then destroy theteleporter, but the explosion causes them to die and the surrounding

equipment to start exploding.o With the facility in flames, Gordon makes his way quickly through the facility

desperately trying to find an exit.

• Extro

o Gordon leaves the facility just as it blows up, getting outside in the nick of

time.







• Visual References

Figure 1: Architecture, textures (tiles), lighting and environment (hallway)


http://sleepycity.net/




Figure 2: Decal (graffiti) and surface textures (concrete)


http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/wp-content/uploads/P1050943_figure_6001.jpg




Figure 3: Architecture, and lighting






Figure 4: Environment, Architecture, and texture


http://sleepycity.net/photo/1174/in/tags/powerstation




Figure 5: Architecture, lighting, and environment






Area 2: Axis

• Text Descriptiono Coming into the next room, a ring shaped corridor that circles around the

central core room, it acts as a connecting hallway for several rooms within thesmall facility. Blast doors have now sealed off a small space of the ring that

the player now stands into a shape best described as a half torus shape. Tothe left., the player sees a curving wall ending in a blast door. To the right,

she sees the same. Forward, a blast door sits, sealing off entry. A smallcontrol panel rests on a small pole next to it. A shaft carves its way upward

above the door, wires trailing into the darkness.o Small tiles make up the floor, walls, and ceilings. Small, lose items lie about

in slight disarray. A shallow pool of water lies across the floor, submerging itssurface and deep enough that smaller items float. This room conveys disorder

more than the last. Small boxes, crates, tools, and various bits of debris linethe curving hallway. Though in disorder, shallow water submerging the tile

floor, and the bizarre graffiti on the walls, the player perceives no realdamage to the environment or structure.

o The slightly cooler lighting in this area conveys the chill of the new space, itscolder here and the air whizzes with a muffled energy hum. Condensation

drips from the ceilings in a dripping sound. Beyond this: silence.






Figure 6: Architecture, decorations, textures (ceiling) and lighting






Figure 7: Architecture, lighting (foyer), environment, and props (wires)








Figure 10: Architecture (inner curve of wall)

Area 3: The Cell

• Text Description

o The stairwell of this facility is poorly lit and mostly bare of any decorative

elements. The stairs are made of rusty metal and the floors are dirty

concrete. The walls are brick without plaster on them. The staircase goes uptwo floors from where the lobby is. Locked doors spaced evenly hint that this

complex used to be an apartment complex.o On the way toward the control room, the player looks into a small room with

a slit for a door. Used as a small storage area, it now serves as a cell forProfessor To. Made up of the same tile floors and walls as the Axis area, the

builders raised the floor and covered it with concrete at a later date, keeping

its occupant dry. The bare room contains only To, an illuminated light bulb onthe ceiling, a small intercom setup, and a box of oil crayons and paint.

o The far wall supports one of To’s graffiti creations in mural format.


http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/library/needlepainting.jpg





Figure 11: Overlay (mural) and models (art supplies)


http://sleepycity.net/1535.jpg




Figure 12: Environment, Architecture, textures, and lighting


http://sleepycity.net/1411.jpg






Area 4: Control

• Text Descriptiono This old monitoring system room for pipe works now serves as the monitoring

room for the scientists studying the Advisor. Above hangs one flickeringflorescent light. The player’s right sits the frame of broken window that they

cleared away and fitted with an unbreakable combine glass procured from thebattle. Below this sits a retrofitted control panel of Combine make that now

houses the monitor and control mechanism for controlling EVA.o The worn, paint-coated concrete walls look bare and utilitarian. Various

clipboards and debris sit within the small space. A large blood smeardecorates the austere paint of the wall. Next it, a small drawing of various

shapes appears, similar to the other graffiti in the hall and cell.o Small bits of paper and debris lie on the barren concrete floor scattered about

two topped office chairs.






