Level Design Document: The Canyon

Overview An American special agent only known as Kane have orders to infiltrate a terrorist base hidden deep into the Afghanistan desert, once there he got to assassinate the terrorist leader Husam al Din. There is strong evidence that the terrorist group Rayhan have got their hands on a nuclear missile. This is a single player game in 3rd person view.

Goal The main goal in this mission is to Infiltrate and assassinate the fanatic terrorist Husam al Din (Sword of the faith), he is the leader of an extreme terrorist group calling themselves Rayhan (favored by God) A full frontal attack on the terrorist base is impossible so Kane got to take the back entrance and sneak through a deep canyon that serves as a terrorist hideout. Somewhere in the canyon he will be contacted by Merzad, an informant who will help Kane reach the main terrorist base, located at the top of the canyon. Kane also have to take care of a sniper and shut down a power generator on his way through the canyon. The player has to use stealth, distractions and silent kills to succeed. Kane can only assassinate Husam al Din if he is unnoticed, if any of the terrorists start firing their weapons the rest of the terrorist base is notified and the mission fail and the player have to try again from the last reached checkpoint.

Difficulty This map is the sixth mission so the player is familiar with how to control Kane and that stealth is very important. The player also already knows how the game behaves and how to control Richard, the sniper helping Kane in this mission. This is the first map that the player has to climb and rappel down a cliff, the player use normal walking keys but the movement still got to be explained to the player.

This is also the first outdoor night map, the player need to realize the importance of staying outside the flashlight and security light beams. The player got to understand that the mission will fail if Kane i spotted or if an enemy fire there weapon, alerting others, this makes the game harder, but to avoid frustration there are several checkpoints.

Time and place: This mission takes place in the white mountains locally known as Spn Ghar of eastern Afghanistan desert, modern times. The attack on the terrorist base occurs during the darkest hours of the night.

Mood and Atmosphere Its a very dark night, the desert sand and canyon rock is still warm, everything is dusty, here and there are some dry plants trying to survive the harsh desert climate. Kane is deep into enemy territory and terrorists are everywhere, he cannot afford any mistake or his death will be certain. He has to plan every move carefully, observe enemy movements and strike at the right time. Rayhan is such a fanatical terrorist group, if this mission fail, fear, death and destruction await us all. Each enemy carries a flashlight and the light beam got to be avoided. The light beam show where the terrorist is looking so the player know where he can or cant walk, it is very important to be aware of where enemies are facing to stay alive. The player is used to more powerful weapons by now but on this mission Kane only got a garrote and a silenced gun against heavily armored terrorists. This makes the player feel less powerful. The player will feel panic and fear. Sneaking around and killing enemies that might turn around and reveal you any second will cause allot of tension. The darkness and narrow canyon will create a sense of claustrophobic feeling.

Pacing This level will be rather slow paced as you need to sneak around and plan each kill carefully a stealth approach is vital. The level will be exiting from the start as Kane have to avoid a search light and discover its movement pattern to get down. Then the player is faced with his first enemy for the mission directly after. The start also features allot of interesting conversations and the player has to stop a sniper early in the game. The middle of the game is kept exiting with the destruction of the power generator, the meeting with the informant and the player will potentially have to face enemies that wake up while you kill a terrorist nearby making the middle part slightly harder. During the last part of the mission the twist with the informant betrayal and the cut scene with the terrorist leader add allot of interest to the level. To finally be inside the main terrorist base and more sniper rifle action add excitement. The end also gets harder as Kane has to face several enemies at once. Avoiding the flash light will add tension to the entire game.

The final cinematic should be epic with explosions and gunfire... an entire sneak mission without any heavy gun fire sounds followed by cinematic full of action will make sure that the ending is exiting and powerful.

Map

Detailed Walkthrough Minute by Minute Mission briefing where the player get some back story and information about the terrorist group calling themselves Rayhan as well as their fanatic leader, Husam al Din. The player is shown satellite images of the terrorist base and the canyon as well as some photographs of Husam al Din. There is also information about the undercover informant who the player will meet inside the canyon. Intro scene: (Shown on screen) 02:04, White Mountains: Spn Ghar, eastern Afghanistan desert. Kane (player) and another agent is crawling through the warm desert sand and some dry foliage, its very dark everywhere except for where the bright light beams from guard towers point, there its almost daylight instead. The military agent crawling beside Kane got a silenced sniper rifle on his back, suddenly he takes off in another direction, heading towards some larger bushes. After a while they hear a harsh voice in their headphones, Kane recognize the voice instantly as there officer. - Headquarters: All right boys listen up, we got three hours until sunrise, and an assault on the terrorist base during daylight would be suicide. According to our inside man there will be very limited resistance for you Kane, most of the terrorists should be sleeping, stealth is extremely important, this mission will fail if you are detected. This is Richard, Im in position Rodger that, Kane you are clear to proceed

- Sniper: - Headquarters:

Kane crawls towards the edge of the canyon, attach his rope to a tree and begins to rappel down into the deep canyon. End of intro scene.

