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Level Design. From Game Design by Bob Bates Chapter 5. Concept Work.
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Level Design From Game Design by Bob Bates Chapter 5
Concept Work • When you begin to think about your level, you must consider why it’s there in the first place. What function does it fulfill in the grander scheme of things? Is it meant to introduce a new character, weapon or monster?How does it move the story along? Then, You need to select a single idea as the focus of your level. This can be a gameplay idea, a visual idea or even a gimmick.
Building the Level • The look of the level should be internally consistent. • Create visually distinctive landmarks • The most memorable levels are designed toward one defining moment.
Gameplay Goals • Make sure that the player knows what his objectives are for each level. You can do this either in a cutscene prior to the level, or within gameplay when the mission gets underway. It’s also a good idea to create a screen the player can always access to get his current status and a single restatement of his mission.
Gameplay – Structure and Progression • Ease the player into the level and build up the difficulty as you go along (Flow channel) Do not make the hardest part of the level the first thing the player has to do. • Do not just keep throwing things at the player. Vary the pace. • Also make sure there’s enough for the player to do. Make sure that there are enough challenges to keep him occupied.
Flow Control • Two hidden problems are how to contain the player in a given area of a level and how to prevent him from returning to that area when he’s done. • The first can be solved by creating naturally occurring choke points. • The second solution is to create a one-way barrier that blocks the player from going back after he has crossed it.
Degree of Difficulty • Challenge is good – even a little frustration is good – but don’t make it so tough that only experts can survive. • Think of your level as an amusement park. Some of the rides are too wild for some of the visitors, and some are too tame. No one is offended by the presence of rides that do not suit them.
Degree of Difficulty - Continued • If you use a powerful, tantalizing, but unnecessary, power-up in a hard-to-reach-spot, the expert will accept it as a personal challenge. The average player will take a few swipes at it but then move on. The below average player may not even notice it. • You should also design multiple ways for the player to beat your level.
Balance • There should be neither too many or too few resources in a level. • Ideally the resource should appear just before the player starts to panic. Divining when that moment occurs is part of the art of the level designer. • Balance risk and reward. The more dangerous the weapon or valuable the armor, the harder you should make for the player to acquire. The more powerful a location, the harder it should be to get there
Puzzles (Much more on this later) • The biggest problem with puzzles is that players often don’t know where thay are. • The solution is to give the player clues, leave a trail of breadcrumbs that he can follow. The size of the breadcrumbs determines the difficulty of the puzzle. • The clue can be a trail of blood, a glmpse of an adversary, or even a blatant message or the radio or on a signpost.
Other Design Tips • Avoid head fakes – If it looks important, it better be. • Work with your AI programmers to learn the capabilities of your AI. • Asset sequencing – Your level is part of an overall progression. • Accommodate different playing styles. Some players are more cautious than others. • Provide eye candy, but do not reveal everything at once.
Evaluation • Level design is an iterative process. No one conceives a level in his head and builds it once and walks away. A level must be honed and balanced constantly, from the moment you start working on it, to the moment the producer rips it out of your hands. • After others have agreed that the basic idea of the level is fun, it’s time to start polishing.
