Case Study 1:
FTUE REWORK - STARTING TOWN
Context & Goal
The objective was to restructure the "Small Town" starter area: a critical part of the First Time User Experience (FTUE). This linear questline introduces players to combat, puzzles, and narrative. My goal was to improve player retention and smooth out the difficulty curve based on telemetry data (heatmaps) and community feedback.
The Challenge: Why were players leaving?
The analysis revealed critical design flaws leading to player quits and refunds:
- Unintended Difficulty Spikes: Heatmaps pinpointed massive drop-offs at specific locations like the Sawmill and Watertower (which were introducing the player to the town).
- Inverted Combat Design: Encounters often favored AI while leaving players exposed in open fields.
- Unpredictable RNG: Randomized enemy spawns created inconsistent experiences, often overwhelming new players immediately.
- Lack of Pacing: The area felt like a constant deathmatch with no "breather" moments or clear navigation, causing players to wander into high-threat zones unintentionally.
- Lack of Critical Paths and Landmarks: The level design did not effectively support the questline, and players often felt lost or constantly overwhelmed.
The Approach - From Macro to Micro
Before editing the geometry, I established a high-level plan to address the pacing issues:
- Macro-Flow & Narrative: I collaborated with the Narrative Team to restructure the questline, establishing a clear Critical Path. This ensured that level design supported the story flow rather than working against it.
- Defined Danger Zones: I moved away from random enemy distribution. Instead, I grouped enemies into specific POIs to create distinct "Combat Arenas" separated by safe traversal zones.
- Environmental Guidance: I reworked POIs to function as visual Landmarks that clearly indicate what the layer can expect there (for example, enemies in environmentally marked bandit camps, medical supplies in medical tents, etc).
- Loot as part of pacing: I integrated loot distribution directly into the pacing loop. Rewards were placed strategically at focal points to encourage exploration and provide positive feedback after difficult combat encounters or to inflict tension before fights.
The town layout was redesigned in detail from every perspective
(example building types layer)
The locations went through detailed overhaul - Marketplace as an example
Execution: 2 Key Refund Chokepoints
Following the strategy, I redesigned 80% of the Small Town, including major refund chokepoints: Ratnest Villa and Marketplace.
Ratnest Villa (Complete Overhaul)
This area was a major churn point due to unfair AI advantage (enemies hidden in dense vegetation with height superiority). I redesigned the layout to open up sightlines, allowing players to recon the area and plan their attack, shifting the encounter from frustrating to tactical.
Old
After Overhaul
The Marketplace (Questline Finale)
As the most difficult and critical location in the zone, it serves as the FTUE climax. I restructured the open area to reduce chaotic sightlines and added visual guides (focal points), ensuring the difficulty comes from tactical complexity rather than player confusion.
Old
After Overhaul
Example Detailed Plans for Marketplace POI Rework
Implementation Process
Given the short production window, I adopted a rapid iteration workflow:
- Greyboxing & Gameplay Logic: I focused on blockout geometry and AI scripting directly in the editor to validate flow.
- Art Direction: I collaborated closely with the Art Team, directing environmental storytelling to serve gameplay goals: using lighting and framing to guide players naturally.
Results
- Retention Increase: The specific refund chokepoints got fixed, decreasing the refund ratio by more than 50%. The change contributed to increasing Steam Ratings by more than 10%.
- Smoother Progression: The difficulty curve is now consistent; "unfair" RNG deaths were removed.
- Improved Navigation: Players naturally follow the gopath and no longer get lost in high-difficulty areas.
- Engagement: Better loot distribution, rewards exploration, and keeps players motivated.
Some of the other FTUE's POIs redesigned by me