Level start: The player starts hanging in the rope against the canyon cliff wall, one of the guard towers seems to have their light beam searching around at the area where Kane needs to rappel down. Here the player needs to climb around and use good timings to avoid the light beam to finally get all the way down into the canyon. (The player cant walk up into the open desert area again using this rope.) When Kane is at the bottom of the canyon he whispers: - Kane (Player): - Headquarters: All right, Im down. Good, now remember to stay undetected, hide in the shadows and avoid the terrorist guards if possible, otherwise kill them silently.

About fifteen meters from where Kane got down the first enemy appear, he is standing with his back against the player, a cigarette glowing in one of his hands and a flashlight in the other, his AK-47 rifle is hanging over his shoulder. Kane have to kill him to continue. Every enemy carries a flashlight that shows the player where his enemies are facing. It is important that Kane stays outside the light beams from the flashlights and guard tower light beams. If a flashlight is pointing at the player he got a very short time to hide or kill the guard before its too late. The player got a silenced pistol that's good at medium to close range and a garrote to strangle enemies from behind with, both silent. The gun require a head shot for an instant (silent) kill or two fast body shots to kill an enemy, with two body shots the enemy makes a low death sound that might alert nearby enemies. The garrote is used to strangle the victim and have to be used from behind, it is always a instant and silent kill. Once the first terrorist is killed there is yet another guard controlling a security light in front of the player, checking the cliff sides for enemies. When Kane approach this second guard Richard (the sniper) contacts the player. - Sniper(Richard): Kane, watch out! There is a sniper in the tower above you, Im afraid he might have noticed me moving, he keeps aiming his rifle over here. This is surveillance, we are monitoring all there communications, the terrorist sniper have not yet notified anyone about seeing you Richard... Kane, according to our radar you should be close to the security light inside the canyon, take control of it to temporarily blind the enemy sniper so Richard can take him out safely.

- Headquarters:

Objective 1 (Sniper): Now Kane have to kill the second guard and aim the security light at the guard tower above. The camera and movement of Kane then freeze and the player takes control of Richards sniper scope view to take out the terrorist sniper. Objective complete.

The player gain control if Kane again and can continue forward. Now he have to sneak over to a huge rock, crawl over to some nearby bushes to kill yet another terrorist, this guard walks around the bushes and turns around now and then so its important that the player stays outside the guards field of view, after a while he stops at one of the bushes to take a leak, a perfect time to strike! Behind a box and some barrels nearby is yet another terrorist standing. This one could be avoided if crawling but seldom move so he is also a quite easy target. The player now approaches a small, almost dried out river and some foliage to hide in. Following the river Kane soon finds himself in front of a very tight area in the canyon partly closed off with sandbags, barbed wire and a guard facing Kane's direction most of the time. Here the player got to act fast and use his silenced gun as soon as the terrorist turns away for a brief moment.

Following the river Kane is moving forward to the first terrorist camp, there are two tents and a lone guard, up on the cliff edge is a watch tower with a search light that sometimes sweep over the camp area. - Headquarters: Kane, it will be almost impossible to attack the camp with that search light, there should be a power generator nearby. A few bullets from your gun should shut it down.

Objective 2 (Power generator): Nearby the first terrorist camp are a power generator that has to be destroyed (using the silenced pistol) to be able to get past the first terrorist camp.

When the player approaches the first camp he hears snoring from one of the tents. If the player fails to kill the terrorist silently the one sleeping in the tent will wake up and run towards Kane with a combat knife. Moving on in the canyon Kane finds yet another guard area closed off with sandbags, barbed wire and defended by one terrorist. This enemy is not facing the player so it should be an easy kill.

