Level Design
This week I worked on the games level design and layout. It started with desperately trying to find a basis to plan our environment modelling on. On the Monday we finally found something suitable, which was 3 models from Little big planet 3. We then used these to set an estimate on our small, medium and large assets. Here is the final tech spec sheet signed by us and our supervisors Mike and Craig.
Moving on with the level design, I decided to first come up with a shape based on my research on how as a player you can always see the final outcome and still have milestones towards it. This got me thinking about the way games uses level block outs to subliminally show you where to go. Feeding from my research I decided as it was an island like shape, I’d go for a U shape level design.
This meant having the goal on one end and the start on the other.
This then made the goal always seem relevant and in the picture, whether its off on the horizon line or right in the distance, it would always be seen.
From here i worked up on the rest of the level.
I decided to at first break down the level with milestones. These were mini goals that the player could get to breakdown the game play.
They were:
A Bridge
A pair of stairs
A garden of some sorts
And the lighthouse
From here I broke down each section into 2-3 small puzzles. This was done after researching games like Lego Batman and Ratchet and Clank. After seeing the way they used larger puzzles in an open area it got me thinking on how as artists we want our assets seen and it to look good. This worked in our favour as it gave us both.
The open plan level would have a specific route to take so the game felt linear and subjective, yet let the player explore the environment a bit.
After revising these with the group I decided to add areas which were open and had a break in game play, this allowed us to have a variation in speed of game play.
From here I moved on to draw, draw, draw!
So as you can see I had a variety of puzzles planned that would stretch across the map, these would change the pace of gameplay, yet played on the mechanics we created as well. The mechanics also elongated the time a player would spend in an area.
Each puzzle big puzzle has collectables and uses both players to make it intriguing.
I now can hand it over to James to help create the blockout of the level to see if its fun to play and feels good. If it is, I can create a benchmark and start to model!!
...... if not then it sets us back :(