what is level design? steve swink flashbang studios, llc
TRANSCRIPT
What is Level Design?
Steve SwinkFlashbang Studios, LLC
Video Game
Art
• Theme:– Story, World, Characters, Dialog, Background
• Treatment:– Look, Style, Character Design, Polish– “Art Direction”
Theme, Treatment, or Mechanic?
• Intricately Painted Wall Textures• Rock Climbing• Solid Snake’s Headband• Gem Collecting• A lone marine destroyed the Strogg leader• Glowing eyes• The driving force of Spira is the religion of
Yevon
Art
• Theme– Writing, Supplemental Materials
• Treatment:– Character Design– Graphic Design– Industrial/Vehicle Design– Environmental/Architectural Design
Design
• Mechanic Design• Level Design• Traditional/Board Game Design• Interface Design
The designer-
defined
relationship
between player
input
and game
reaction (output)
Mechanic Design
The designer-defined relationship between player input and game reaction (output)Shorthand: ‘Reactive Motion’
What the player does
The verbs
Design
• Mechanic Design• Level Design• Traditional/Board Game Design• Interface Design
Level Design
• Nouns
• Context
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
Design
• Mechanic Design• Level Design• Traditional/Board Game Design• Interface Design
Tweaking
of abstracted
variables
to acheive
“balance”
Traditional Game Design
Tweaking of abstracted variables to achieve “balance”
The glue that holds Mechanic and Level together
The game’s ‘structure’
Design
• Mechanic Design• Level Design• Traditional/Board Game Design• Interface Design
Level, Game, or Mechanic Design?
• Symphony of Destruction in Guitar Hero• Completing the yellow switch palace makes all
empty yellow blocks full• From a jump, reverting then manualing allows
your combo to continue• Gold medals are worth ten points; points can be
used to unlock additional content• Hyrule Field • Donut Plains in Super Mario Kart• Winning the Mushroom Cup on 150cc unlocks
the Flower Cup
Technology
• Platform– Hardware– Software– Input– Output
Level Design
• Half of Game Design– Nouns to Mechanic’s
Verbs
Level Design
• Half of Game Design– Nouns to Mechanic’s Verbs– Places and things, mostly
Level Design
• Half of Game Design– Nouns to Mechanic’s Verbs– Places and things, mostly
• Verbs = what you do• Nouns = what you do to
Level Design
• Half of Game Design– Nouns to Mechanic’s Verbs– Places and things– Persons – AI
Level Design
• Half of Game Design– Nouns to Mechanic’s Verbs– Places and things– Persons – AI– Crafting Experience
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
Levels
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous– Of varied importance to various games
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous– Of varied importance to various games
– Tetris vs. Tony Hawk
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player– Breadcrumb Design
Levels
Player: “I want to go here!”
Levels
Player: “I want to go here!”
Designer: “Sorry, you can’t.”
Levels
Player: “I want to go here!”
Designer: “Sorry, you can’t.”
Player: “Why not?”
Levels
Player: “I want to go here!”
Designer: “Sorry, you can’t.”
Player: “Why not?”
Designer: “Because I said so.”
Levels
Player: “I want to go here!”
Designer: “Sorry, you can’t.”
Player: “Why not?”
Designer: “Because I said so.”
Player: “You’re not my real Dad!”
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player– Breadcrumb Design
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player– Breadcrumb Design
– Sandbox Design
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player– Breadcrumb Design
– Sandbox Design
– Level-derived Design
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player– Breadcrumb Design
– Sandbox Design
– Level-derived Design
– Algorithmic
Reward Schedules – B.F. SkinnerR
ew
ard
Time
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Time - Regular
Re
wa
rd
Button Presses
Tex
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Interval – RegularR
ew
ard
Time
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Time – Variable
Re
wa
rd
Button Presses
Tex
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Tex
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Interval – Variable
Levels
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player– Breadcrumb Design
– Sandbox Design
– Level-derived Design
– Algorithmic
– Physiological: meditative, Alpha waves
Levels
Noun Density
Ver
b C
ompl
exity
Tetris
Tony Hawk
Soul Calibur
Metroid Prime
Myst
DDRExcitebike
Single Player Games
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player
• Multiple Players
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player
• Multiple Players– Equality, balance of opportunity
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player
• Multiple Players– Equality, balance of opportunity
– Minutia
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player
• Multiple Players– Equality, balance of opportunity
– Minutia
– Aesthetics (not important)
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player
• Multiple Players– Equality, balance of opportunity
– Minutia
– Aesthetics (not important)
– Playground versus Birthday Party
Levels
• …Stages, Worlds, Tracks, Boards, Songs, etc…
• Ubiquitous
• Single Player
• Multiple Players– Equality, balance of opportunity
– Minutia
– Aesthetics (not important)
– Playground versus Birthday Party
– Physiology: Visceral, Beta Waves
The Level Designer Par Excellence
• Playful
• Perspicacious
• Moderate
• Objective
• Fortitude
Masterworks
• Metroid Prime – Cunning interblending of stimulus
• Visceral
• Logical/Analytical
• Exploratory
• Mario 64
• Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
• Tony Hawk
• Counterstrike
• Super Mario Kart