MaskedOrchid

Technical Artist, Artist, Developer

Forgotten dragon

Summer of 2024, Level Design

Forgotten Dragon is a single-player walking, linear level in which the player has to traverse an old and abandoned dungeon that seems damaged by a great fight or war after receiving a quest to slay the dragon who resides in this dungeon. Along the way they see a thriving ecosystem of decomposers, wiggling and darting around between the landscape. As the player traverses they unfold the story of the dungeon learning that this place is not what it seems.

A series of brainstorming drawings planning out a dragon skeleton themed level design
Forgotten Dragon level concept
Dragon Skull Building Concept art experimenting with the different angles and layouts.
Dragon Skull Building Concept art experimenting with the different angles and layouts.

All models were made by me, and the skull was made for the 3D Modeling class that this project inspired me to make. The image textures were downloaded from Polyhaven for free.

The scope of this level is a one-way linear path guided by lights and the slow unveiling of information through this dungeon. The goal is to test the overall narrative design and pacing before adding more costly features that would test skills, such as lockpicking and sword fighting already received by the player.

A screenshot of the starting area with the quest giver’s sign and the pelvic bone of the dragon.
A screenshot of the door showing maggots, the first set of doors, and a speartip all placed roughly in the middle section.
The dragon’s skull and the grand reveal, the dragon you have been sent to kill has been head for years, killed by some higher force with spears, and this dungeon is just the rotting remains of it.

A demo of Forgotten Dragon Level is on Itch.io.