CHAPTER 6

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF
LEVEL DESIGN
WHAT IS LEVEL DESIGN

• Level design is the process of constructing the experience that will be offered directly to the
player using the component provided by the game designer.
• Level Designer and Game Designer have separate role within the game development in
which if the project consist of larger team then both may be fill up by different member
however when the teams are small, the position will be fill up by the same person.
• Level designers create the following essential parts of the player’s experience:
a) The space in which the game takes place.
b) The initial conditions of the level.
c) The set of challenges the player will face within the level.
d) The termination conditions of the level.
e) The interplay between the gameplay and the game’s story, if any.
f) The aesthetics and mood of the level.
 The space in which the game takes place

• Level design determine precisely

what features will be in each
level of the games world and
where these features will be.
• Level designer take the general
plan of the game designer for
level thus converting them into
specific and concrete design for
the space within the game.
 The initial conditions of the level

• Level Design control the state of

various changeable features, the
number of enemy characters the
player faces, the amounts of any
resources that the player controls
at the beginning of the level, and
the location of resources that may
be found in the landscape.
• For example, the location of
resources within Civilization 6
The set of challenges the player will face within the level

• Usually the game will offer

challenge is linear sequences in
which level designers determine
what that sequence will be,
construct a suitable space, and
place the challenges within it.
• In other game, In other games, the
challenges may be approached in
a number of different possible
sequences or in any order at all.
• For example, Pokemon Elite Of
Four Challenge offer Linear
sequences.
The termination conditions of the level

• It can be refer to condition in

term of victory or loss which
will end the level of the
game.
• Usually in many games, level
can be won and not loss
however in some games the
level can only be lost not
won such as SimCity.
The interplay between the gameplay and the
game’s story, if any

• The writer of the story must

work closely with level
designer to interweave
gameplay and narrative
event.
• This will ensure that the level
design of the game will
match with narrative event
with the game.
• For example, Outlast
environment match with
storyline within the game.
The aesthetics and mood of the level.

• The level designer responsible

for taking up the general
specification and how to
implement those plan.
• For example, when the plan
say level 2 is the fantasy world,
the level design determine
what kind of environment
should be build which will
satisfy the level of fantasy.
• For example, the world of the
final fantasy XV.
KEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES

• The key design principles is the guidelines for designing the level
within the game.
• The key design principles can be divided into two:
a) Universal Level Design Principles which aimed at designing
level of any kind of the game.
b) Genre Specific Level Design Principles which focus on design
issues specific to the different genres.
Universal Level Design Principles

• Make the early levels of a game tutorial levels.

 Make tutorial provide guidelines to the player
• Vary the pacing of the level.
 Ensure the game become difficult as the level increase
• When the player surmounts a challenge that consumes his resources,
provide more resources.
• Avoid conceptual non sequiturs.
 Build element that make sense such as build the treasure room that are
accessible by the player
• Clearly inform the player of her short-term goals.
Universal Level Design Principles

• Be clear about risks, rewards, and the consequences of decisions.

• Reward the player for skill, imagination, intelligence, and dedication.
• Reward in a large way, punish in a small way
• The foreground takes precedence over the background.
 Avoid making complex background
• The purpose of an artificial opponent is to put up a good fight and
then lose.
• Implement multiple difficulty settings if possible.
 Contain easy, medium and hard mode.
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Shooter Games
 Reward precision and
Timing
 The game should reward
the player who precisely
aim such as headshot or
correct timing to attack the
opponent.
 For example, GTA V
awarded player 250k
money for headshot.
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Action and Arcade Games

 Vary the pace.
 Players must be able to rest,
both physically and mentally,
between bouts of high-speed
action.
 Some of the level need the
player to fight in serious mode
and some of the level let the
player face the fight in casual.
 For example, the opponent in
the Devil May Cry 4.
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Strategy Games
 Reward planning.
 Give players defensible
locations to build in and
advantageous positions to
attack from, but let the
players discover these
places for themselves.
 For example, the location
of the oil refinery in the
Red Alert 3.
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Role-Playing Games
 Offer opportunities for character
growth and player self-
expression.
 Every level should provide
opportunities to achieve
character growth by whatever
means the game rewards such
as combat, puzzle solving, trade,
and so on.
 For example, the character
through combat, quest and
equipment in the Final Fantasy
XV
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Sports Games
 Verisimilitude is vital.
 The simulation of match play
must be completely convincing in
which try to model each team and
each stadium as closely as
possible to the real thing which
includes not only appearances but
the athletes’ performance
characteristics and the teams’
coaching strategies.
 For example, the stadium, player
and the simulation are matched
with real world as close as
possible in the Fifa 18.
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Vehicle Simulations
 Reward skillful
maneuvering.
 Construct levels that test
the player’s skill at
maneuvering his vehicle
and reward him for his
prowess.
 For example, successfully
parking in the Euro Truck
Simulator 2
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Construction and Simulation

Games
 Offer an interesting variety
of initial conditions and
goals.
 Offer scenario that allow
the player to achieve within
long term gameplay.
 For example, building a
space exploration program
in the Sim City 2013
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Adventure Games
 Construct challenges that
harmonize with their
locations and the story.
 For example, the
challenges for visual novel
games is to successfully
unlock route for every
character that lead to their
ending in Clannad.
Genre-Specific Level Design Principles

