Zoo Escape
A Third Person stealth Adventure
Introduction
For this project, I set out to create an immersive and holistic adventure set in a zoo. You play as the human companion of a rescued, orphaned Fox—your closest friend. But when authorities capture your fox and send it to the zoo, your mission is to find your friend, reunite, and escape together. Using teamwork, stealth, and quick thinking, you must navigate the zoo and evade guards to secure your freedom.
ai companion
scripted events
stealth encounters
Breakdown
-
6 weeks half-time (4 hours/day)
-
Made using Unreal Engine 5.5
-
Focus on Scripted Events, Worldbuilding and Stealth Encounters.
All scripts and assets are made by me except following:
-
Blockout Tools Plugin
-
Game Animation Sample
-
African + Animal variety packs
-
Mixamo Animations
Overview
Map Legend
Start / End
Vent
Locked Door
Chair Lift
Lift Zipline
Flume Ride
2. vista of zoo park
5. back alley
4. fox exhibit
7. zoo entrance
1. player start
end of cable lift
3. zoo border
6. aquarium
9. cable lift
8. flume ride
Flowchart
1. Sees fox entering zoo
2. Reveal of zoo park
3. Sneaking into the zoo
4. Rescuing fox
5. Alarm gets triggered
6. Sneaking past guards inside the Aquarium
7. Guards storming through the entrance
8. Escaping guards using the Flume Ride
9. Getting to the Cable Lift to escape the Zoo
Tension
Tension graph
Reveal of zoo
sees fox
Sneak into zoo
rescue fox
alarm trigger
aquarium
storming entrance
flume ride
cable lift
escape zoo
progression
design techniques & walkthrough
Introduction (Ki)
From a vantage point in the woods, the player watches through binoculars as a truck arrives at the zoo, carrying their pet fox. This intro builds narrative and establishes the main objective. Moving forward, the player eases into their controls and gets an establishing shot of the zoo.
Development (sho)
The tension spikes as the player sneaks into the zoo, vaulting a fence only to land in an alligators exhibit.
After a narrow escape, a sign reveals the newly opened fox exhibit, pushing the narrative forward.
Upon finding and rescuing their pet using given mechanics the player learns, a guard notices its absence and triggers the alarm. Red lights are flashing and guards are now on the lookout for the player. This sets the suspense high and changes the circumstances.
Reaching the aquarium, the space is dark; a contrast to the other areas. It is full of guards patrolling around, encouraging stealth as well as to get help from the fox to distract them.
twist (ten)
When exiting the aquarium, the player find themselves right at the zoo entrance. But just as they approach, trucks full of guards come storming in, blocking their exit. I intentionally wanted to subvert the player's expectations by denying this exit, to make the actual escape more rewarding.
With enemies closing in from all sides, the player must react quickly. Soon they reach the Flume Ride taking them to safety, but also deeper into the zoo.
conclusion (ketsu)
Finally, the player exits the ride and arrives at the cable lift they saw in the beginning. The area is covered by guards, making the player and their companion use teamwork to evade them one final time, catching the lift before they get captured.
The two friends escape the zoo together and are safely reunited once again.
Bait & switch
I baited the player to a locked door to then make them turn back and notice a new path foward, leading to a back alley. This specific door works as a mid-term goal that the player will get to later.
I have also included this technique when showing the player an establishing shot of the zoo. When they walk towards the vista, there is no other way but to turn back, revealing a path ahead.
guiding the player
Using movement, I can guide the player in the right direction. I did this by having a zoo truck drive past the player, their eyes following its path towards the cable lift.
In addition, I have framed point of interests and funneled the player towards them using the level's geometry, guards and zoo visitors. This way, I can achieve an immersive player experiance that feels seamless and organic.
contrast in space
By introducing an area like the aquarium, that contrasts the rest with its distinct lighting, colors and tighter spaces, this was an effective way to prevent visual fatigue.
