Chapter 3.1 : Sketching the Level Designs
For level designs, the elements that I consider in putting them is :
1) The challenge that must be overcome to proceed
2) The story progression
3) The theme of the game
4) The boss battle for the players to end the game
Therefore there are 3 level designs that I have sketched out based on these elements.
The game's challenge is to locate the key to unlock the door to the boss battle. Players will face enemies along the way.
(*Note = I used a Graph Pad to sketch out my level because my designs will be constructed in a 64bit-style 2D RPG game. It's easier for me to estimate how many boxes I need to put the assets onto the level. This applies to designing the assets as well, as in Photoshop it is easier to estimate. I will show this in later posts)
Level Design 1
My first attempt in designing the level. The level design here is huge and allows players to explore the world easier as the it shows the entire game already. The cons of this design is that it may make the character and other assets small and I also realized that the cutscenes won't fit with these design.The challenge will be more easier as players have seen where the treasure chests are located and will go straight to them.
Estimate time for players to finish the challenge : 2- 5 minutes.
Level Design 2
On my second attempt, I designed it to be 3 different levels because I decided to stick with only the camera following the character and not showing the whole map. This gives players more time to explore the place and search the treasure chests. I can also pinpoint where the enemies will be and how the positions suit the gameplay so that it balances the challenge.
Again, I did not choose this design because the first level is too huge and notice that it already shows the enemies, which shifts the players into wanting to either eliminate them or avoiding them first. I want to let players take their time and explore the place so that they can appreciate the design of the game and at the same time letting them finish their goal in overcoming the challenge.
Estimate time for players to finish the challenge : 5 - 8 minutes.
Level Design 3 (Chosen Level Design)
For my third attempt, I followed the same design as the 2nd one but expanded the first level, making it to four different locations. Why is because when the player starts the game, they will be starting at a safe spot, which means no enemies. This allows the players to get used to the controls of the game as well as exploring the place. I also decided to put a tutorial board there to act as a guide for non-games.
This design also allows players to feel more curious in exploring different levels in order to find the chest to unlock the door. When discuss this with an expert, he mentioned that this level is appropriate for game play as it balances the duration of time between exploring and solving the challenge.
1) The challenge that must be overcome to proceed
2) The story progression
3) The theme of the game
4) The boss battle for the players to end the game
Therefore there are 3 level designs that I have sketched out based on these elements.
The game's challenge is to locate the key to unlock the door to the boss battle. Players will face enemies along the way.
(*Note = I used a Graph Pad to sketch out my level because my designs will be constructed in a 64bit-style 2D RPG game. It's easier for me to estimate how many boxes I need to put the assets onto the level. This applies to designing the assets as well, as in Photoshop it is easier to estimate. I will show this in later posts)
Estimate time for players to finish the challenge : 2- 5 minutes.
Level Design 2
On my second attempt, I designed it to be 3 different levels because I decided to stick with only the camera following the character and not showing the whole map. This gives players more time to explore the place and search the treasure chests. I can also pinpoint where the enemies will be and how the positions suit the gameplay so that it balances the challenge.
Again, I did not choose this design because the first level is too huge and notice that it already shows the enemies, which shifts the players into wanting to either eliminate them or avoiding them first. I want to let players take their time and explore the place so that they can appreciate the design of the game and at the same time letting them finish their goal in overcoming the challenge.
Estimate time for players to finish the challenge : 5 - 8 minutes.
Level Design 3 (Chosen Level Design)
For my third attempt, I followed the same design as the 2nd one but expanded the first level, making it to four different locations. Why is because when the player starts the game, they will be starting at a safe spot, which means no enemies. This allows the players to get used to the controls of the game as well as exploring the place. I also decided to put a tutorial board there to act as a guide for non-games.
This design also allows players to feel more curious in exploring different levels in order to find the chest to unlock the door. When discuss this with an expert, he mentioned that this level is appropriate for game play as it balances the duration of time between exploring and solving the challenge.
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