PATRICK MURPHY Level Designer
First Person Shooter - Multiplayer
Battlefield V is the game that returns to the original World War 2 setting of the franchise. However, just like with Battlefield 1, the mantra of the game was “untold, unplayed, unseen” and the intent has been to provide players with fresh experiences.
As part of this focus, a snowy and mountainous Norwegian setting was chosen to be a part of the game. I was tasked with designing the multiplayer level Fjell 652 which is set in this rather uncommon environment. As a longtime fan of the Battlefield games, this was a thrilling challenge. Trying to get the Battlefield formula right in such a unique setting was tricky but fun!
In addition to my work on Fjell 652, I also designed the Airborne mode on the urban map Rotterdam.
First / Third Person Shooter - Multiplayer
Battlefront II is the second game in DICE's rebooted Star Wars Battlefront franchise. In addition to multiplayer, the game features a campaign and a dedicated space battles mode.
For this project, I joined the multiplayer team and my main responsibility was to tackle the design of the Starkiller Base level. It was both exciting and challenging to work within the framework of the Star Wars universe. To combine the iconic visuals from the movie with great gameplay required a lot of tinkering and testing.
In addition to designing Starkiller for the primary mode Galactic Assault, I also worked with translating the level for the smaller game modes like Heroes versus Villains. I also assisted in creating the layout for Yavin IV.
First Person Shooter - Cooperative
PAYDAY 2 is a co-operative shooter where you and your friends rob banks and partake in various criminal activities. It is designed to be highly replayable.
The level design style of PAYDAY 2 is fairly unique. The levels are scripted, but are not overly directed and don't hold the players' hand every step of the way. The layouts tend to be less linear and usually offer different paths and freedom of movement.
The most important aspect of PAYDAY 2 level design is randomisation, which keeps levels interesting even after a dozen playthroughs. I spent many years on PAYDAY 2 and shipped a large quantity and variety of levels.
BASE GAME
Joining the team in the middle of production, I quickly learned the Diesel editor and was tasked with designing and scripting five of the game's original levels: the second level of the "Rats" heist as well as four of the game's escape levels.
After release, we started work on our extensive series of DLC's. These DLC's contain the vast majority of my level design content (see below).
DLC: ELECTION DAY
A corrupt senator recruits the PAYDAY crew in order help him win an election. The crew set their sights on a shipment of voting machines...
The Election Day is a heist that consists of three new levels. I had the main responsibility for the design and scripting of all three. The heist can be completed in stealth or with guns blazing, which created some very difficult, but interesting, design challenges during development.
DLC: HOXTON BREAKOUT
The PAYDAY gang frees a crew member from custody and spearheads a daring break-in at the FBI HQ in order to recover critical information.
I was responsible for the FBI HQ (the heist's second level). This heist is 100% focused on combat, which allowed us to craft everything to suit this style of gameplay. The end result was one of the most intense and popular heists of the game.
DLC: THE DIAMOND
A local museum is asking for trouble when they display a diamond worth hundreds of millions of dollars...
The Diamond heist tasks players with retrieving the titular gem. To reach it they must bypass a set of carefully designed security systems and an Indiana Jones style puzzle. I was responsible for the design, scripting and parts of the layout.
DLC: HOXTON'S REVENGE
The PAYDAY crew tracks down an FBI informant that is threatening to expose them. Only problem is that he's held in a secure safehouse...
The design priority of Hoxton Revenge was stealth, even though it's possible to complete guns blazing. One of the key goals was to make it extremely replayable for stealth enthusiasts, which is why the level is one of the most heavily randomised levels in the game.
DLC: BIKER HEIST
The PAYDAY crew intercepts a moving freight train that a biker gang is using to smuggle valuables. High octane action ensues!
Creating a fun, replayable and randomised train level was quite the challenge. After a lot of prototyping and iteration, I decided to design a system where the train, i.e. what type of train cars it consists of, gets generated each playthrough! This is the second level of the Biker Heist.
DLC: POINT BREAK HEISTS
A shady mercenary reaches out to the PAYDAY gang and offers them the opportunity to take part in two daring heists. They accept the offer.
When I was tasked with designing these two heists, I was given a lot of creative freedom when it came to setting, theme and objectives. As part of my vision, I decided to focus on momentum and action since a lot of PAYDAY 2 heists lean on extended defensive sections. To give the heists that epic feel, I designed set pieces that were over-the-top but still respected the replayable nature of PAYDAY 2.
The Point Break Heists DLC was very well-received by the community and quickly became the highest rated heist DLC for PAYDAY 2 so far.
AGENCY
Counter Strike: Global Offensive Level
Included in official Operation Map Packs
Agency is a Hostage Rescue level made for CS:GO. The map was made in collaboration with Rick Underhill, who made the art for the level. A significant amount of iteration went into it's design. The big challenge was getting the Counter Strike formula just right. Every angle and every path had to be considered carefully. We wanted to create an excellent level, not just a decent one.
After it's release on the Workshop, it was almost immediately picked up by Valve for use in the Operation Bravo map pack (Operations are time-limited map packs). After the end of Operation Bravo, it was voted back in the game by the community, appearing in Operation Phoenix. Owing to it's popularity, it was brought back again in Operation Bloodhound and Operation Hydra, making it the only level so far to be included four times.
UPDATE: On November 13th 2017, the level was added to the main game.
BREACH
Counter Strike: Global Offensive Level
Breach is a Bomb Defusal level made for CS:GO. It started out as a conversion of Agency (which is a Hostage Rescue level), but matured into a brand new level with a fresh setting and layout, while still sharing plenty of DNA with it's spiritual predecessor.
The layout of the level was heavily playtested and iterated before release, as the ambition was to provide a thrilling and unique battleground for competitive play. Once the design was completed, art assets and environment art was handled by Jan Gortnar.
Upon release, the level was favorably received on the Workshop and it was ultimately added to the game in an update on July 31st 2019. In November 2019, the map received an overhaul and the new version was used for a showmatch during Intel Extreme Masters Beijing. The development of the level is still ongoing and on July 24th 2022, a remaster was finalized and released as Breach 2.0.
Miniature Wargame
Renegades is a miniature wargame, which means it is played in-person, on a tabletop, using miniatures to represent one's soldiers!
The rulebook for the game is free and available online, with a modest and optional physical box available for purchase.
With this hobby/passion-project, I created a product which I could use to experiment with game design more broadly and expand my skill set in the process.
Creating a full game experience while keeping flow, complexity, balance and other variables in mind was challenging but fun!
Portal 2 Campaign
Designed for Danger is a story-driven Portal 2 campaign. It consists of eight levels that provide players with one to two hours of playtime. It mixes regular puzzle chambers with story moments and exploration sections. Download it here! Watch it here!
With Designed for Danger, I learned more about SP level design while also getting knee-deep in puzzle creation! The design was iterated heavily before release.
Designed for Danger has been well received on the Steam Workshop, where it promptly entered the "Top rated of all time"-list and has been enjoyed by more than 250 000 gamers so far.
If you want to see a bunch of screaming Youtubers competing against eachother on the fifth level of the campaign, click here!
Half Life 2 Campaign
Precursor is set in City 17 prior to the events of Half Life 2. You assume the role of a resistance fighter during a Combine crackdown. Your goal is to evade your pursuers and flee the city. At the same time, a mysterious force is working towards ends unknown. Download it here! Watch it here!
Precursor was my first, humble foray into single player level creation. It was a great learning experience, primarily as a study into pacing, gameplay and narrative.
Despite it's modest ambitions, Precursor was very well received by the community.
9/10
