Holly Nicholson

Final Year Project

Unity | Third Year | 2022

My Final Year Project is a large side-scrolling run-and-gun that mixes metroidvania style gameplay with a more traditional level based format. As the player progresses into the game, they unlock a wide array of different abilities which can then be taken back to previous levels where new paths are unlocked.Two levels were designed for this game, as well as a small hub world for the player to test their abilities out in. The first level has a large robot chase the player throughout, while also acting as a tutorial level. There is a boss fight against this robot at the end of the level. The second takes place in a large factory with lots of moving parts and multiple alternate paths for the player to discover.

Beta Arcade

Unity | Third Year | 2021

Beta Arcade was a group project where we created Fur-ever After, a split-screen multiplayer party platformer game where the players must collect gems to be crowned the winner. I had the role of design lead for this project, being the one to create the design document (available here) as well as oversee the game's general development.Alongside this, I worked on our initial level "sketch" in Minecraft with our level designer, implemented models into the level, added in spawnpoints for gems, weapons and items, and worked on our group presentations.

Advanced Design Techniques

Unreal Engine 4 | Third Year | 2021

In this project, I was tasked to improve upon an existing mechanic in a game. My choice for the mechanic was a grappling hook, made in Unreal Engine 4. The hook allows options to swing, pull in to wherever has been targeted, and pull objects towards the player, drawing inspriation from games like Bionic Commando and Overwatch.I also made a level to go along with my project. As it wasn't the focus of the project, it is only short and made to show the capabilities of what the player can do.

Upskill

Unreal Engine 4 | Third Year | 2021

My Upskill project was made to help me improve on my blueprinting skills. I created a factory themed level filled with moving parts and obstacles for the Side Scroller template.The objects that I created and blueprinted for this were rising and falling platforms, trapdoors, springs, rolling ball spawners, and large spike walls.

Journeyman

Unreal Engine 4 | Second Year | 2021

In my Journeyman group project, I had the role of level designer. My group made a game based on Castlevania, going off of our task to make a reimagining of an existing game. The level we created was very large and split into 3 sections, one for each level designer on our project.The level I designed is a large castle with many rooms to explore, with a focus on 3D exploration. There are multiple instances of alternate paths and secret areas available by destroying breakable walls to access them. By going on these paths, the player is able to find better rewards. I also designed a version of the level that is closer to the 2D style of Castlevania seen in the original, before shifting to be more based around 3D movement.I also blueprinted a camera system. The camera shifts room by room, only showing the area that the player is currently in. It is able to scroll horizontally but stops at walls ensuring that it won't overlap into any other rooms.

Mission Design

Unreal Engine 4 | Second Year | 2020

My Mission Design project is a game where the player must explore an old mansion crawling with mutant spiders so that they can find a way to escape. My task was to create a level and set tasks for the player to complete in that level, based on an existing game we were provided with. I also did a small amount of blueprinting for objects that weren't provided, such as doors for the house.The player must make their way through 4 rooms infested with spiders, with a final round at the end where the lights go off and spiders spawn and come out of every room at once. Each room has a key for the player to find hidden in it, which they must collect while avoiding taking damage.

Game Development

Unreal Engine 4 | Second Year | 2020

My Game Development project is a 3D Platformer where you play as an egg that rolls around. This was a group project where I took the role of level designer. I created 2 levels alongside a boss level for this game.Taking Super Mario 3D Land as inspiration, I wanted to centre my levels around a certain mechanic and advance it during the level. Levels also have large amounts of space where the player is able to build up momentum. The boss level is a simple square arena, with trees place to obscure the boss and add challenge.

Industry Portfolio Development

Unreal Engine 4 | Second Year | 2021

My Industry Portfolio Development project is a level concept for a first-person stealth game where the player must explore an abandoned fairground and hide behind broken stalls to avoid being seen by the reapers that are after them.The level I created takes place in three sections, with two being outside and one being a maze inside a circus tent. This maze is designed to misdirect the player, with sections where they are teleported so when they turn around they're met with a different layout to what they came from.

Game Interface Design

Unreal Engine 4 | Second Year | 2020

My Game Interface Design project is a UI design for a platformer game. I created a main menu and also a HUD, inspired by New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Kirby: Mouse Attack.The menu is in a 3D environment, changing the camera angle based on what section of the menu the player is in, pulling inspiration from Persona 5. Each screen gets a unique background from the area designed for it, with areas such as character selection using the background as a part of the UI.

Prototyping

Unreal Engine 4 | First Year | 2020

My Prototyping project is a twin-stick shooter where the player has to explore a cavern looking for new upgrades to help them escape. There are 3 different weapons that are spread throughout the level for the player to find and use to progress, inspired by The Legend of Zelda.Alongside the main level, I also created a simple tutorial and an arena for a survival mode, where the player must survive for as long as possible against a constant onslaught of enemies.

Middleware

Unity | First Year | 2020

My Middleware project is a 3D first-person game based on Alice in Wonderland. The player can shoot playing card projectiles and must hit enough targets or enemies to open the entrance to the next area.There are 4 levels that I created for this game. The player starts at Alice's house and must hit targets while falling down a tree trunk, the second level has the player explore a large forest maze, the third is a battle arena where the player must fight enemies, and finally the player returns home to the house and goes to sleep.

Game Design and Mechanics

Concept | First Year | 2019

For my Game Design and Mechanics project, I created a game concept for a game based on an existing movie. My movie choice was The Simpsons Movie, making a game built around Spider-Pig.The concept of the game is the idea of making a 2D platformer that takes away the player's ability to jump, instead giving the ability to scale walls. As well as coming up with the game concept, I also created a level design for it. Buttons are placed around to open doors, springs can be used to bounce across gaps, and "Duff Coins" are available as a hidden collectable for the player to discover in every level.

Visual Scripting

Unreal Engine 4 | First Year | 2019

My Visual Scripting module was my first time using Unreal Engine. In this module, I created a simple 2.5D platformer game using the Side-Scroller template.Through this module, I learnt how to use blueprints, creating enemies and obstacles with it as well as expanding on the player's default movement. The level I designed gives the player multiple paths to go down, with alternate paths being more difficult but offering more collectables or allowing the player to complete the level faster.

Hey there! I'm Holly Nicholson, a recent graduate with a degree in Technical Games Development and a passion for level design.During my time at university, I spent a lot of time developing skills including level design, whiteboxing, C# coding, Unreal Blueprints, and UI/UX design. As a result of this, I'm experienced in both Unreal Engine 4 and Unity.When I'm not working on games, I love looking into the development history of existing games as well as enjoying a large range of media for me to pull inspiration from, whether that's films, TV shows, or of course games. Even from a young age these have given me a love for the medium of games and a dream to work in the industry, which I'm glad to say I am working to make a reality.