ASPEN CLARK
MISSION DESIGNER
C.A.M.P Shelters System
Shelters is a major housing feature in Fallout 76. Shelters expands on the main game's C.A.M.P. system by giving players access to customizable instanced interiors and an enhanced building mode. These additions allow players to expand their C.A.M.P. and express their creativity in ways that aren't possible in the above-ground landscape of Appalachia.
Shelters was developed by a small interdisciplinary strike team over the course of 8 months. Development started March of 2020, shortly after Bethesda Game Studios transitioned to an online-only model due to the coronavirus pandemic. The majority of the Shelters team had never worked remotely before, which added an extra element of complexity to the development process.
My Contributions
I was the main representative for design on the Shelters strike team. I was responsible for the bulk of the systems design, the level design of the four Vault Shelters that were available at launch, and for writing the quest that introduced players to the Shelters system. I also created and delivered status update presentations to stakeholders, participated in a few community events for the Shelters patch pre-launch, and assisted Bethesda's monetization team in developing a monetization strategy for paid Shelters.
Click the links below for more details about my contributions in each of these areas, or check out the Developer Gameplay video below for a quick overview of the system as a whole.
Developer Gameplay
My lead and I were featured in this brief behind-the-scenes interview about the Shelters system ahead of its launch. In the video, we explain some of the system's basics and lore. You'll also see our enhanced "Pro Build" mode in action inside one of the Shelters I designed for launch.
Level Design
The original Shelters patch launched with four Vault-themed Shelters that I designed in tandem with Bethesda Dallas' art team. I was responsible for creating level layouts and doing basic lighting and set dressing passes, which were later polished and optimized by the art team.
When designing these Shelters, it was necessary to strike a balance between creating something that was visually appealing in its base form and also giving players lots of empty space to build their own creations in. The need to cater to both was a major contributing factor in choosing Vaults as the visual theme for our first set of Shelters. The boxy geometry of classic Fallout Vaults is well-suited to large empty spaces, while their color schemes and shape language are iconic to longtime fans of the franchise. Vaults were also easy to scale, meaning we could easily create Shelters that suited different price points and player objectives.
Vault Shelters
Vault Utility Room
The Vault Utility Room Shelter was given away for free to all players when the Shelters system launched. This is a small, single-story Shelter designed to give players a sample of what the Shelters system has to offer. The space is large enough that players can create interesting things using our Pro-Build Mode, but small enough to leave them wanting more. A furnished version of the Vault Utility Room Shelter, called the "Shelters Claim Center", also featured in the quest to introduce the system.
Vault Atrium
The Vault Atrium Shelter was designed specifically to make the most of Pro Build Mode, the gravity-defying C.A.M.P. building/decoration mode that's unique to Shelters. The Vault Atrium features multiple levels of build space, as well as an Overseer's Office that provides an impressive viewpoint of the entire Shelter. At launch, the Vault Atrium Shelter became popular with players who enjoy creating "dungeon" experiences for others, due to its impressive size and the strategic positioning of the Overseer's Office.
Vault Server Room
The Vault Server Room Shelter caters to those players who enjoy a bit of drama. As an homage to Nuclear Winter, we incorporated a massive replica of the ZAX server found in Vault 51 into this Shelter. Multiple levels of verticality allow players plenty of room to subdivide the space, while moody lighting provides a bit of atmosphere. Players who enjoy creating immersive C.A.M.P. content that feels at home in Fallout 76's base game found this Shelter particularly appealing.
Vault Living Quarters
The Vault Living Quarters Shelter is designed with teams in mind. The Shelter features four individual rooms that can be personalized by teammates, and a large communal space for players to build collaboratively with their friends. The Vault Living Quarters Shelter is perhaps the most reminiscent of the classic Fallout Vaults, and is intended for those players who want to fulfill the fantasy of creating their own mini-societies underground.
Shelters Modkit
Relatively early in development, we discovered that the modkit used to create Vaults in Fallout 76's base game wouldn't meet the needs of the Shelters system.
* Making a new modkit
* Scale and scope for monetization
Quest Design
* Prerequisites - lore tie-in to Nuclear Winter
* Developing Mr. Clark
* Striking a balance between tutorialization and narrative
* Upselling Shelters using the quest
Systems Design
* Pro-build mode
* Monetization strategy
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