Game Development Essentials:

An Introduction Third Edition

Chapter 7

Levels creating the world

Key Chapter Questions

■ What is level design and how is it related to gameplay?

■ What is the importance of the structural features of game

worlds—such as duration, availability, relationship, and

progression?

■ What is the importance of the temporal features of game

worlds—such as authentic, variable, player-adjusted, and

altered?

■ What is the importance of the spatial features of game

worlds—such as perspective, scale, and boundaries?

■ How are reality and style achieved in a game environment?

Structure Objectives

Free Realms

Sony Online Entertainment

Structure Flow

God of War III

Sony Computer Entertainment America

Structure Duration

Wario Land: Shake It!

Nintendo

Structure Availability

Wii Sports Resort

Nintendo

Structure Relationship

Global Agenda

Mission Selection (above)

Desert & Water Missions (right) All images Hi-Rez Studios

Structure Progression

Diagram by Per Olin

Time Authentic

World of Warcraft

Blizzard

Time Limited

FarmVille

XxSugarLoveX (Photobucket)

Time Variable

Ultima Online

Electronic Arts

Time Player-Adjusted

Madden NFL 11

Electronic Arts

Time Altered

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands

Ubisoft

Space Perspective & Camera

Omnipresent

Halo Wars

Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation

Space Perspective & Camera

Aerial (Top-Down)

Railroad Tycoon 3

Take-Two Interactive

Space Perspective & Camera

Isometric

Anno 1404

Ubisoft

Space Perspective & Camera

Side-Scrolling (or Flat/Side-View)

Shadow Complex New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Take-Two Interactive Nintendo

Space Terrain & Materials

Killzone 2 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Sony Computer Entertainment America Nintendo

Space Radiosity & Effects

Jets ’N’ Guns Gold

Rake In Grass Games

Space Scale

Making History II: The War of the World EverQuest II

Muzzy Lane Sony Online Entertainment

Space Boundaries

Flight Simulator X: Acceleration

Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation

Space Realism

Major League Baseball 2K11

Take-Two Interactive

Space Style

Flower Resident Evil 5

Sony Computer Entertainment America Capcom

Summary

■ Level Design

■ Structure

■ Time

■ Space

■ Space & Time: Levels, Gameplay & Story