• Puzzle Games
 Give the player clues about
the correct solution state and
his progress toward it.
 The game can offer hints in a
variety of ways depending
the nature of the puzzle
 For example, the Fishdom
H2O: Hidden Odyssey allow
the player to locate the
hidden item by using sea
horse which will show it.
LAYOUT

• The layout can be defined as the way on how the things is arranged.
• For games that involves moving from one space to another, the layout of the space for
the game world affect the player’s perception of the experience.
• There are few layout such as:
a) Open Layout
b) Linear Layout
c) Parallel Layout
d) Ring Layout
e) Network Layout
f) Hub and Spoke Layout
g) Combination Layout
Open Layout

• The player are unrestricted

from any movement to almost
any part of the region.
• The avatar of the game are
free to wander anywhere.
• It also may include few region
which can only be access after
unlocking difficulty or single
path such as door.
• For example, the elder scroll
VI Skyrim.
Linear Layout

• Restrict the player to experience

the game’s spaces in a fixed
sequence with no side corridors
or branches.
• It doesn’t mean the space in a
linear but rather the sequences of
event which locked the player
from one content to another
without any freedom to choose.
• The right side show the level
with linear layout.
• The example of the game that use
linear layout is meta slug.
Parallel Layout

• The player passes through the

level from one end to another
but can take a variety of paths
to get there.
• One path may offer a greater
risk and therefore a greater
reward, while another path
may give the player greater
insights into the storyline.
• For example, in the pokemon
mystery dungeon, some path
contain skill orb while some
path contain monster house.
Ring Layouts

• In a ring layout, the path

returns to its starting point,
although it may include
shortcuts that cut off a portion
of the journey.
• Shortcut point usually require
less time but the obstacles that
player must face is greater than
the normal path.
• for example, the game that
mainly use the ring layout is
racing game such as Need For
Speed.
Network Layouts

• Spaces that are connected to each

other in a variety of ways.
• Modern graphical games that
implement three-dimensional
spaces usually present architecturally
appropriate and logical networks but
still offer plenty of opportunities to
create enjoyable exploration
challenges.
• Give player considerable freedom
about what path to take.
• For example, Counter Strike give
freedom for player to explore
surrounding environment and find the
enemies to kill.
Hub-and-Spoke Layouts

• The player begins in a central hub

that implies safety.
• To explore the rest of the world,
the player follows a linear path
out from the hub and then returns
back to the hub on the same path
• The return journey should be
quick
• Major Challenges / Great reward
at the end of spokes
• For example, robin hood legend
of Sherwood.
Combinations of Layouts

• Combines several types of

layout.
• Large RPG with main map
and subplot to access small
areas.
• Game usually linear but the
level can completed in
various order.
• For example,
LEVEL DESIGN PROCESS

• Design To Design Level Handoff

• Planning Phase
• Prototyping
• Level Review
• Level Refinement and Lockdown
• Level Design To Art Handoff
• First Art and Rigging Part
• Art To Level Design Handoff Review
• Content Integration
• Bug Fixing
• User Testing and Tuning
Design To Design Level Handoff

• Generate a list of feature that should appear within the level:

i. Event that can be triggered by player action
ii. Object that will appear within the level (Props)
iii. Non-Player Character (NPC)
Planning Phase

• Planning the level in detail which will include in the following key
areas:
a) Gameplay – Consider any following issue regarding gameplay
b) Art – Determine the scope level and how much artwork required.
c) Performance – Plan the level in which it does not exceed machine
limitation.
d) Code – Discuss with the programmer for any additional feature
that requires coding in order to implemented within the game.
Prototyping

• Prototype require feature that can be load in the game engine

which need to be test such as:
a) The basic geometry (physical shape) of the game world created
in a 3D modeling tool.
b) Temporary textures to place on the geometry to give it a surface.
c) Temporary models of props
d) Paths planned for AI-driven NPCs
e) A lighting design for the level
f) The locations of trigger points for key events
Level Review

• Examining the level and identify the following issue:

a) Scale refer to size
b) Pacing refer to the flow of event
c) Difficulty refer to difficulty of the level
d) Fun refer to the level of enjoyment that can be gained
Level Refinement and Lockdown

• Identify the issue from the level review and address all the problem
within it.
• Lock down the level design in which there will be no additional or
change that can be made for this level.
Level Design to Art Handoff

• Provide all the design that are used within the prototype to the
artist in which they will used as a blueprint in order to build the
geometry, animations, and textures that will end up in the real
game.
• Notify the programmer for any special code that are required
within the level so that they can prepared for the content
integration stage ( content refer to audio, movie, text and etc)
First Art and Rigging Pass

• During this phase, the art team will now start builds the real
artwork and rigging in which at the same time the level designer
should be working on another level.
Art to Level Design Handoff and Review

• During this phase, the art team will hand over the artwork that
they finished in order to be reviewed by the level designer.
• Highlight any problem and address all the issue for it.
Content Integration

• Assemble all the asset into the completed level which include
artwork, new code required by the level, audio, and any remaining
tweaks to the lighting.
• Adjusting any remaining issue issues with the rigging, by
repositioning characters, effects, and triggers as necessary.
Bug Fixing

• The level will be test in order to look for bugs in the code and
mistakes in the content.
• The process will be iterative in which it will cycle around until all
the content is working as it designed.
User Testing and Tuning

• In the last stage which usually known as formal testing, the test
plan will be prepared that will be used to address all the issue
within the level.
• The first test that will be conduct is alpha test while the second test
that will be conduct is beta test which will be released to the public.