The Crimson Coliseum is a battle arena that was released as part of the Crimson Moon title update for Starlink: Battle for Atlas. I was responsible for all aspects of the level design, including layouts, enemy waves, hazards, camerawork, and more.
One of my goals was to make a space that was effortless to traverse. From the hundreds of hours I spent playing the game as a tester, I knew that spacious layouts with soft shapes would feel the best. And a technical constraint led me to using spheres for my first blockout.
Gameplay of the Brawl mode.
The Brawl layout is based on spheres, an idea that emerged from a technical constraint. Your ship is able to easily glide over them, allowing for smooth and pleasant navigation.
The central dome gives the space a natural flow and encourages you to utilize the surrounding areas.
I added a thick fog to create a sense of mystery and uneasiness—enemies look like glowing auras in the distance.
The Laserdrome features a massive spinning drum, selected out of several other prototypes I made. I scripted its entire behavior, even its animations.
The laser drum has three different stages.
Stage 1 introduces the challenge—the drum spins slowly at a low height, and only four sets of lasers spawn.
Stage 2 uses vertical lasers, changing the gameplay from jumping to strafing. The drum is also raised higher and spins a bit faster.
Stage 3 uses two tiers of lasers that change both direction and color. Blue lasers freeze you, creating tension as you try to break free before getting hit again.
My primary goal was to make each wave feel distinct and unique. I also combined enemies that worked well together, and with hazards in the space. This creates interesting gameplay moments that make you feel smart and cool.
You can use Fire Obelisk power cells to deal critical damage to ice enemies.
Imps hinder your movement by jumping onto your ship, making them a great complement to the vertical lasers.
You'll need to quickly overload the Gravity Orbs before getting hit by oncoming lasers, creating a tense challenge that keeps you locked to the ground.
After two waves of constant shooting, hidden turrets break up the pacing in the Brawl mode. They were carefully placed so you don't get hit by more than one at a time.
I prototyped several environmental hazards for the Brawl mode—the ice blasters freeze anything in their proximity, and the jet flames make the space feel more menacing.
The ice blasters are one of several hazards I prototyped.
I wanted to create a simple layout that wouldn't distract from the Outlaw Mech. It needed a lot of room to maneuver, but I found that the fight actually played better in a smaller space, so I added extra walls.
I added extra walls to reduce the play space.
Holograms fill the space without providing additional cover, which makes you feel unsafe—like the enemy has you trapped in a cage.
In addition to the Crimson Coliseum, I also provided support1 for the Nintendo Switch-exclusive Star Fox missions.
Design Breakdown