Figure 14: Lighting, models, and environment


http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephentheph/451690098/sizes/o/




Figure 15: Ceiling Texure





Figure 16: Floor Texture





Figure 17: Architecture, textures, environment, and lighting


http://www.stpetebeach.org/police/Cell1.jpg




Figure 18: Intercom equipment

Area 5: Advisor Chamber

• Text Description

o This chamber used to be a studio apartment, but now functions as the

primary research room in the complex for the Combine. The teleporter

illuminates the room with a light blue light and fills the room with a low





humming sound. Bad carpeting covers the floor and the walls’ plaster isbarely holding up.

o This large round, chamber once served as the pump room for the water flow.

With all of its equipment stripped and replaced by bits of Combine equipment

where needed, it resembles a large patchwork of wires, strange equipment,and crisscrossing wiring. As the player enters through the blast door that

leads from the initial room in the Axis area, mists and fog drift about thestrange energy field that encircles the room. Boxes, crates, clipboards, chairs,

and all manner of debris float in the air with the mists in a slow spiral aroundthe Advisor caged in the center of the room.

o The ice-covered concrete of the floor, only visible in spots, connects to the tile

and concrete walls by a small, curved transition. The silo-shaped room

continues upward from the walls into a mist of wires and pipes draping in adisorganized cluster from the nothingness above.

o A small console only accessible to the small robot, EVA, hangs from the far

wall. To the left of the console rests a safe with a retractable shield that

houses a bypass fuse. The right wall and wall behind the player are the same.

•

Visual References

Figure 19: Architecture, lighting, and environment






Figure 20: Architecture, models, and environment






Figure 21: Architecture (ceiling) and textures








Figure 23: Textures






Figure 24: Model (security camera)





Figure 25: Model (Advisor sheild base)





Figure 26: Model (bypass fuse dispensor)







Actors

Player

• Model(s)

o None

•Starting Inventory

o Crowbar

o Suit

o Pistol (18 rounds)

• Start Location

o Outside the facility

• Motives/Objectives

o Discover the fate of the rebels in the facility

o Blow up the teleporter to severely cripple the Combine research

Key Actors

Combine Soldiers (Submachine Gun)

• Model(s)o Combine, Regular Soldier

• Inventory

o Submachine Gun

• Motives/Objectiveso Kill the player

• Starting Location

o Ventilation Access

o Holding Cells

o Stairwell

o Securityo Teleportation Chamber

Combine Soldiers (Shotgun)

• Model(s)

o Combine, Regular Soldier

• Inventory

o Shotgun


o Kill the player• Starting Location

o Holding Cells

o Stairwell

o Security

o Teleportation Chamber

Floor Turrets





• Model(s)o Turret, floor

• Inventory

o None

• Motives/Objectiveso Kill the player


o Holding Cells

o Stairwell

o Teleportation Chamber

Rebels (Inside)

• Model(s)o Male citizen

o Female citizen

• Inventory

o Pistol


o Inform Freeman of the facility’s

use

o Fight alongside Freeman to get

to the teleportation chamber in

order to blow up the teleporter

• Starting Locationo Holding Cells

Supporting Actors

Rebel (Outside)

• Model(s)o Male citizen

• Inventory

o None

• Motives/Objectiveso Inform Freeman of the rebels’ mission their disappearance


o Ventilation Access

Key Assets

• Weapons/Ammo

o Submachine Gun

Dropped off Combineo Submachine Gun Ammo

Dropped off Combine

Found in ammo crates





o Shotgun

Dropped off Combineo Shotgun Ammo

Dropped off Combine

o Pistol

Player begins play with pistolo Pistol Ammo

Found in ammo crates

o Crowbar

Player begins play with crowbar

• Itemso Health packs

o Shield packs

• Interactive Elements

o Console in Security

Player uses to deactivate force fields

o Console in Teleportation Chamber

Used by rebels to blow up the teleporter

• Physics Objectso Explosive Barrels

o Ammo Crates

• Vehicleso None

User Interface

• Pre-Game Informationo A group of rebels recently went into the Combine facility and have yet to

return

•

In-Game Informationo Rebel in Ventilation Access (objective 1 given)

