Introduction to Level Design
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This document provides an introduction to level design. It discusses key concepts for level design including theme, enemy design, obstacle design, puzzle design, and placement. It explains why level design is important as it provides players with useful mastery of game mechanics, influences decision making, and teaches players about a game's mechanics. Good level design reduces tutorials through balanced progression using differences in scale and kind. The document also outlines the four-step "Kishōtenketsu" level design approach used by Nintendo for games like Mario 3D Land.
Introduction to Level Design
- 1. Introduction to Level Design Rico Lemba Game Designer & Programmer @stellarnull @ricolemba
- 2. Game Development Ideas • Concept Art • Gameplay concept • Story concept • Gimmick Execution • Balancing • Pacing • Level Design • Controls • Physics
- 3. Level Design • Theme / Level Concept • Enemy Design • Obstacle Design • Puzzle Design • Enemy Placement • Obstacle Placement not environment design!
- 4. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Level Design
- 5. Provides Useful Mastery • Mario’s Abilities – Jump – Destroy blocks – Run – Shoot fireballs
- 6. Provides Useful Mastery • No level design, no mastery
- 7. Provides Useful Mastery • Enter a dungeon -> Get a weapon -> Test the weapon
- 8. Influences Player’s Decision Making • Nintendo uses coins to tell that there’s a secret path above.
- 9. Teaches Player About Game’s Mechanics • Super Mario Bros. ( NES ) – Powerup – Powerup physics – Jumping Mechanics – Secrets ( Scenario based )
- 10. Teaches Player About Game’s Mechanics • The Legend of Zelda:The Minish Cap • Link pulls a lever to gain access to a mushroom
- 11. Teaches Player About Game’s Mechanics You can also pull the mushroom as the dirt is also placed near the mushroom ( hint )
- 12. Teaches Player About Game’s Mechanics • How far you pull the mushroom affects how far you jump. ( see the gap between dirts )
- 13. Teaches Player About Game’s Mechanics • New Weapon : Gust Jar • Used by Link to suck things. He can’t escape this room unless he understands how to use Gust Jar.
- 14. Teaches Player About Game’s Mechanics • It can also be used to shoot gust of wind. Again, Link can’t progress unless he has mastered this mechanic.
- 15. Teaches Player About Game’s Mechanics • You can also do this!
- 16. Good Level Design? • Reduces amount of tutorials • Balance between difference in scale and difference in kind • Driven by core mechanics
- 17. Difference in Scale • Scales a variable from game’s mechanics ( enemy’s hp, game speed, number of blocks, etc ). • Easy way to provide variety.
- 18. Difference In Scale • Falling blocks speed gets faster as you progress
- 19. Difference In Scale Monster AAA • HP : 50 • STR : 5 • DEF : 3 Monster BBB • HP : 150 • STR : 13 • DEF : 27
- 20. Difference In Scale • 4x4 • 6x6
- 21. Difference In Kind • Variety in Behavior • Encourages or Challenges player to think differently.
- 22. Difference in Kind • Basic tiles • Color Switching tiles
- 23. Driven by Core Mechanics Mario Megaman Castlevania Contra Speed Med. Accel Binary Binary Binary Jump Steerable Cancellable Fixed Steerable Weapon Jump Fireball Bullet Powerup Whip Sub-weapon 8 dir shot, Powerup
- 24. Driven by Core Mechanics • Mario level design requires more precise platforming
- 25. Kishōtenketsu 起承転結 Four Step Level Design
- 26. Four Step Level Design • Used by Koichi Hayashida ( Nintendo EAD ) to design levels in Mario 3D Land and 3D World. • Inspired by narrative structure of four-panel comics • 1st panel Introduction • 2nd panel Development • 3rd panel Twist • 4th panel Conclusion
- 27. Four Step Level Design • Introduction • Player are given a safe place to learn the concept of this level
- 28. Four Step Level Design • Development • You fail, you die
- 29. Four Step Level Design • Twist • Add twist to the concept that surprises players
- 30. Four Step Level Design • Conclusion • Give player one last chance to show off what they’ve learned to end the level.
- 31. • Games are about processes, not things. It's the processes in games that you interact with, and coming up with interesting processes is really the heart of game design. • - Chris Crawford
- 32. Thank You