Get to know - Radim Vítek - Senior Environment Designer

[Pyrit. 172]

▶ What do you do on Vigor?

I'm Working as a Level Designer. That means to design environments and then assemble them together with the use of models made by Artists.

 

▶ What is your contribution to the Vigor Team?

Level design starts as an idea and maybe map drawn on paper. Then we create simple placeholder models, sculpt the terrain, place objects, props, and vegetation and add gameplay elements like loot. Then play and analyze if there is enough cover, uninteresting areas which need to be improved and so on. In the end, Levels are hopefully enjoyable to play and as pleasant to the eye as possible.

▶ What do you like about Vigor?

Feeling of uncertainty. Arriving to an area not knowing what awaits me there. Bunch of angry outlanders or just a trail of corpses from unseen battles. Those far away shootouts which I'm not a part of but which can change the encounter for me. There will be fewer survivors fighting for the resources after that.

Shootouts where I exchange few gunshots with my enemy and then, realizing how precious the ammo is, we both quietly disengage and disappear in the forests.

▶ What do you want to see in Vigor?

I want to see a meaningful character or shelter progression. Levels, new abilities, skills, etc. Character improvements in general.

And to have game systems supporting non-aggressive encounters with others. Ways to cooperate with random people met in the world on some task or just try to survive together.
Imagine that you are hiding in some old house from the snowstorm and from the balcony you see an outlander slowly approaching your shelter. He doesn't have to be a threat to you worthy of a full magazine of bullets but an opportunity and asset.

▶ What do you do when you are not making Vigor?

I'm quite a gamer myself. From Video games to board games or pen&paper RPGs. I'm up for any kind of game. A Hobby my wife vigorously hates. I like movies, theatrical plays, sports events (as a fan) as well.

Apart from that, I like visiting restaurants and doing other social activities with a group of friends.

▶ Did game dev change your view on the games and how?
Of course, it did! As a game dev, I understand game mechanics and what is behind them, how the pipelines in the industry work. Just by looking at or playing a video game I can analyze it, find a reason behind some decisions, evaluate the cost of features and so on. Especially in my field of profession I can appreciate some games like Dark Souls even more and see production cuts in others – looking at you Dragon Age 2.

▶ Your favorite games and why?

I play most of the game genres, but at the moment my favorites are probably grand strategy games from Paradox Interactive – Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron etc,...

Other notable mentions would be Open World Adventure games like Red Dead Redemption, GTA or Assassins Creed and RPG games in general.

▶ What's your favorite music, movie, show, book and why?

In terms of music, I like to listen to Irish Folk songs.

Movies shows and books are interconnected. I like fantasy and history. So nobody can be surprised if I say Game of Thrones here (both books and show), Lord of the Rings, Witcher, etc.

I'm a huge fan of History so my favorite books are encyclopedias and educational books. One example would be Greatest military blunders from Geoffrey Regan.

▶ Is there something that you want to say to our community?

Apart from the usual stuff like give us a chance, there are great things coming to our game and so on. I want to say one more thing – guys, try to be nice to each other from time to time and not shoot everyone on sight. Try to play differently. One of my greatest experience playing Vigor was when I convinced someone to leave by only aiming at him (even though I was out of bullets).
And please, don't hesitate to write your feedback and ideas. Its a great read from time to time.

▶ You are Outlander; humanity has fallen. What would you do?

I would try to assemble a group from my family and friends and move somewhere safe. Or at least a place presumed to be safe.

Norway is too cold and far away, South is too hot, East and West pretty dangerous, so maybe wine cellars in South Moravia. That sounds like a pretty safe place to me.

Bonus (From Kuba)
▶What is the difference for you between designing an open world (like in Arma) and smaller levels (like in Vigor)? What do you like more and why?

There are interesting procedures in the creation of both kinds of those environments. In large open worlds, you have to follow some basic urban logic between areas. If you put the airport somewhere there will be infrastructure around it, bigger towns will have necessary facilities like shops, school, gas station, public spaces. You have to think about power distribution, highways and so on. And everything has to be reasonably connected.

Smaller environments allow you to put more details in them. You can carefully place every flower or rock while ignoring what is beyond the boundaries of such level. You can make only the areas which are really interesting. One Landmark can be level in itself. On top of that player movement can be predicted more and areas can be designed with that in mind.
It's hard to tell what I like more, but I have to say that for now, I'm really enjoying this different approach Vigor allow me to apply.

 

 

[HuskyMaster 0]

I honestly think this game is on the right path to being amazing! I have enjoyed playing this game very much. Yes always room for improvement and fixes but it’s still in beta, it’s still brand new. The detail and the graphics are very well done in this game. I look forward to keep promoting this game and am excited to see how the rest of the game will play out.