Text on screen: “Doctor Freeman! Boy am I glad to see you! The

Combine have been cracking down lately in this section of the city andwe’ve been having a hell of a time fighting them off. The seem to be

using some new teleportation technology to quickly mobilize to wherethey need to go. Rumor has it that this Combine facility here is a

teleportation research facility. We sent a group to go investigate thisfacility, but that was three days ago. See if you can find a way in and

find out what happened to them. Oh yea, if there happens to be ateleporter in there, see what you can do to take it offline.”

o Rebels in Holding Cells (objective 1 completed)

Text on screen: “What’s going on?! What’s all th… my God! Gordon

Freeman! It really is you! We part of the resistance sent to check outthis facility. We could use your help in letting us out if you can find away. Oh yea, turns out we found some interesting stuff about this

facility. Apparently this place houses research for the Combine,specifically for teleportation research. There’s a teleporter on the

fourth floor that we want to destroy, but we can’t do it from here. Seeif you can get us out and we’ll fight our way upstairs to destroy it.

There’s got to be a security station somewhere in the building.”






“Awesome timing. Now let’s head up to the teleporter and open up a

can of whoop ass.” o Rebels in Teleportation Chamber (objective 3 completed)

“Excellent! All right, give me just a few seconds. All right, this thing

should blow up in…AHHH!”

• Post Game Information

o Debriefing None

o Stats

None

• HUD Elements

o Normal Elements Used

Health

Shield

Ammo

Texto Special Elements Required

None

Gameplay Details

Gameplay Mechanics

• Prerequisite Skills

o Guns / Aiming

Pistol

Submachine gun

Shotgun

o Jumpingo Strafing

o Running

• Skills Learned

o No new skills learned





Level Progression Chart

Time (min) 0 1 2 3

Terrain/Objective Up Stairs

Opponents SMG Combine

Challenges Verticality

Wow Moments

New Skills/Weapons

Time (min) 4 5

Terrain/Objective Down Stairs

Opponents None

Challenges

Wow Moments

Time (min) 6 7 8

Terrain/Objective

Opponents None None Mixed Combine

Challenges

Wow Moments

Legend

1 square = 30 seconds

Ventilation Access

Holding Cells

StairwellSecurity

Teleportation Chamber

Exploding Facility

Challenge Highlight

Wow Moment

New Weapon/Skill

Defeat encounters with little ammo

SMG Combine

Enter Facility Meet Rebels

Turrets, Mixed Combine

Teleporter blows up

ShotgunSMG

Many opponents, 1 room

Explosions and fire push player forward

Exit FacilityDisable Teleporter

Up Stairs

Turret, Shotgun Combine

Shotgun enemy, tight space

None

Meet Rebels

Surprising combine with explosive barrel

Use Security Console

Mixed CombineTurrets, Mixed Combine





Map(s)

Key





Sketch(s)

Top Views

• Top view of the level with entity placements





• Top view showing critical path to first objective





• Top view showing critical path for the second objective





• Top view showing the critical for the third objective





• Top view showing the critical path for exiting the facility after the explosion





• Top view showing wow moments (before escaping the facility)





• Top view showing AI paths of two patrolling soldiers





Perspective View

• Perspective view showing the elevation for each section of the level





Walkthrough/Detailed Map Description

Area 1: Ventilation Access

• Gameplay

1) The player starts outside the facility, close to the locked door. When hemoves around the building, he meets with the rebel and knows his first

objective.2) Looking around the edges of the courtyard area, the player finds ammo crates

with pistol ammo as well as a damaged ventilation grate near a spot litsection of the outer wall. Breaking the grate reveals an access into a storage

area of the facility. The ventilation goes up slightly to near the ceiling of thestorage area.

3) Two Combine with submachine guns stand chatting, unaware of the player’spresence. The player, if resourceful, shoots the explosive barrel next to them

to defeat the encounter with only two shots, and then he drops down safely tothe ground. Otherwise, the encounter is much tougher as the player must

face two Combine soldiers with a mere pistol.





