Half-Life 2: The Yard

Engine: Hammer

Platform: PC

Team Size: Individual

Quest Summary

“The Yard” is a single player level in Half-Life 2. It begins with Gordan entering a train yard on the outskirts of City 17. He must fight his way through Metro Police and Combine Soldiers in order to reach the Control Tower.

Design Goals

Subtle Conveyance

Using techniques like leading lines and framing to guide the player to the in

Varied Combat Encounters

Creating encounters that put the player into different situations.

Conforming Puzzle Mechanic To Narrative

Designing gameplay around a mechanic to fit the narrative of Half-Life 2.

Varied Combat Encounters

Different enemy types played different roles within my design. The goal of the design was to vary gameplay through the different combinations of these enemies.

Enemy Types

Elevation Changes

By varying the elevation I was able to put the player into Advantageous and Disadvantageous situations.

The goal was to implement a mechanic that could be used in a variety of situations and fit the narrative of Half-Life 2. I began designing around the idea that the player could operate trains within the space through levers. This mechanic fit best in City 17 where the player begins the game aboard a train.

Conforming Puzzle Mechanic To Narrative

Subtle Conveyance

Leading Lines

Framing

Post Mortem

What Went Well

  • I was able to take and implement feedback into my design.

What Went Wrong

  • Integrating puzzle elements into combat encounters.

  • Difficulty in nailing down the core gameplay early.

  • Spent too much time refining layout instead of gameplay.

What I Learned

  • Gameplay iteration is crucial for creating a fun and engaging level.

  • Nail Down core Gameplay as quickly as possible.

Full Gameplay