F UNDAMENTALS OF G AME D ESIGN G AME L EVEL D ESIGN Sayed Ahmed BSc. Eng. in CSc. & Eng. (BUET) MSc. in CSc. (U of Manitoba) Presented at the University of Winnipeg Just E.T.C for Business, Education, and Technology Solutions

W HAT IS L EVEL D ESIGN Process of constructing the experience that will be offered to the player Level designers create the following essential parts of the player’s experience The space in which the game takes place The initial conditions of the level The set of challenges the player will face within the level The termination conditions of the level The interplay between the gameplay and the game’s story The aesthetics and mood of the level 2

K EY D ESIGN P RINCIPLES Make the early levels of a game tutorial levels Vary the pacing of the level When the player surmounts a challenge that consumes his resource, provide more resources Avoid conceptual non sequiturs Clearly inform the player of his short-term goals Be clear about risks, rewards, and the consequences of decisions Reward in a large way, punish in a small way The foreground takes precedence over the background 3

K EY D ESIGN P RINCIPLES The purpose of an artificial opponent is to put up a good fight and then lose Implement multiple difficulty settings if possible 4

G ENRE -S PECIFIC L EVEL D ESIGN P RINCIPLES Action Games Vary the pace Strategy Games Reward planning Role-Playing Games Offer opportunities for character growth and player self expression Sports-Games Verisimilitude is vital Vehicle Simulations Reward skillful maneuvering 5

G ENRE -S PECIFIC L EVEL D ESIGN P RINCIPLES Construction and Management Simulations Offer an interesting variety of initial conditions and goals Adventure Games Construct challenges that harmonize with their locations and the story Artificial Life Games Create many interaction opportunities for the creatures in their environment Puzzle Games Give the player time to think 6

L AYOUTS OF THE G AME W ORLD Open Layouts Linear Layouts Parallel Layouts Ring Layouts Network Layouts Hub-and-Spoke Layouts Combinations of Layouts 7

E XPANDING ON THE P RINCIPLES OF L EVEL D ESIGN Atmosphere Lighting Color Palette Weather and atmospheric effects Special visual effects Music Ambient audio Special Audio effects 8

P ROGRESSION AND P ACING Designing the Progression Mechanics Experience Duration Ancillary Rewards and Environmental Progression Practical gameplay rewards Difficulty Actions available to the player Story progression Character growth Designing the Pacing Vary the Pacing Overall Pacing 9

T UTORIAL L EVELS Tutorial Levels A scripted or partially scripted experience Explains Game’s user interface Key challenges Actions to the player Use voiceover narration, text superimposed on the screen, special mentor character to explain things to the player 10

T HE L EVEL D ESIGN P ROCESS Planning Phase Gameplay Planning Phase Layout Areas devoted to major challenges Pacing Termination Conditions Resource placements Player start and end points NPC positions and spawn points Elevations Secret areas Special event issues Landmarks Destruction Storytelling Save points and checkpoints 11

T HE L EVEL D ESIGN P ROCESS Planning Phase ART Planning Phase Plan Performance Plan Coding Prototyping Phase Level Review Phase Scale Pacing Placement of objects and triggers Performance issues Other code issues Aesthetics 12

T HE L EVEL D ESIGN P ROCESS Level Refinement and Lock-Down Level Design to Art Handoff First Art and Rigging Pass Art to Level Design Handoff and Review Content Integration Bug Fixing User Testing and Tuning 13

P ITFALLS OF L EVEL D ESIGN Get the Scope Right Avoid Conceptual Non Sequiturs Make Atypical Levels Optional Don’t show the player Everything at Once Never Lose Sight of Your Audience 14

S UMMARY The level designer is responsible for actually presenting the game experience to the player by designing The space in which the games take place Deciding what challenges a player will face Creating the atmosphere of the game worlds Planning the pacing of events for each level Level design is governed by Some universal principles Some genre specific principles 15

S UMMARY Designing the actual layout of the level is important Enhance the playing experience Level design requires interaction among The game’s design team Artists Programmers Audio team Attention to detail and a methodical approach Will help to prevent level design pitfalls 16