4) After looking around the room, the player notices a shield pickup in the cornerof the room and access out of the room

• Dialog

o Rebel

Text on screen: “Doctor Freeman! Boy am I glad to see you! TheCombine have been cracking down lately in this section of the city and

we’ve been having a hell of a time fighting them off. The seem to beusing some new teleportation technology to quickly mobilize to where

they need to go. Rumor has it that this Combine facility here is ateleportation research facility. We sent a group to go investigate this

facility, but that was three days ago. See if you can find a way in andfind out what happened to them. Oh yea, if there happens to be a

teleporter in there, see what you can do to take it offline.”


Reference image showing surrounding environment, skybox concept, weather, time of day,and lighting









Area 2: Holding Cells

• Gameplay

1) The player makes his way out of the storage room and into a lobby area.

Immediately on his left are two turrets that open fire if the player is in theirsights. These turrets are particularly challenging due to the lack of physicsand exploding weapons, such as grenades or the gravity gun. The player

must use caution and time the turrets so when they turn away from him, hemove in to pick them up and throw them on the ground.

2) After disposing of the turrets, a SMG Combine rushes in from the other roomand into the lobby area. The player has the height advantage, so the combat

is fairly easy. This primarily functions as a hint of where the player needs togo next: the room where the combine come from.





3) The main path leads the player down a set of stairs and into a roomcontaining holding cells. A shotgun Combine solider and a SMG Combine

soldier provide the challenge in this room. The shotgun solider is much closerto the player than the SMG soldier, making him a more threatening foe.

4) Looking around the room, the player finds a health pack and an ammo crate.He also notices rebels behind one of the holding cells. They tell him about the

facility, the teleporter, and the security console that will deactivate the forcefields.

• Dialog


Text on screen describing who they are, background info on what theteleporter and their plan to blow it up, and a request to get them out

of the cells so they can blow up the teleportero Rebels in Holding Cells (objective 2 completed)

Text on screen thanking Freeman and telling him to lead them to the

Teleportation Chamber


Reference image for interior texturing, lighting, and wall deco for the lobby







Area 3: Stairwell

• Gameplay1) The player enters the stairwell on the second floor. Immediately on his left is

a SMG Combine opening fire as the door opens. The SMG Combine runs

behind cover, trying to draw the player out from the safety of the door. Theplayer uses cover from the door to carefully take out the soldier in between

barrages of bullets.2) The player makes his way to the third floor where the door to the Security

station sits open.





3) The player makes his way up to the third floor and into the Security room.The player can get to the fourth floor, but turrets and Combine slow his

progress and a locked door prevents him from going into the teleportationchamber.

• Dialog

o None


Reference image for stairwell concept, lighting, and textures





Reference image for walls in the stairwell area, textures, lighting, and pipes









Reference image showing several security monitors, computer equipment, texturing, andlighting





Area 5: Teleportation Chamber

• Gameplay

1) When the player reaches the first room of the fourth floor, he notices twoturrets and a mix of SMG and shotgun Combine guarding the locked door (if

he has not already seen them from exploring the facility before releasing therebels). If he has not yet freed the rebels, he cannot pass through the door.

If he has the rebels with him, they will hack open the door allowing access to

the teleporter.2) Looking around the room, the player can find a health pack and ammo for his

SMG in a crate.







Reference image for the teleportation chamber, deco models and wires, the teleporter

Reference image for deco models, textures, and lighting





Area 6: Exploding Facility

• Gameplay1) Looking around the teleportation chamber, the player finds a vent leading to

the previously inaccessible room in Security. The screen shakes violently withsounds of explosions coming from nearby as he navigates through the vents

and into Security.2) Opening the door out of Security and to the stairwell reveals smoke, fire, and

debris. Debris blocks his path up to the fourth floor, so his only option is tomake his way down to the lobby.

3) Once in the lobby, the player notices the front door to the facility blown off

the hinges. He rushes around the debris of the lobby, down the stairs, andout the exit.

• Dialogo None






Reference image showing lighting, smoke, hazardous environment, and a Combine-lookingfireman





Reference image showing collapsed building sections and debris

Documents

The Advisor Level Design Document