TRPOLA

Introduction

Solo project
Narrative-driven RPG town built around a murder investigation
Player arrives at morning while castle gates are sealed due to a recent killing
Main objective: Assist the bailiff to uncover the truth and gain access to lord's fortress
Multiple approaches: track clues, persuade NPCs, or threaten suspects
Town layout supports investigation flow and player exploration
Clear social zones: market, guard areas, residential district
Environmental storytelling used to guide player without markers
Inspired by The Witcher 3 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Project Details

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Pre-Production

References & Ideation Phase

Combined grounded medieval realism with branching quest structure
Designed multiple solutions based on player choice and playstyle
Created a narrative and quest flow board during ideation
Structure inspired by “Wild at Heart” quest (The Witcher 3)
Defined investigation flow, key decision points, and multiple outcomes

Level & Quest Beats

Main challenge: Guide player without heavy UI markers
Used town layout, NPC routines, and mystery to drive exploration
Encouraged curiosity instead of objective-following behavior
Guided progression through environmental clues and spatial hints
Added Persuasion or Threat dice checks at major quest stages
Included optional discoveries for deeper exploration
Placed rewards at key investigation points
Structured quest into 7 stages with steady difficulty and key twists

Paper Design

Researched urban planning and real settlement structures
Applied real-world layout principles for believability and readability
Estimated required building count before layout design
Created town plan using a grid-based approach
Iterated layout 4+ times to improve function and visual logic
Moved final layout into Unreal Engine for blockout
Documented research findings on Urban Planning

Level Beats

City Gate - Intro

Reach the town gate.
Guards stop the player due to a recent murder inside the city.
Choose a dialogue response:
- Persuasion
- Threat
Guards warn the player to report directly to the Bailiff.
Objective updated: Speak with the Bailiff in the town square.

Square - Announcement

Move through the town toward the main square.
Notice a large crowd gathered in the center.
Approach the crowd.
The Bailiff’s assistant announces that Martha, the farmer’s wife, was murdered last night.

Bailiffs Office - Quest Giver

Approach the Bailiff’s office in the town square.
Speak with the Bailiff from below his balcony.
Request access to the castle / meeting with the lord.
Bailiff refuses access due to the ongoing murder investigation.
New condition revealed: The case must be solved before the castle gates reopen.
Optional: Attempt to negotiate extra reward money.
Receive investigation responsibility from the Bailiff.
As the player leaves, a town guard mentions food distribution at the tavern in Martha’s memory.
Objective updated: Eat some food.

Tavern - Food and Questions

Arrive at the tavern.
Speak with the innkeeper about the murder.
The innkeeper explains that the victim’s family lived quietly and kept to themselves.
He mentions they were foreigners and rarely interacted with the town.
According to him, the blacksmith was the only person close to the family.
During the conversation, a maid approaches the player.
She insists the player should inspect the corpse.
The maid claims the monster attack is punishment from God.
Objective updated: Talk to the blacksmith.
Objective updated: Examine the corpse behind the church.

Blacksmith - Side Quest

Locate the blacksmith’s workshop.
Subtle audio cue: hammering sound near the gate area hints at the location.
Attentive players can find it without opening the map.
Speak with the blacksmith.
The blacksmith is hostile and refuses to cooperate.
He says he has too much going on and cannot help the player.
Ask why he is acting this way.
The blacksmith reveals that his wife and child are missing.
He fears the same monster that killed the farmer’s wife may have taken them.
The player offers to track the family's scent.
The blacksmith refuses the offer.
Objective updated: Find out why blacksmith acting weird.
Objective updated: Continue the investigation.

Blacksmith - Side Quest

Find an alternate way to enter the blacksmith’s house.
Search the interior for clues.
Discover evidence that the blacksmith has been abusing his family.
Use tracking ability to locate footprints leading away from the house.
Follow the tracks toward a small worker cabin near the tavern.
Discover that the cabin belongs to the maid who previously spoke with the player.
Confront the maid.
The woman begs the player to continue the investigation.
She reveals she tried to redirect the player toward the graveyard instead of the blacksmith’s home.
Her intention was to protect the missing family while the truth is uncovered.
Objective updated: Continue the investigation at the graveyard.

Graveyard- Where is the finger

Inspect the corpse.
Notice three unusual details:
A portion of the body is missing.
One finger has been cut off.
A huge bite mark is visible on the body.
Detect a wolf scent coming from the corpse.
Observe that the missing finger wound is fresh and smells like steel.
Question the gravedigger about the missing finger.
The gravedigger appears suspicious.
He admits the victim had a silver ring, but the finger was too swollen, so he cut it off to take the ring.
Ask the gravedigger about the missing parts of the body.
The gravedigger tells the player to investigate crime scene.
Objective updated: Visit the crime scene.

Field - Crime Scene

Examine the area.
Discover a large pool of blood and tracks left by a huge creature.
Follow the monster tracks toward an abandoned windmill.
Investigate the windmill interior.
Notice signs of destruction:
A massive chain
A smashed wall
Deep claw marks across the structure
Spot human footprints on the other side of the broken wall.
Follow the tracks away from the windmill.
Discover the farmer lying on the ground.

Resolution

Resolution Path
Wake the farmer.
Speak with him.
The farmer explains that his family practices witchcraft.
A mistake during a spell cursed him with lycanthropy(werewolf curse).
The previous night he ran to the windmill to chain himself before transforming.
His wife tried to help him, but it was already too late.
The farmer accepts responsibility and turns himself in.
Outcome: The truth behind the incident is revealed and the case is resolved peacefully.
Violent Resolution
Execute the farmer immediately.
Return to the Bailiff.
Report the situation at the crime scene.
Outcome: The investigation ends without uncovering the full story.
Quest complete.

Level Design Techniques

Environmental Storytelling

Used environmental storytelling to reveal victim’s abuse history and escape
Communicated murder scene details through props and spatial clues
Suggested killer is a cursed creature, not a normal human
Placed narrative hints in blood traces, damage marks, and object placement
Used abandoned windmill as hidden night shelter for the killer

Lighting

Created moody and dawn time Central European medieval atmosphere through lighting
Balanced overcast tone with readable daylight
Used spot and rect lights to simulate natural interior lighting
Highlighted missable clues using tracking mechanic
Supported both atmosphere and investigation readability through lighting

Landscape Creation

Sculpted terrain to define natural paths and elevation changes
Used height variation to create spatial hierarchy
Shaped encounter spaces through terrain features
Supported level structure, pacing, and atmosphere
Focused on believable and functional environment design

Natural Guidance

Demonstrated natural guidance without relying on UI markers
Directed attention through quest scripting and prop placement
Used crowd density at city entrance as visual pull
Placed rotating windmill blades as distant landmark cue
Reinforced objectives through diegetic dialogue (e.g., guard hinting tavern location)
Delivered guidance through world logic instead of explicit instructions

Urban Planning

Applied urban planning research to spatial logic
Positioned craftsmen away from residential and wealthy districts (noise and smell factors)
Placed shops along the main street for economic visibility
Designed districts with local landmarks for orientation
Added a dominant town landmark visible from most areas
Enabled city-wide navigation using environmental compass logic