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Exlab_P

Survival top-down shooter where an elite soldier, after a helicopter crash, must retrieve samples from a secret laboratory.

Level DesignBlueprintsUnreal Engine 5Top-Down Shooter
RoleLevel Designer, Blueprint Programmer
EngineUnreal Engine 5
GenreSurvival / Top-Down Shooter
TypePrototype
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Open itch.io pageOpen design breakdown

Exlab_P

Exlab_P is a survival top-down shooter. The player explores a research laboratory, collecting keys to unlock different rooms and ultimately retrieving an extraction target within a time limit, while being attacked by waves of enemies.

Genre
Survival / Top-Down Shooter
Type
Prototype
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Tools
Unreal Engine 5, Blueprints, Behavior Trees, Blender, free assets
Role
Level Designer, Blueprint Programmer
Iterations
1

Level Overview & Laboratory Design Highlights

Final Exlab_P in-engine top-down layout

Level overview:

The design goal was to create a top-down shooter map for a zombie game where the player is naturally guided toward key locations. The layout uses rooms, corridors, entrances, and objective areas to create readable movement while still keeping the experience simple, direct, and focused on survival pressure.

Design Goals
Final Exlab_P in-engine top-down layout
Annotated Exlab_P planning layout
Layout 3D/2DIn game
  • Create a readable top-down shooter layout for a zombie survival prototype.
  • Guide the player into key locations without making the guidance feel forced.
  • Use simple spatial structure, entrances, and room hierarchy to support combat flow.
  • Keep the scope simple so the focus stayed on level design fundamentals and Blueprint learning.

The map was kept intentionally simple: the goal was not to create a huge production, but to solidify level design knowledge, player guidance, Blueprint logic, and top-down shooter readability.

Laboratory Atmosphere Direction
Clean laboratory lobby environment in Exlab_P
Outdoor laboratory island section in Exlab_P
Storage room and ammunition shelves in Exlab_P

Atmosphere objective:

I wanted the environment to feel like a contained research facility where clean laboratory spaces contrast with dangerous outdoor and storage zones.

The laboratory atmosphere helped structure the player experience: sterile rooms for readability, stocked areas for interaction and visual information, and exterior spaces for danger, pressure, and survival tension.

BP, AI & Aiming System
Blueprint graph used for Exlab_P systems and aiming logic

Systems learning:

This project helped me improve my Blueprint programming skills by solving more issues on my own, with only occasional online tutorials.

I also designed and implemented an aiming system based on my video game references, which was an important step for me as a beginner in system design. The project also helped me better understand how AI Behavior Trees work.

What I Learned
Iteration, Blueprint Skills, and AI Systems

Not iterating enough made the level too difficult to read

Mistake

Not enough iteration

One of the main mistakes I made on this project was neglecting the iteration phase. Because the level only went through one real iteration, the final experience became too difficult and some objectives were not clear enough for players.

Blueprint Skills

Blueprint skills improved through independent problem-solving

This project helped me improve my Blueprint programming skills by solving more issues on my own, with only occasional tutorials.

AI Systems

First use of AI Behavior Trees and a custom aiming system

The project helped me better understand how AI Behavior Trees work, and I designed and implemented a custom aiming system based on my video game references.

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