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The Last Goodbye Act I - Prava Slums

The Last Goodbye is a pulp thriller running on the Goldsource engine. In the Gothic metropolis of Prava, the gun-for-hire Lucille - better known on the streets as The Banshee - takes a job from enigmatic entrepreneur Ark McLean. Her target: Bullseye, the deadliest gangster in town. On her travels through the criminal underworld she meets all manner of friends and foes, with plenty of action and intrigue along the way.

The middle section of Act I is occupied by three slum levels and I was determined to fill them as densely as possible. Alternative paths, secrets, NPCs talking about local news, dangerous scaffolds and plenty of cover for shootouts were abound. Many buildings used heavily weathered brick and stonemasonry to suggest centuries of history.

The placement of the Sterling Club was to suggest that a degree of gentrification was taking place. This is also reflected in some of the homes which don't look particularly shabby (their layouts were based on Soviet apartment block floor plans due to their compact and efficient nature).

Due to level size limits there was a necessity to plan levels with more verticality than might be first expected from an urban location. However, my firsthand research into my surroundings came in handy here as I could apply my own experiences living in the very hilly south west of England to the level editor. Indeed, many of the tight inclined alleys are based on places I regularly pass through on commutes.

The human side of Prava was a key area to not leave neglected, and there was a story being told about how the poor and underrepresented were having their community invaded and destroyed by outside forces - not just by Bullseye's gang, but by the Banshee too. The player can break into shops and shoot out their neon signs, ransack houses, destroy makeshift barricades designed to keep the gang away, empty vending machines and even kill residents with no consequence. By leaving this behavior unpunished, the game abstains from characterizing the Banshee through a moral lens - a key choice that will be elaborated on in future Acts.

You can download the game here: https://www.moddb.com/mods/the-last-goodbye

Concept art paintover of a prototype level. Some of the original geometry was reused in the campaign.

Concept art paintover of a prototype level. Some of the original geometry was reused in the campaign.

A selection of reference images.

A selection of reference images.

My own reference photos, some were replicated and others were used more for general style direction.

My own reference photos, some were replicated and others were used more for general style direction.

An alleyway appearing in a cutscene.

An alleyway appearing in a cutscene.

Alleyway, in-game.

Alleyway, in-game.

Butcher's Hill as it appears in a cutscene.

Butcher's Hill as it appears in a cutscene.

Butcher's Hill, in-game.

Butcher's Hill, in-game.

This location was based on a scene in The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949)

This location was based on a scene in The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949)

In-game equivalent.

In-game equivalent.

Living room in a house the player can explore. I felt it was very important to get a look at the domestic conditions of the city in order to make it a fully convincing setting.

Living room in a house the player can explore. I felt it was very important to get a look at the domestic conditions of the city in order to make it a fully convincing setting.

A sort of "market yard", with two shops that can be entered. These kind of mundane spaces are what appealed to me the most when designing the levels.

A sort of "market yard", with two shops that can be entered. These kind of mundane spaces are what appealed to me the most when designing the levels.

The addition of a scrappy windmill was a nod to Half-Life 2 art director Viktor Antonov.

The addition of a scrappy windmill was a nod to Half-Life 2 art director Viktor Antonov.

A group of vagrants gather outside a kebab takeaway. The player can attack from three separate angles.

A group of vagrants gather outside a kebab takeaway. The player can attack from three separate angles.

After exploring two homes peacefully, this third example has been the site of a break-in and murder. It was very important to bring the violence into people's homes and reinforce the intended sense of dread through the game.

After exploring two homes peacefully, this third example has been the site of a break-in and murder. It was very important to bring the violence into people's homes and reinforce the intended sense of dread through the game.

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