PAYDAY 3: Blog Update #42 – Interview with Party Powder’s Level Designer
Howdy doddle heisterinos! We’re trying a new intro, don’t judge.
We hope you’ve been well, we certainly have. Between making levels, fixing bugs and all that jazz, we’re preparing for self-publishing the best we can, trying to figure out what needs to be prioritized. Meanwhile summer is making itself known outside, other people seem to like that. We’re indoor devs though, so it’s just glare on the screens.
Today’s blog is all about the upcoming heist, Party Powder. We asked level owner Emil Andersson a couple of questions about his experience from its development and he delivered in style!
Also, we’ll show the original key art image that got nerfed due to inappropriate content in the logo and on the floor. Looking back, we can see where they’re coming from, but we still get to share it here at least.
Design Process & Creative Vision
Did you have a core fantasy or theme you wanted players to feel when playing this level?
We wanted that feeling of grabbing the loot under the nose of the cops and to have that classic movie scene of a space being closed down outside a dark alley which is frequently seen in movies and shows.
What came first: the setting, the gameplay ideas or something else?
The level is built to reward those who take their time to go around every corner which is something we wanted from the start. What felt the most fitting and something we haven’t really dug into in PAYDAY 3 was a more gritty atmosphere of PAYDAY 2’s release levels and we haven’t really used the cops from Boys in Blue which are slightly more aggressive so this felt like the perfect fit.
Any movie, heist story, or real-world location that influenced the level’s design?
The industrial area of Brooklyn, in the beginning we looked at the new Batman movie and wanted to have a mix of red and dark but we slowly moved away from that because it simply became too dark. We then moved more towards David Fincher’s movies and The Wire tv show for style and inspiration.
Challenges & Iteration
What part of this level gave you the most trouble during development?
We wanted a level which was quick in execution but would be rewarding if you took some time to discover it all. It was a bit tricky to design with randomization and difficulty in mind but I think we managed to get a solid balance. It got a dark gritty atmosphere and Art played around with the vegetation which gave it its own style (inspired from The Last of Us), the train tracks and street helps differentiate the areas and the parts of the level we reworked the most.
Was there something you had to cut that you wish had made it in?
I wish I had a bit more focus on the approach in stealth and specifically how to get inside the buildings. At the time I thought it would be enough to have 4 different spawn locations and that you would get inside differently depending on where you spawned. Looking back on it I think I could have squeezed in an alarm that had to be shut off or power source that needed to be rerouted.
Did the level change significantly from the original concept to the final version?
Looking back on the notes from pitching the level all of the details in it are in the final version. We did add a bit more randomization than mentioned in the original pitch and difficulty tweaks.
How do you balance the level for stealth vs. loud playstyles?
It was a bit tricky in stealth since we had 4 spawning locations. This makes balancing of carrying loot longer which is why a few windows are open/can be open and the preplanning to secure loot is in the middle of the level. This is also why some doors are only openable from the inside to create shortcuts.
In loud it’s all about combat, making sure AI can reach you everywhere and that they spawn not too far from the players. It takes a long time to test but I think we pulled it off quite well in this heist.
The progression of specials/ heavy units of enemies now also listens to objectives completed and the amount of assaults that has progressed.
Behind-the-Scenes & Trivia
Any funny bugs or unintended behaviors you remember from testing?
While working on the level the audio guy asked me if it would be cool to have a Rave somewhere in the background buildings, I said sure not really knowing what to expect. A few days later I load up the level and you can hear a full on rave in one of the buildings in the back.
The same guy placed a screaming background sound of a cat in one of the spawn alley ways which scared the shit out of me when I loaded in to test a new function. I think he removed it.
Are there any Easter eggs or little design details players should look out for?
Keep an eye out for the random shutter door that might be open to one of the warehouses, the guard will also patrol a bit differently then (only on normal/hard difficulty). Guards will sometimes go and investigate the shutters being opened in stealth on the two main buildings.
There should be a conversation somewhere in the level where you can overhear two guys that are looking for the methlab meaning that the gang were not the only one who got the same idea.
Look out for donuts and donut boxes around the level.
Is there one spot in the level that you’re particularly proud of?
The spawn point looking over the middle of the level was something Art created and asked to be implemented. Players used to spawn on the ground but Art went crazy with the space and suggested an elevated platform to get a better view which is what we ended up using in the end.
The pre-planning where you escape with a helicopter on a train is risky but it pays off quite well if you can dodge the snipers.
Was there a “nobody will notice this, but I’ll know it’s there” moment you snuck in?
Personally I can’t think of anything right off the bat but I know Art went crazy with placing mannequins everywhere which is quite spooky since they are always placed in the places you least expect.
Personal Touch & Teamwork
If this level was a character in the PAYDAY crew, who would it be and why?
Wolf because it’s aggressive and dark
How does it feel seeing players experience your work for the first time—especially the chaos they bring?
Stressful but exciting.
What’s one piece of feedback you’re secretly hoping players don’t give?
Anything goes however there is currently no way of hindering players to buy all preplannings so if you buy both helicopter extraction you will get the option to place both flares however the flare which gets placed first is the location where the helicopter will fly to.
For Fun & Looking Ahead
If you could make a heist anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I got a few off the top of my head: A museum with a big destructible T-Rex skeleton, the federal gold reserve which would just be a big homage to Die Hard 3, stealing a transplanted heart from a hospital for a gangster boss (Crank movie reference). If we want to go full on, no budget, a Formula 1 track where the final part of the level you use a Formula 1 car to drive out from the stalls towards a hole created by C4 at the end of the track I call it Car Shop 2.0.
What’s your dream gadget or mechanic you’d love to build a level around someday?
I would love to have you carry things in one hand such as a brief case which would force you to use the secondary if you are holding it and by command being able to throw it to other team members. Using the same co-op function found in the co-op wolfenstein game released a while back where it was used to boost each other.
Any differences depending on difficulty level?
More guards, cameras and more loot required to complete the level.
If players only take away one thing from this level, what should it be?
I hope they like the more gritty tone of the level and that we delved deeper into actually stealing something more illegal such as cocaine which I felt was missing from the main released game.
And that’s it! A huge thanks to Emil for taking the time out of his day to answer all these questions. And another huge thanks to you for reading this far. We hope to see you next time, so long space heister!
