Dev Blog #5: Designing a Breathtaking Open World
Creating a game’s world isn’t just about aesthetics. There’s a purpose and meaning behind every design decision. Our game aims to invite you to slow down, look around, and most of all: linger in beauty.
When designing Alderwood we ask ourselves: what does the island mean to the players and people who inhabit it? Is it a place to explore, spend time with friends, or simply a place to bask in wonder? This human-focused approach underpins every design decision.
In this development blog, we're sharing what our world design process looks like!
Meet our World Team
This is the World team responsible for making our levels! Artists create the textures and assets of the world while Designers shape the world and spaces between places.
Among the Artists:
Tobias provides technical solutions and tools as our tech artist and creates art for our environments
Florian sets the stage for our upcoming locations by creating concepts
Evelina & Faranak are often entrusted to build setpiece locations from scratch
With the Designers:
Michiel & Ellie shape the world from concept to its final form, from roads and shortcuts to locations and their reveals.
How We Use Block Outs
Every space in Alderwood starts out as a rough design, called a block out. At this initial stage, we use simple geometric shapes - like cubes and planes - to test scale, flow, gameplay, and layout. Restricting ourselves to a handful of intentional elements helps us nail down the direction and mood of a level before adding more detailed art.
Early design isn’t about perfection: it’s about readability. Large spaces are divided into smaller themes, and each are built individually to ensure that they communicate clear direction to players.
Landmarks That Encourage Exploration
Once the foundation is established, a deeper philosophy can start to take root: intrinsic guidance. We rarely tell players explicitly what to do or where to go, and this is an intentional design choice! Instead, landmarks play a critical role in motivating players to explore. In our Five Sister's ride island, five Megaliths tower in the distance and serve as sign posts to guide players.
A lot of our inspiration comes from the real world, where even a lone tree can serve as the only guidance in a vast open space. Sticking to this principle gives players the freedom to wander without ever truly feeling lost.
“In the Sahara Desert, there was something called the loneliest tree, which was in the middle of nowhere… For Sahara truckers, it was a landmark to kind of tell you hey, you've reached this point.” -Michiel, Lead Level Designer
Building Curious Horizons
We must balance that sense of freedom, though: we never want to visually overwhelm intrepid explorers. We try to limit ourselves to several prominent landmarks at a time so that players can clearly track their options. This fosters a sense of orientation and curiosity instead of confusion.
“One of the most insightful things I was ever told is from architecture: When designing a courtyard, don't pave it, grow grass. Then in a year or two, pave the resulting pathways that become apparent.” -Michiel, Lead Level Designer
Building the Future of Alderwood
Going forward, our ambition remains the same: to give players the space to experience Alderwood in their own way. We’re creating new landscapes and opportunities for breathtaking exploration - all designed with our players in mind. Our newest location is our most exciting one yet and will bring you closer to the truth behind Alderwood's mysteries. We can’t wait for y’all to experience it for yourselves.
“I've been loving the community's response to the environment. When I have the time I like to go through the picture galleries and see where players are drawn for joy or take account of places not shown so I can think of ways to improve them.” -Michiel, Lead Level Designer
