Streets of Rage
Ruffian Games
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Lead Level Designer
Project Overview
Following the cancellation of Codename: Kingdoms, Ruffian Games began exploring several new projects, including a pitch to Sega to revive the Streets of Rage franchise, known internally as Streets of Rage Reborn.
As a huge fan of the original trilogy, the opportunity to bring the franchise back was something of a dream come true. I took ownership of the project from the outset, drawing on elements of the original games to establish a new design direction for the franchise.
Working with a small team, we developed a playable prototype in CryEngine 3 in less than six weeks, supported by a design proposal and presentation materials intended to secure full production funding.
Lead Level Designer
Ruffian Games (now Rockstar Dundee)
CryEngine 3 and Flowgraph Visual Scripting Tools
PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Cancelled during pre-production
Responsibilities
Although my official position was Lead Level Designer, my responsibilities extended to defining the game’s creative vision, developing the pitch package and directing the prototyping team.
Working closely with artists, programmers and the combat designer, I helped translate the proposed design into a functioning demonstration that could be presented to Sega.
- Established the project’s gameplay pillars and overall design vision
- Authored the high-level design document and pitch materials
- Designed combat spaces, level blockouts and scripted set pieces
- Collaborated with programmers on the spline-based camera system
- Worked with the combat designer on AI behaviours and enemy wave scripting
- Collaborated with artists and animators on scripted cinematics
- Presented the project pitch directly to Sega alongside studio leadership
Design Work – The Pitch
Developing the Pitch
I began by looking back at the original Streets of Rage trilogy, identifying the elements I felt were fundamental to its identity and exploring how they could be reinterpreted in a new game.
From here, I established the proposed gameplay pillars and overall design direction, documenting the concept in a high-level design document covering gameplay, characters and environments. I also created mood boards exploring the game’s atmosphere and proposed locations, providing visual references to support the art team’s concepts and paintovers.
The accompanying pitch deck brought together the design proposal, production plans, budgetary information and footage of the playable prototype. I presented the project directly to Sega alongside Ruffian’s Creative Director and Studio Head.
Design Work – The Prototype
From First-Person to Third-Person
Our initial prototype explored Streets of Rage as a first-person brawler, building on the experience we’d gained developing Codename: Kingdoms.
However, during the pitching process, we received indications that Sega wasn’t interested in a first-person interpretation of the franchise. We therefore shifted towards a more traditional elevated third-person perspective.
This required us to reconsider how the levels were constructed and how the camera would behave within them. I collaborated with programmers on a spline-based camera system that responded to player position and movement, with its behaviour tied directly to the level design metrics.
Initial First-Person Prototype
Rebuilding the Playable Prototype
I worked closely with the art team, producing level blockouts and reference sheets that informed environment concepts, paintovers and the visual presentation of the playable prototype.
I also collaborated with the combat designer on AI behaviours and enemy wave scripting, establishing the encounters used to demonstrate the proposed gameplay.
Alongside this work, I collaborated with artists and animators on two scripted cinematics, introducing and concluding the playable sequence to demonstrate the intended production quality.
Despite the change in direction, the small team completed the playable prototype in less than six weeks.
Final Prototype Pitch Video
Aftermath
The series would eventually return in April of 2020 with Streets of Rage 4, developed by a different team.
Sega Reborn
In 2020, Sega revealed that it had previously explored reviving several dormant franchises through an initiative known as SEGA Reborn, which included Ruffian’s Streets of Rage project.
One of the other cancelled projects, Golden Axe Reborn, received a limited public Steam release as Golden Axed: A Cancelled Prototype on October 18th 2020.
Although Streets of Rage Reborn never entered full production, the prototype and pitch materials remain an example of the work we completed during this short development period.
