THE LAST OF US: MIDTOWN RUINS (WIP)
-
Balancing exploration, combat, and looting sections to refine pacing.
-
Using urban composition and indoor/outdoor transitions to guide players naturally through the environment.
-
Developing environmental storytelling that reinforces the tone of a ruined Midtown New York.
-
Convey the mood of an overgrown, abandoned city while working primarily in blockout form.
LEARNING GOALS
ASSETS USED
This blockout was built using a mix of custom assets and placeholder packs. I created simple organic shapes in Blender and relied heavily on Unreal Engine’s modeling tools to modify primitive geometry such as cubes and basic blockout meshes. Additional assets sourced from Fab Include:
-
Character Controller: IWALS by Jakub W
-
Environment Packs: Tropical Jungle, Sci-Fi Jungle Biome, Environment Set
-
Blockout Kit: Level Design Kit, Blocking Starter Pack
LEVEL OVERVIEW
LEVEL WALKTHROUGH
BEAT 1 - HIDEOUT
The player spawns in a small interior hideout, where their sick companion is on the floor. After collecting supplies and hearing a radio call, the mission is set in motion.
Starting indoors creates contrast, making the first step outside a more impactful reveal of the ruined city.
BEAT 2 - ABANDONED BLOCK
Stepping outside, the player encounters a ruined city street. This area provides space for exploration, looting, and environmental storytelling, reinforcing the tone of collapse and overgrowth.
BEAT 3 - FIRST CONTACT
Moving through a narrow passage, the player crouches under debris and hears an audio cue. They spot their first infected feeding on a body, which introduces tension through a stealth takedown and the discovery of a pistol.
BEAT 4 - INFECTED STREET
The player vaults into a larger space overrun with multiple infected, offering a combat encounter that can be approached with stealth or aggression. The blockout ends here, with the intended continuation leading toward a parking garage.
Before progressing further, the player can discover a side entrance into a mechanic’s garage. This optional detour offers extra loot and environmental storytelling, rewarding players who choose to explore.
OPTIONAL PATH - MECHANIC GARAGE
LEVEL PLAYTHROUGH
TO BE CONTINUED
The level design in The Last of Us has been a major inspiration for this project, and this blockout was my attempt to study and apply some of those design techniques. So far, the process has been very insightful, and while the level is still a work in progress, I’ve gained a strong sense of direction for where it can go.
Looking ahead, I plan to refine traversal to feel more dynamic, open up certain sections for greater player agency, and expand interior areas with more variety. I also want to experiment with verticality to add depth to exploration and combat encounters.
This project will continue to evolve as I iterate and push the design further. Stay tuned for future updates!
Thank you for reading!
Post-Apocalyptic Blockout
OVERVIEW
This project is a Last of Us–inspired linear slice set in the ruined streets of Midtown New York City. The blockout features a mix of indoor and outdoor sections, blending looting areas and combat encounters to capture the grounded survival tone of the series.
In building the blockout, I focused on conveying the chaos of a ruined Midtown through wrecked cars, debris, and overgrowth. I will update this page as I make further progress and refine the overall design.
PROJECT DETAILS
-
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
-
Language: Blueprints
-
Team size: Solo Project
-
Role: Level Designer
-
Duration: 2 weeks