The Dark Pictures: The Devil In Me - 2022
Don't Play Alone...
A group of documentary film makers receive a mysterious call inviting them to a modern-day replica of HH Holmes’ ‘Murder Hotel’. But on arrival the crew soon discover they’re being watched and even manipulated, and suddenly there’s much more at stake than just their ratings!
this next instalment of the franchise brings all new features to enhance immersion and reward player exploration even further. You can now interact much more with the world around you and enjoy new exploration actions which enrich this experience. As players tread the detailed and creepy corridors of the murder hotel, they will be able to push and pull objects, as well as run, jump or climb to reach areas that would otherwise have been inaccessible.
​
We also added an inventory system, with each character having a number of tools at their disposal to aid them in their story such as a directional microphone, camera and camera flash, tie pin and reporters pencil, items that will prove very useful over the course of your playthrough. Some objects can even be altered, broken or given to other characters, and some can save a life, or even take it!
And this story is not just about running and hiding.
​
Finally, the critically acclaimed multiplayer modes will be back. Challenge the killer alone or seek safety in numbers with friends, online or by passing the controller in our couch co-op mode. We hope you’ll chose your crew mates well!!
Roles and Responsibilities
-Creating the initial flow using the script as a guide in our 'in-house' Storyboard Tool, Then creating a beat-sheet for the level.
​
- Creating 2D blockouts to accommodate the level beats to help pace and refine the exploration and cinematic moments.
​
- Getting levels prepped for Voice and Mo-Cap Shoots.
​
- Scripting the moment to moment logic to ensure the branching narrative plays out correctly.
- Working in sequencer to select data to order. Implementing animation data and cameras to set up the cinematic moments throughout the game.
- Balancing and adjusting the pacing of sequences ensure the narrative hits the beats of the story. based on playtesting and Game Director Feedback.
-Blocking out the level game space sticking to the 2d plans of The Hotel and Surrounding areas.. Adjusting and tweaking the moment to ensure the beats playout in a logical way and are paced correctly.
Contributions
I Joined The Devil in Me very early on in the Pre-Production stage. A lot of my work in this stage was helping create/design the levels from a level flow blockout to creating 2d maps and adding logic to play these 2d versions, creating dialogue briefs for the writer to fill in with dialogue and writing direction for what the animations we should capture in Mo-Cap.
​
The most notable levels I worked on in the pre-production stage was 'Mannequins', 'Morellos' and 'Maze'
Mannequins - was a level where the crew finds out the killer is making mannequins of the crew. Unbeknown to them the mannequins are made out of real victims. which is revealed when Jamie hits the mannequin of herself after it starts repeating itself and and eyeball pops out.
Morellos - is a level where after the crew is separated by the killer, Kate with or without Erin hear crying in one of the rooms and goes to investigate. Upon investigating the crying it is revealed to be a woman hunched over. As Kate goes to comfort the Woman it is revealed to be a past victim who got turned into a mannequin by the head falling off.
Maze - Is a level near the end of the game where after a confrontation with the killer they are further chased away from the hotel. The get chased into the Hotel gardens where they manage to lose the killer but they then find themselves in a maze where they must navigate the maze to the otherside and escape. Upon leaving the maze they see a stable in the distance but there is a two rows of statues of the killer. Either by investigating the statue that is actually the real killer or making it to the stable door a chase ensues with the characters having to navigate the stables which can result in characters dying if they fail. They manage to make it to the end of the stable and the balcony collapses and the killer and characters are separated once again.
When the Game hit the production phase my role would change to frequent between a Level designer and a Cinematic Designer.
​
My Job from the start was implementing the base level flow, Scripted events such as Jump Scares, Interactions and Triggers for the character Dialogue. It was also using my cinematic Knowledge to set up the sequences with cameras and animation data to help craft the film-like shots that would make up the majority of the game. It would also entail setting up the interactive Sequences too the ones that would be used for the QTE moments present in the game.
​
The Levels I contributed to the most at this stage was 'Opportunity', 'Mannequins', 'Chase' and 'Lighthouse'. I also reworked all the Keepcalms to match the Dark Pictures Spec.
Opportunity
Opportunity is near to the start of the game and I worked on the Cinematics for this level I Worked on the Opening shot of the characters walking in to frame as the arrive to wait for the limo to arrive. The challenge for this was the our Game Director wanted the opening shot to be a one shot sequence. I also worked on a scene inside the limo setting up the animation data and camera shots.
Mannequins
I primarily worked on the Cinematics in Mannequins. Creating the sequences and setting up the camera shots.
Chase
Chase was a level near the end of the game. you are getting chased by the killer which makes it was to the rooftop the crew present gets split and you have to navigate and avoid the killer as you make it to the other side. This action scene is filled with multiple branching and Cinematic gameplay moments that will change the course of the outcome of the level. I worked on Creating the cinematics. making sure the level logic plays out correctly.
Reunion - Mark Branch
Reunion - The Mark Branch is the bit that I worked on the most and it is an action fight scene between you and the killer. Having explored the lighthouse and turned it on you make your was back down and you see the crew converging onto the lighthouse. As this happens the killer comes up behind you and a fight ensues. The fight branches depending how well you do in the fight. The difficulty of doing this fight was ensure every success and fail managed to flow into the correct outcome seamlessly.
Keepcalms
Near the end of development the keepcalms felt a little disjointed and didn't have a style. So I was tasked with going through and reworking all the keep calms to create a standard for Dark Pictures.