Alongisde the free Crimson Moon title update, a series of paid DLC Star Fox missions were released exclusively for Nintendo Switch. Supporting the level design owner1, I created an entire layout, did the camerawork, and helped out with various other tasks. As a huge fan of the Star Fox series, this was a real dream come true.
In “Slippy’s Scheme”, you investigate a mysterious SOS signal on the planet Ashar. This is where you encounter Andrew operating a tank. My task was to create the layout for this space.
Gameplay of the fight with Andrew.
A spacious layout with smooth, clean navmesh was necessary in order for the tank to maneuver properly.
Short ramps allow you to gain leverage and ram the tank's armor, exposing its weakpoints.
A short tunnel provides refuge from the tank, but you won’t be able to attack it very well from the inside.
I was asked to make camera cuts to highlight certain events in the missions. I wanted them to be both impactful and meaningful—many were inspired by action movies and anime.
Camerawork in "Peppy's Payback".
When you enter the core room in “Peppy’s Payback”, I use a dolly zoom as the door shuts behind you to make the trap feel bigger.
The camera orbits around the power core to highlight the main objective. It also helps to establish the relationship between the lasers and the shield.
To provide context, I added an exterior shot showing the refinery’s engines being turned on and heading towards the planet Haven.
Camerawork in "Slippy's Scheme".
In "Slippy's Scheme", the camera starts with a closeup on Andrew's tank, then zooms out to reveal the enemies he's controlling. This helps to clarify the narrative of the encounter.
A tilt shot highlights the spire that's powering Andrew's tank, and also lines up with dialog from Slippy to further clarify the narrative.
When Andrew enters his second phase, a quick zoom helps to telepgraph the change in combat, and also adds intesity.
Camerawork in "Enter Star Wolf!"
When Wolf's Battleship enters its second phase in "Enter Star Wolf!", the camera pans across its arms as they open up, telepgrahing the change in combat.
An extreme long shot shows the lasers attacking the Equinox, claryfing the narrative and hinting at the objective.
While providing support for the Star Fox missions, I owned the level design for the Crimson Coliseum, a battle arena with three different game modes and unique layouts.
Design Breakdown