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NEWTON N BOLT

Newton N Bolt est un jeu de parkour à la troisième personne où Newton, un vieux robot doté d’un programme qui le pousse encore à prendre soin des êtres vivants, tente de s’échapper d’une ville contrôlée par des machines aux idées bien arrêtées : aucun humain, aucun être vivant, uniquement des robots.
 

Accompagné de Bolt, le chien, Newton doit fuir cet endroit oppressant car s’ils se font attraper… qui sait ce qu’il adviendra du chien ?

MAIN TASK

  • Design plans and diagrams

  • Researching gameplay and mechanic ideas

  • Creating blocking layouts for three levels

  • Placing NPCs and their animations

  • Placing enemies, their paths, or detection zones

  • Collaborating with all departments (environment, lighting, programming) to ensure smooth level production

  • Ensuring level design aligns with the game’s artistic direction

  • Analyzing playtests

  • Testing levels for collisions, readability, bugs, and player flow

  • Level art for levels 01, 02, and 03

  • Placing spawn points in appropriate locations

RESEARCH LAYOUT & GAMEPLAY

GAMEPLAY IDEAS

  • For our gameplay, I researched ideas that could be interesting to integrate into our platform puzzles using the magnetism mechanic, as well as stealth and hiding mechanics against enemies
     

  • I conceptualized environmental elements that are strongly aligned with our art direction while also serving a clear gameplay function
     

  • I focused on proposing as many gameplay ideas as possible so the team could select the most engaging and fun ones to develop further

LAYOUT LEVEL 01

  • In the first level, the goal was to teach the player the gravity mechanic and introduce floating robots as enemies, showing that staying too long in their light would lead to being detected
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  • After my initial layout, we had to significantly reduce the size of the level due to team velocity and production constraints
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  • Here is the original sketch of level 01; however, the final layout changed a lot, as this level was not initially designed as a tutorial

 Rough Sketch pour level 01

LAYOUT LEVEL 02

Plans pour level 02

  • For the second level, the team’s chosen theme was a city, and I made sure to avoid a too linear experience by iterating multiple city layouts
     

  • I ensured the level layout worked well both for my fellow level designer and for the art department
     

  • The art direction team particularly liked the clock tower and the enemy HQ area, but the overall scope of the level was too large for production
     

  • I created a smaller iteration while keeping the strongest ideas that were most appreciated
     

  • We first had to evaluate whether the environment team could realistically produce the clock tower and full city scale
     

  • In the final approach, the clock tower was moved to the last level, but I kept it as a strong visual landmark to guide the player’s escape path through the city
     

  • I also used the train rails as visual guiding lines to naturally direct the player toward the end of the level

LAYOUT LEVEL 03

  • For the final level of the game, I chose a train station theme as it naturally fits the idea of a last level, with the train tracks guiding the player out of the city
     

  • I also saw strong potential in this setting to introduce new mechanics, such as zeppelins and station-based elements, and I originally wanted to add train wagons as magnetisable platforms, but team velocity didn’t allow it
     

  • I did visual research on real train stations to explore interesting shapes and layouts for the level
     

  • My first layout worked structurally, but the end of the station didn’t feel impactful enough for a final level, so I created a second iteration with a stronger and more “epic” end sequence
     

  • For this level, I also focused on introducing new mechanics to differentiate it from the previous ones and increase difficulty
     

  • I added moving zeppelins and floating construction platforms as dynamic traversal elements
     

  • I also integrated rotating helicopter blades that the player can magnetise onto during traversal
     

  • Finally, I designed a new ground enemy to increase challenge and make the final level more intense and engaging

Plans pour level 03

Idées pour les
mécaniques de Gameplay

PATH AND LAYOUTS

- Level 01 -

TEACHING MECANICS
 

  • Level 1 is designed to teach the core mechanics of the game
     

  • In the first corridor, a broken enemy carcass introduces the threat system, where its light turns red upon detection to teach the player that it is dangerous
     

  • A window section lets the player preview the next area and observe the first enemy’s patrol pattern
     

