Set in Skyrim's Rift, Riftvale is a custom city born from refugees fleeing Riften’s corruption. The player enters a power struggle to become the next Jarl after the former ruler dies mysteriously. Through political intrigue, faction choices, and survival against rival candidates, the player can shape the future of the city - and eventually influence Skyrim’s broader political landscape.
Level Design
World Design
This project deepened my understanding of level and world design. I explored the map of Skyrim for hours while playing the game since its release, and supplemented my research with foundational theory from industry books.
After having applied the knowledge to an enclosed level with my project "Asylum Theatre", I was seeking a new challenge in creating a part of an open world. I've discovered that it is rather difficult to add a big city to a game that already exists and has many of these cities well placed over the map, and my understanding of open-world level design and worldbuilding has increased massively.
I had a lot of fun experimenting with the old Creation Engine and learned a lot about their way to create the game and about mod making in said engine.
City Background – Riftvale
When Riften fell deeper under the Thieves Guild's control, a group of citizens left in search of safety. After failing to settle elsewhere, they discovered a valley near the Rift Watchtower and began building a new settlement using the surrounding forest’s resources. The watchtower became a guard post, and the town expanded toward nearby farmland, hunting grounds, and a river used for fishing and trade.
Aside from occasional threats from bandits occupying nearby ruins, the town thrived. As it grew, it gained recognition as a hold and named its first Jarl. After their peaceful rule, the second Jarl sought to expand trade but died under mysterious circumstances. Now, the city is without a Jarl.
To decide the new leader, a competition is held where the player must complete tasks and survive ambushes from rival candidates. If successful, the player becomes Jarl of Riftvale, unlocking new responsibilities—managing the city’s ecosystem, addressing citizen concerns, and participating in semi-annual Jarl meetings that shape regional politics.
The city starts neutral in the civil war but can align with a faction—or remain neutral, triggering a political questline to promote unity. Guild affiliations may affect the player’s eligibility or influence as Jarl, depending on the city's history and values.