Objective 3 (Informant): The canyon opens up slightly and there is a cave with supplies in the left canyon wall. The informant called Merzad is on the right and contacts Kane in bad English with a Persian accent. - Informant (Merzad): Kane, over here! My name is Merzad, I will help you to get inside the main terrorist base. But its too risky to speak here, I cant be seen with you, head over to the cave at the opposite canyon wall, I will meet you there shortly. Once at the cave Merzad talks to the player again. - Informant (Merzad): We cant talk for long, if you follow the river there is a cliff wall blocking your way, climb the ladders there but be careful, there is usually a guard at the cliff edge. I will head up to the main base and bring down the lift for you. - Kane (Player): help. Thank you Merzad! This mission would not be possible without your

- Informant (Merzad): What can I say, your officers pay me pretty well. Merzad walks away and the payer can continue up the river to the ladders. When climbing the ladder the player can hear a transmission (in Persian) to the guards walkie talkie on top of the cliff, Kane soon receives a translation in his headphone. - Headquarters: Kane this is surveillance, the terrorist have somehow found out about our mission! Husam al Din just told all his guards to keep their eyes open for American soldiers. They don't seem aware of tonight's attack but be careful. Husam al Din is on his way to the terrorist base and should arrive shortly to inspect the nuclear missile.

From now on enemies look around a bit more making it slightly harder for the player to kill the terrorists. Kane have to time it right, climb up and kill the guard on the cliff wall and pushes forward to the second terrorist camp inside the canyon. (Kane is still inside the canyon but have now climbed halfway up.) There are two enemies at the second camp and a sleeping terrorist in one of the tents. These terrorists both got there backs against the player until Kane reach the bushes nearby the camp, then one of them gets up, walks towards the player to take a leak in the bushes, he will

notice Kane after a while unless killed fast, the other terrorist wont notice him die if the kill was instant. If the player fails to kill the terrorists at the second camp silently the one sleeping in the tent might wake up and run towards the player with a combat knife. After Killing the terrorists at the second camp there is a cut scene.

Cut scene: Merzad (the informant) brings down the lift for you.

- Informant (Merzad): Get in quick! Husam al Din is here any second now Kane enters the lift and Merzad push the button that makes them start going up to the main terrorist base. Suddenly Merzads walkie talkie recieve another message in Persian. Merzads eyes widen, they look cold... almost evil. He put one hand inside his pocket, pulls out a small gun and points it towards Kane. - Informant (Merzad): Husam al Din just put a price on your head Kane, a price your American officers cant match... nothing personal, but Im going to have to kill you now... business you know.

Already holding the silenced pistol in his hand Kane reacts instantly and puts a bullet in Merzads head and throws him of the lift just before it arrive at the top of the canyon, inside the terrorist base. Kane hides behind some sandbags as a truck enters the base. The terrorist leader Husam al Din leaves the vehicle and is escorted into one of the tents by two guards, one stay outside the tent guarding the front entrance the other one follow his leader inside the tent. End of cut scene. - Headquarters: - Kane (Player): - Sniper (Richard): Kane are you all right? We herd everything! Yeah, I had to get rid of the greedy informant Glad your still alive Kane. I took over the watch tower you destroyed the searchlight on earlier. From here I can take out the guards in the watch towers at the front of the terrorist base. Good Richard, then we will send in reinforcements from the front, as soon as Husam al Din is killed they will enter the base and kill any surviving terrorists, secure the bomb and pick you two up.

- Headquarters:

The player gets to use Richardss sniper scope view again to kill the guards in all three guard towers at the base entrance. Now the player can chose between two routes. Route 1 Through the main base area: The guards in the watch towers at the front of the base is killed making this route possible. The player have to kill the first guard at the sleeping tent close to the lift, avoid being seen by the terrorist at the base front entrance, and kill the guard outside the terrorist leaders tent to enter it.

Route 2 Side route Through the sleeping tent: There is a side entrance to the sleeping tent near the lift that lets the player exit at the back of the tent, this allows Kane to skip killing the enemy's inside the base and take the long way around the camel fence and enter the terrorist leaders tent from the back. This will be a safer way around but there is a chance some sleeping terrorists wake up (at least one will wake up) and try to stab the player. Both routes get the player into the same tent as the terrorist leader. Here the player got to kill the guard and Husam al Din, when they are dead a cut scene starts.

Cut scene: A small tank, two military jeeps, a huge truck and a helicopter attack the front of the terrorist base, Kane and Richard joins in the fight crushing the remaining terrorist forces. The helicopter picks up both Kane and Richard while the nuclear missile is loaded on to the truck. MISSION SUCCESSFUL! End of level.