  • In the following room, the player must avoid the enemy, then use the magnetic platform mechanic to cross blocked paths and progress

The rotating light is used as a visual guiding tool to direct the player toward progression areas

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  • The room is set in a robot manufacturing factory, supporting the narrative of a city corrupted by these machines

  • Propaganda posters showing authoritarian robots could be added to the factory to further reinforce the oppressive atmosphere

The conveyor belt also acts as a guiding line for the player, as the moving objects naturally lead in the same direction they are meant to follow

- Level 02 -

THE MEANING OF THE CITY
 

  • The city concept also reinforces the narrative of corruption caused by the robots

  • Multiple working robots under surveillance patrols are placed along the player’s path and within view, visually communicating the oppression and story of the world

LEVEL FLOW

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  • For level 2, we aimed to create a “wow” moment for the player
     

  • After leaving the small factory area, the player goes through a short platform section that reinforces the magnetic platform mechanic
     

  • From a higher point, the player discovers the full city enclosed within its walls, with the clock tower and distant forest symbolizing freedom beyond it
     

  • In the current layout, the clock tower is not yet present as it will be introduced in the next level
     

  • Train tracks are planned as a visual guiding element to lead the player toward the tower and the forest

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  • Ventilation ducts are used at the beginning and end of levels as clear visual landmarks to indicate player progression

  • They are also placed in safe zones to provide moments of respite and pacing within the gameplay

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Green lights act as checkpoints and are placed throughout the level in relatively safe areas for the player

- Level 03 -

THE STATION

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The train station level is designed as an open space where the player can see the end goal from the start through the clock tower landmark, symbolizing freedom, creating constant visibility of the objective and a clear sense of progression as they move closer to it.

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LEVEL FLOW

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  • I designed each zone to have its own identity to avoid repetition and maintain a strong level flow, mixing enemy zones, platforming, or both depending on the section
     

  • I used verticality (ascents and descents) to break linearity and make exploration more dynamic
     

  • I used the clock tower as a constant landmark to guide the player and clearly communicate the end goal
     

  • I also used train tracks as directional elements to naturally guide the player toward the level’s exit

PLAYER GUIDANCE IN GROUND ENEMY AREAS (OFFICERS)

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  • Since officers move faster than the player, I used the magnetism mechanic to let players escape by reaching elevated train stations where they can hide from enemy patrols
     

  • To access these areas, players must magnetize to environmental fences, naturally guiding vertical traversal
     

  • During playtests, some players felt lost in zone 4, but they still intuitively understood they could escape by climbing to the stations
     

  • Each elevated station reveals the next one, subtly guiding players toward the objective without making the path explicit
     

  • Overall, players felt like they discovered the route themselves, making progression feel more rewarding and organic

CREDITS

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Isabelle Bélanger - Concept Artist
Darrhyl Veloury Rousseau - Character Artist, FX Artist
Shaya Séguin - Character Artist
Maina Bernier - Character Artist
Heiva Martin - Rigging artist, Thecnical Artist
Catherine Champeval - Rigging artist, Environment Artist
Jérémy Brosseau - 3D Animator
Jayke Dalbec - 3D Animator
Mathieu Stevens - 3D AnimatorDalinda Soria - 3D Animator
Audrey Lécuyer - Lead Level Designer, Level Artist

Julien Jiroux - Level Designer
Rose Boily - Environment Artist
Kerold Ashlyn Pierre - Environment Artist, Lighting Artist, Technical Artist
William Pak - Environment Artist, Texture Artist
Yian Dubé - Environment Artist, Texture Artist

Catherine Bergeron - Gameplay, AI, UI Programmer
Philippe St-Laurent-Recoura - Gameplay, UI, Audio Programmer
Zachary Meunier - Gameplay, UI Programmer

Coralie Dubois - Programmer

Willyam Dubé - Sound Designer

Special thanks to our professors for all your advices!
Pierre Tousignant - Professor
Kevin Lavigne-Bourque - Professor
Yannick Francillette - Professor

A big thank you to all our playtesters!

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