This mid-game shift keeps the experience fresh, increasing the tension and engagement for the player.
landmark
In the beginning of the level, the player is introduced to the Cable Lift, working both as a landmark and foreshadow of the end where they ride it out of the zoo. Seeing it throughout the level helps build the player's mental map.
When taking the cable lift out, the player has turned 180 degrees, rewarding their progression by seeing all previous areas they earlier were at.
Blueprints
player mechanics
move-to marker
With the move-to marker, the player can order their pet to help them assist tricky situations. When selecting an interactive object, it orders their friend to reach that point and help the player either distract guards or open locked doors.
Interactive objects themselves are brightly colored in order to communicate its interactablitiy to the player.
vents & crowbar
The crowbar can be found and used to pry open vents.
The player learns this mechanic while rescuing their fox and is later used to make the fox traverse to nearby areas that the player can't reach.
security doors
The security doors can be opened using motion sensors, hence why both the player and the fox can interact with it.
The motion sensors look like a beam of light that checks for motion. They only work if the panel above the door is lit green (red if unlockable)
distraction trash piles
These piles are made to distract guards in order to get through a guarded area. When stepping on it, it creates a loud noise, catching the guards' attention. It can be used either by the player or the fox, depending on the situation. The guards themselves are made using behavior trees.
stealth encounters
1. Back Alley
The first stealth encounter introduces key mechanics in a controlled, low-risk environment, ensuring the player learns without frustration.
Using cover islands and letting the player enter from a safe vantage point, the encounter gives the player a high advantage, letting them retry attempts if needed.
2. Aquarium
When a trash pile is out of reach, the fox must be sent ahead to create a distraction of a nearby guard.
The aquarium setting enhances the stealth experience with its dim, blue and atmospheric lightening. It helps the player familiarize themselves with their mechanics while introducing teamwork, deepening their understanding of their companion's abilities.
3. Cable lift
The final stealth encounter puts the player's skills to the test, with more guards and fewer cover islands. Patrolling and stationed guards make navigation trickier, requiring precise timing and caution from the player.
This final stretch leads to the cable lift where the two friends board the lift and make their escape from the zoo.
Production
pre production
I started this project by finding references for my zoo and the areas with the theme I wanted to make. I did all my pre-production inside Miro where I could gather all resources and take notes during the entire project.
Then I wrote down my level beats and walkthrough of the level in order to aid my visualisation for my level.
Lastly, I sketched several different rough map layouts with the critical path going through the entire level until I felt ready to start building inside Unreal Engine.
player gym
When starting my project in unreal, I created a player gym where I could test features and set metrics before making my blockout.
During my process, I also found it very useful going back and forth when bugtesting my AI's or mechanics.
blockout
After pre-production, I did a rough blockout to establish scale and refine sightlines. Early playtesting helped assess pacing and level flow before refining the design.
As the blockout evolved, I started experimenting with lightening, polishing scripts and creating additional meshes that I felt like would enhance my zoo's identity.
I always made time to playtest, both myself and by others, so that I could make iterations of areas that needed improvement.
REflections
I accomplished many of my personal goals with this project, but most importantly, I was able to express my creativity and personal touch through my level design.
Early on, I realized my initial blockout was too large. After receiving valuable feedback, I reworked the layout, aiming to create a zoo that felt expansive without unnecessary empty space. By trimming excess areas and enriching the level with animal exhibits, closed-off sections, and dense foliage, I shaped a more immersive and believable world.
Another challenge I encountered was maintaining tension throughout the experience. The chase sequence that came after the aquarium set the bar high, making it difficult to top in the finale. While I’m satisfied with the result, adding more intensity to the final stretch could have strengthened the overall pacing.
If I had more time, I would have focused more on deepening the narrative between the player and their companion. Since the entire level revolves around rescuing their friend, a stronger emotional connection, through more intricate teamwork and intimate interactions, could have improved the player's motivation and engagement.
Despite these reflections, creating this piece was an incredibly rewarding and insightful experience. Blending gameplay elements with the identity of the level challenged me in new ways, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process.
Thank you for your time!