The Iterative Level Design Process for BioWare’s

1. The Iterative Level Design Process for BioWare’s Game Developer Conference 2009 Corey Andruko – Project Manager, Mass Effect 2Dusty Everman – Lead Level Designer, Mass Effect 2

2. MASS EFFECT2: Level Design To maximize the value of level iterations: • Do only the work that answers the right questions in the right order. • Your workflow should follow the questions you are answering.

3. Agenda • Level Design on MASS EFFECT (ME) • Review process, assess problems, identify source • Theory – MASS EFFECT 2 Level Design • Examine the phases & the questions they answer • Application – How is it going? • How are we implementing it (Agile, Lean) • What’s working well (and what’s not) • Conclusion • Q&A

4. ME1: Level Creation Teams • Writers • plots, dialog, journals, codex • Level Artists • layout, static mesh, texturing, lighting • Cinematic Animators • animator cutscenes • Cinematic Designers • cinematic dialogs, designer cutscenes • Technical Designers • scripting, integration of level content

5. ME1: Level Creation Plots (Writer) 2D Map (Writer/ Level Artist) Block Level (Level Artist) Combats, Plots (Tech Design) Level Art (Level Artist) Dialogs (Writers/ Cine Design) Cutscenes (Cine Anim) Performance Optimized (Everyone)

6. ME1: Level Creation Problems • “Silo Mentality”: Focus on disciplines, not levels • Deliverables not always judged in game • Assumes pieces will just fit together • Iterations within one silo have hidden costs in other silos • Narrative changes affect geometry • Geometry changes affect scripting • Scripting changes affect cinematics • Etc. • A rippling “rework” effect occurs. • .

7. ME1: Level Creation Problems • Impact of Silo Mentality • Costly and unplanned iterations • Cross department communication discouraged • Levels rarely playable • Difficult to try new game mechanics or creatures • QA testing hindered • Content isn’t reviewed until late in the process • Cut content (e.g. Caleston) • Intractable performance issues

8. ME2: The Phased Level Creation Approach • Purpose: Get answers to critical questions early, and only do the work that is required to get those answers Basic Premise: • Always playable • Always a foundation

9. ME2: Level Creation Phases • Narrative Overview • Narrative Playable • White Box • Orange Box • Hardening • Finaling

10. ME2: Level Creation Phases • Phase 0: Narrative Overview • What is the story? • Deliverable: Documentation • Narrative • Characters • 2-D Layout • Art Themes • Cutscene Descriptions • Level Event Description

11. ME2: Level Creation Phases • Phase 1: Narrative Playable • Is the pacing and spacing good? • Deliverable: First Playable • Box Level Geometry • Concept Art • Placeholder Set Pieces • “Box Level” Dialogs • Pop-up Cutscenes • Pop-up Level Events • Prototyped Level Mechanics

12. ME2: Level Creation Phases • Phase 2: White Box • Can you see the fun? • Deliverable: Representative Collision • Box Level Geometry -> First Pass Static Mesh • First Pass Dialog • Bronze Combats, Basic Cover Placement • AnimaticCutscenes • Crude Level Events • Placeholder Music • Treasure Placement • Auto Saves

13. ME2: Level Creation Phases • Phase 3: Orange Box • Is it fun? • Deliverable: Actual Collision • Untextured Static Mesh • Dialog Ready for VO • Dialogs Cinematically Blocked Out • Silver Combats, Full Cover Placement • Basic MoCapCutscenes • First-Pass Level Events

14. ME2: Level Creation Phases • Phase 4: Hardening • Could this be shipped? • Deliverable: “Finished” Level • Textured and Lit Level Art • VO’d Dialog • First-Pass Cinematic Dialog Design • Smooth Motion Cutscenes • Actual Music and Audio • Finished Level Events

15. ME2: Level Creation Phases • Phase 5: Finaling • Can you feel the awesome? • Deliverable: Final Level • Everything tweaked, balanced, and polished.

16. ME2: Level Creation Phases • <Combat Video illustrating phases 1 to 4> • <Dialog and Cutscene Video illustrating phases 1 to 4 >

17. ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process • What we borrow from Lean Manufacturing: • Focus on the elimination of waste • Muda: “waste” • Muri: “overburden” • Mura: “variation” • Kaizen (wisdom through learning/schooling) • Continuous improvement plan

18. ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process • Agile & Scrum • Releases & Sprints • Goals & Planning • Team Size & Composition • Product Owner & Reviews

19. ME2 Level Creation: What Works • Pairing Level Art & Design • Co-locating Teams • Time-boxing • Going deep with some levels

20. ME2 Level Creation: What Works • Proving out content and systems in-game • Evaluating levels in sections (as necessary) • Being agile with your Agile process • Stopping to assess the big picture

21. ME2: Level Creation Pitfalls • Missing a step can hurt • “Special Snowflakes” - every level wants to be one • Level teams getting too big • Creatures need to be “representative” and completed early

22. ME2 Level Creation: Conclusion • Reflection • Would this have worked on ME1? • Message • Do only the work that answers the right questions in the right order.

23. Questions? Corey Andruko – corey@bioware.com Dusty Everman – dusty@bioware.com