Wolfenstein 2: The Freedom Chronicles

Play as new larger-than-life American heroes Joseph Stallion, Jessica Valiant, and Gerald Wilkins!​

Overview

Game Info

Name: Wolfenstein 2: The Freedom Chronicles
Developers: Escalation Studios & Machine Games
Role: Level Designer
Type: FPS/Action
Engine: idTech
Released: March 12, 2018 

Features

  • Brand new areas
  • A cast of new characters
  • New challenges to tackle
  • ​Even more nazi killing action

Design

High Concept

Your mission to liberate America from the Nazis has only just begun. Play as 3 unique characters in these thrilling new tales!

Summary

[DLC 1] Play as the unbreakable Joseph Stallion, a former professional quarterback forced to play soccer by the Nazis! Using your Ram Shackles ability, smash through hordes of Nazi soldiers from the ruins of Chicago to the vastness of space!

[DLC 2] Play as former OSS agent and assassin, Jessica Valiant, AKA Agent Silent Death! Hot on the trail of a sinister plot, Valiant finds herself in the offices of Paragon Pictures, Tinseltown film studio turned Nazi propaganda machine.
​
[DLC 3] Gun down Nazi enemies as US Army Captain Gerald Wilkins! On the run since the Nazi war machine leveled Manhattan with an atom bomb, Wilkins returns home to reunite with an old comrade and dismantle the deadliest weapon ever made: the Sun Gun.

Design Goals

  • Create a level for each of the different characters based upon their unique abilities.​
    • ​Joseph Stallion: Can sprint into enemies, killing or knocking them down. Can also smash through tall vents and cracked walls.​
      • ​To get the most out of this ability, we designed levels to have main paths with side paths being blocked by barricades that could be smashed through. This rewarded players who used his ability with flanking paths and more maneuverability in the arenas.
    • Captain Wilkins: Can double-tap spacebar to extend his stilt boots and reach higher areas.
      • ​For exploration and pathing, we usually placed catwalks at the correct high for the stilts and removed railing and added indicators for players so that they realized they could reach that area.
      • This ability was a bit trickier for combat. To make the most of this, we added cover that was chest-height when the stilts were extended. We also made many branching paths that allowed players to reach higher areas to flank enemies.
  • Make it feel "pulpy" and fun. These are supposed to be comic books that a resistance fighter wrote and now you're embodying them those characters.

Responsibilities

  • Oversaw initial concept, whitebox, and overall creation of multiple levels; including a demo level.
  • Designed engaging combat scenarios featuring multiple possibilities for players to deploy their special abilities in.
  • Work under story and time constraints with another studio across the globe.
  • Levels created:
    • ​Freedom Chronicles Episode Zero
    • Gunslinger Joe: Volume 1 - Captured
    • The Deeds of Captain Wilkins: Volume 2 - Kodiak Island
    • Initial blockout of Agent Silent Death: Volume 2 - Paragon Film Studios
  • Worked with artists on design and mood of the levels.
    • ​Also helped with prop and set dressing.

Gunslinger Joe: Volume 1 - Captured

Design Goals

  • This being the first level, we needed to set the tone for the DLC.
  • We also needed to tutorialize the new ability for this character.
    • ​I added many tall vents and cracked walls with objective markers on them that completely blocked progress until they were broken through. These required the players to figure out which things they could bust through to progress or find new paths.​​

Summary

In this level, the players start out captured in a Nazi prison where they conduct gruesome and cruel experiments on the prisoners. You begin in a cell and must bust your way out through a cracked wall. 

As you progress, you encounter more enemies and collect more weapons, eventually reaching a Panzerhund garage were you are able to mount and control a mechanized dog that spits fire. You go on a rampage through the city streets outside, burning down any enemies that stand in your way. 

The resistance has been hiding in a hotel across the city, once you reach it you find out that Nazis have taken over. You attempt to reach the resistance but are captured once again - ending the level.

The Deeds of Captain Wilkins: Volume 2 - Kodiak Island

Design Goals

  • Continue to play upon and enhance what players can do with this character's ability.
  • Continue with the style of over-the-top storytelling and antics.
  • Create an engaging level with an old-school action movie style ending.
  • Add in a moving train as an obstacle and cover in an explosive and engaging fight sequence.

Summary

Players start out in a Nazi base on Kodiak Island after having just successfully infiltrated a submarine base to reach the island. Their goal: destroy the Nazi supercannons capable of destroying vast swaths of land.

After taking out the initial guards and mechanized enemies, players eventually reach the first supercannon control room. Here, players can use a simple interactable that allows them to turn a smaller cannon and then fire it at the supercannon, destroying it in a massive explosion.

Upon reaching the second cannon, you learn that your buddy has betrayed you and now you must destroy the cannon in a different way. You reach a munitions center where you escort a cannon shell down train tracks through three different arena-style rooms full of enemies. At the end, you sabotage the ammo and blow up the supercannon - saving yourself, the other resistance member helping you, and Alaska.