Reed Miller
ANIAM: A Pre-Production CapstoneddddddMemories of Passchendaele
Memories of Passchendaele is a level design concept for a World War 1 inspired horror map. The level has you play as a veteran of the supposed “War to End All Wars”, who must traverse the trenches of Passchendaele within his memories. All the while, something beyond the horrors of war stalks him throughout the map.
The level consists of three sections: A first, simple trench level; a bunker with a box stacking puzzle; and a maze that the player must find a key in.
Paper Map and Whitebox Images
Level and Visual Design
The overall goal of this level design was to not exactly scare the player, but to instead induce anticipation and anxiety, similar to how the game Outlast approaches horror. The trench design leads to multiple corners where one may expect a jumpscare, only for
it not to happen. This should force the player to be slow and methodical in their approach and overall movement, and challenge their preconceptions of what makes a game “scary”.
Memories of Passchendaele is intended to capture the sounds, visuals and even the overarching beliefs of World War One, being inspired by the set pieces of another WW1 game: Battlefield 1. The visuals are literred with not only the usual set pieces of a typical trenchline, but also consist of religious iconography. The audio also plays a large role in the presentation, consisting of distant artillery fire and the sound of wind gusts echoing through the trenches
Final Images
About Me
Reed Miller is an undergraduate senior at the University of Texas at Dallas, majoring in Arts, Technologies and Emerging Communications with a concentration in Games and Animation, as well as minoring in Business Administration.
Reed is flexible in his approach to game design, having experience in concept art, level design, narrative design, and game design and playtesting. He is also a great team-worker and a profound communicator, willing to work on anything that needs to be done.
Artist Statement
When I brainstorm ideas for content, my initial plan consists of simply studying history. I approach ideas through my interest in history, and through that search, I come up with ideas that may not just express my heritage but also explore ideas unheard and unseen. I do this to evoke a sense of relaxation, a way to express my feelings in a way that draws me away from the stresses of modern life. The medium that resonates with me the most is digital 2D art, uniting a love for both drawing and electronics.
My work is inspired by the Expressionist movement of the early 20th century, which reflects my beliefs in adding emotion in my work. When it comes to subject matter, I like to create my versions of cultures that I’m familiar with, as a means to express those cultures and inspire people to learn more about them. My ideas usually stem from traditional artworks of various cultures, which I use not just as inspiration but as a baseline for authenticity and staying true to the ideas of the people who created such works. Lastly, I hope that my projects lead people to learn more about underrepresented cultures around the world and to truly explore what lies beyond our cultural bubble here in the West.