Surgeon Simulator 2 (PC)
Level Design
As a Lead Level Designer on Surgeon Simulator 2, it was my responsibility to deliver a full Campaign Mode experience working closely with the Lead Designer, Lead Artist and Narrative Writer.
After delivering on a Campaign Mode, I continued to contribute an abundant amount of levels to SS2's User Generated Content platform, DLC, and coordinated Marketing driven events.
Building Levels in Surgeon Simulator 2
I made levels in SS2 using the in-game level design tools, also known as Creation Mode.
These tools allowed for voxel based selection, push and pull, in order to block out and define play spaces, as well as applying textures to the voxel surfaces.
Create mode also contained a catalogue which held all of the placeable props and textures. Placing props was done on a grid base system, similar to Unreal Engine.
Gameplay logic was scripted using Circuit mode which is akin to a visual scripting language such as Blueprint; connecting nodes with wires to create behaviours, conditionals, and functionality.
An in-depth look at Surgeon Simulator 2's Creation Mode.
Campaign Level: Seeing Double
Below are some comparisons between my blockout with scripted gameplay and the final shipped versions.
In the starting area, the player is trying to gain access to Kamal's secret lab. I wanted to add an element of security to evoke secrecy by adding a locked door puzzle. Creating this moment influenced some of the dialogue spoken by Kamal in this level. To solve the puzzle, players have to power a fuse box which gives out a power reading, this power reading is the same code required to open the locked door.
When players gain access to Kamal's small office space, I added a classic hidden passage moment where a bookshelf conceals a hidden path that takes players to the secret lab area. Players have to use their awkward hand to move the bookshelf out and away from the wall to reveal the hidden passage.
This is the secret lab reveal where players can see two Bob Stations side by side for the first time. Wooden boards are laid across them so they look defunct but if players remove the boards they can power the Bob Stations which unveils a significant story beat.
The pipework and exposed circuitry props (used for scripting the game) are all laid out and exposed to the player. For the most part, these are hidden from the player throughout the campaign. However, in a meta sense, we start to show them to the player as they slip behind the scenes. It also familiarises players with these props as they will use the exact same props to create their own levels.
Most of the diagnostic scanners (the screen with an image of Bob, pictured above) have been static or have had their own pedestals for the scanner to sit on. In this room, because it's not an official surgery room, I wanted it to feel makeshift, hence the use of other props such as small tables or surgical wheelie trays to be used as pedestals for the scanner.
As the player unlocks a door to the next section using one of the Bob's sawn off heads, they stumble into an older part of Bossa Labs (the setting for SS2). I wanted to create this sense of a multi-tiered area which is essentially a setup for a traversal beat.
This traversal section requires the player to operate some wheels in the fashion of a turnstile and a hand crank. These two wheels move platforms into place, allowing the player to bridge gaps and create platforms for them to hop along in a stair-like climb to the top.
The rest of the level requires the players to gather limbs by using a peggle-style machine and perform the necessary surgery on both Bob's to heal them, revealing another significant story beat to close out the level.
Thanks for reading!
