SENTINEL - MVP Cavern (Level Art/Design)
After a high-intensity drop into hostile territory, the player must infiltrate enemy lines and navigate toward their objective—a downed human space station—where they'll scavenge valuable loot and rescue stranded survivors. This section serves as a tutorial for core gameplay mechanics in a relatively linear fashion. Players are introduced to the enemy faction, learning to counter their high-accuracy, slow-moving projectiles by staying in constant motion. Additionally, the section teaches players to exploit enemy gel pods, which create slick surfaces that affect both movement and environmental objects, turning the battlefield into a dynamic, interactive space.
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GAME DESCRIPTION: Sentinel is a sci-fi PvE first-person extraction shooter that emphasizes straightforward movement, sandbox interaction, and tightly crafted level design—eschewing ability-based combat and cover shooting in favor of raw, responsive gameplay. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, you play as a Varangian—a Nordic-inspired, augmented space mercenary—offering your strength to the remnants of humanity… for a price. Scavenge like a Survivor. Build like a Space Marine. Fight like a Viking.
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MY ROLE: As Creative Lead, I was responsible for providing both artistic and creative direction while overseeing the overall production process. In addition to managerial duties, my core in-engine focus was level development—balancing both level design and level art duties and leading others where appropriate. I also contributed across disciplines as needed, including 3D modeling, gameplay and event scripting, combat encounter design, texture and shader development, and animation.
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CREDITS: Alberto Panico, Alex Wright, Antonio Gil, Daedra Christopher, Danny Jundi, Davis Zekthi, Elia Sheikh-Bahaie, Eric Lipshutz, Erik Flood, Grif Wu, Jaden Nance, Jake White, Joshua Thornhill, Justice McClellan, Kaleb Nekumanesh, Kat Peterson, Matthew Griffith, Matthew Hodge, Matthew Stone, Mike Tilden, Mitchell Broom, Nick Price, Rachel Clark, Steven Atha, Tyler Harper, Victoria Pennington.
ART - Final screenshot highlighting a portion of the expansive vista that surrounds the player in the opening section of the level.
ART - Final screenshot demonstrating how lighting and composition were used to subtly guide the player forward—creating a sense of direction without revealing what lies ahead.
ART - Final screenshot showcasing the player’s first view upon entering the gameplay space immediately following the intro cinematic.
DESIGN - At the start, the player comes under fire from an enemy with minimal cover available, encouraging quick lateral movement to the right or left—only to encounter another enemy lying in wait along either path.
GAMEPLAY - Our combat arenas are intentionally designed like Swiss cheese—full of routes and openings, but with limited cover—encouraging players to stay mobile and think on their feet.
WIP ART - We explored a more atmospheric and moody lighting scenario, but the darkness made navigation difficult. As a result, we shifted to a sunnier lighting setup while preserving intentional pockets of light to maintain the desired tone.
ART - Final screenshot showcasing the cavern’s interior. While much of the space delivers intense, claustrophobic combat, quieter sections like this offer players a brief moment to breathe and regroup between encounters.
DESIGN - When shot, gel pods create a slick surface that boosts movement speed and jump height for the player, enemies, and nearby sandbox objects. This graphic illustrates the progression of how we introduce and teach this mechanic throughout the cavern.
GAMEPLAY - When the player discovers their path is blocked by an enemy, this example shows how they
can strategically use a gel pod to create a ramp—allowing them to bypass the blockade and advance.
ART - Video showcasing the caustic light function material I made to create a distinct light source with embedded narrative significance. Enemies cultivate these gel pods as a means of respiration, giving it visual impact and narrative context.
WIP ART - While the rocks originated from an asset pack, we invested time into developing a custom master material to enhance their integration. This material supports smoother blending, world-space dirt projection, and improved visual contrast.
WIP ART - Once satisfied with the material, we tested it in a cavern environment. This screenshot captures the results of that implementation.
WIP ART - Knowing coral-inspired foliage would be key to the cavern scene’s atmosphere, we tested a variety of foliage types. This particular collection came closest to achieving our intended visual and thematic goals.
GAMEPLAY TRAILER - Our first trailer served as a crucial milestone, providing valuable feedback that helped shape the game’s design and art direction moving forward.