Tom Clancy: The Division 2
Level Design:
MAIN MISSION: JEFFERSON PLAZA
Jefferson Plaza is a narrative and objective driven mission mixing indoor and outdoor spaces in The Division 2, focused on environmental storytelling and tactical combat pacing. As a junior level and mission designer using Snowdrop, I led the location research, encounter layout, whiteboxing, pacing iterations, and encounter scripting for both solo and four-player modes.
Conducted location research on the Plaza's real-world architecture to inform authentic level design and provide concept ideas and flow opportunities from world to mission area.
Created a comprehensive Mission Design Document encompassing:
2D maps
Mission flow and beat breakdowns
Memorable gameplay moments
Intensity curve
Design intentions for mission beats and boss encounters
Built the whitebox layout prototype integrated within the world map, ensuring spatial coherence and respecting technical streaming restrictions.
Designed and whiteboxed combat spaces and traversals based on Division 2 metrics to ensure player movement, cover to cover navigation, and AI behavior aligned with intended gameplay intentions.
Implemented both macro and micro-level layouts to support diverse progression flow.
Integrated level design elements that align with mission objectives and enhance narrative immersion collaborating with art/design leads.
Example:
The hotel lobby incorporates verticality through a second floor, placing the player in a more complex encounter to vary mission intensity ramping up the intensity.
The previous encounter in the hotel spa functioned almost like a verticality tutorial, where enemies couldn’t access the lower floor, allowing the player to engage from a relatively safe vantage point.
In contrast, the hotel lobby iterates on this mechanic: new spatial configurations. Enemies now have access to both floors, increasing the risk and tactical complexity.
The micro-layout is carefully designed to enable flanking and surrounding maneuvers, while still offering the player multiple escape routes and cover opportunities, encouraging adaptive movement and moment-to-moment decision-making.
Design responsibilities and process:
Mission Design:
Developed comprehensive mission flow charts to ensure coherent narrative progression and engaging gameplay pacing.
Crafted diverse mission objectives incorporating encounter challenges and narrative mission objectives.
Designed and implemented varied enemy encounters, utilizing a mix of archetypes (e.g., grunts, snipers, tank) to create varied and dynamic combat scenarios, reinforcing the use of the level design spaces and let player choose their preferred tactics continually.
Iteratively refined encounter pacing and difficulty curves based on playtesting feedback to maintain optimal player challenge and engagement.
Scripted mission encounters to support emergent gameplay ensuring balanced difficulty and seamless progression between encounters, accomodating single or co op gameplay (1 to 4).
Conceptualized and prototyped boss designs, integrating unique mechanics and behaviors to provide intense end of mission experiences.
Integrated mission-specific assets, including environmental props and interactive elements, to support narrative and gameplay objectives.
Example:
The hotel lobby features multiple enemy spawn closets, carefully positioned to allow enemies to approach from different directions. Each spawn point is placed to ensure the player has clear visibility upon entering the area, giving them time to assess the space and make meaningful strategic decisions.
This encounter also introduces a new enemy faction for the first time—equipped with foam guns. They arrive as reinforcements, surprising the player and deliberately shifting the encounter’s pacing.
This increases mid-combat tension by introducing unfamiliar fighting tactics in a previously known space, challenging the player's adaptability under pressure.
Key lesson:
Maintaining an engaging gameplay flow while navigating technical constraints required careful balancing of difficulty and variety. The goal was to keep players immersed by offering diverse challenges that aligned with the mission's spatial structure and narrative themes. Jefferson Plaza taught me how to weave narrative, technical, and spatial design into a cohesive player journey where pacing, structure, and variety come together to elevate immersion.
Media:
Screens:
Walkthrough: