Midterm - Chapter 7

Levels:creating the world

  • Level Design- The creation of environments, scenarios,or missions an electronic game.

Structure

Goal

  • Each level should have a set of objectives that the player understands.
  • Some developers ensure that the players understand the bojectives for each level by crating a briefng in the form of a cut-scene or tutoral at the beginning of each level.
  • Progress reports are important so that players know where they stand in relations to their goals.
    • Prevents a suprise defeat.

Flow

  • Two main issues with game flow.
    • Make sure the player stays in an area of a level until the player has accomplished necessary objectives.
    • Prevent a player from returning to an area once the objectives associated with the level have been completed.

Duration

  • The universal rule is that a player must complete at least one level of a game in a single session
  • Computer sessions should be fairly short (15 minute spurts)
  • Console game levels usually are around 45 minutes
  • If you want to develop a game with longer sessions, provide milestones of achievement on a regular basis

Availability

  • Make sure each level covers at least one primary goal
  • First-person immersion- only one level available at a time
  • Games that only allow a small number of levels open at once cause frustration to RPG gamers
  • Many levels open at one time cause confusion, unless its an simulation or RTS game

Relationship

  • Levels in puzzle games are often related in an increase in difficulty
  • Some levels are related through storylines (traditional media)
  • In epoisodic relationships, levels are self-contained within its own internal plot line and conclusion
  • Stratagy games usuallly use the term campaign to describe the levels or missions needed to be completed to finish the game
  • Each time a player finish a mission they are closer to completing the campaign

Progression

  • Vary the pace of your levels.
    • Allow the players to alternately struggle to stay alive.
    • Systematically explore the environment.
    • Reflectively solve challenging puzzles.
  • Keep the player occupied with things to do.
  • Challenge the players with your levels but do not make the levels so difficult that only experts can survive.
  • Linear- consisting of challenges that stead9ly increase in difficulty as the game continues
  • Flat- where difficulty does not vary from one level to the next
  • S curve- combination of the linear and flat models
  • Depending on the goals of a level.
    • Warn players of impending danger.
  • Should be several ways which a player can meet each challenge and complete levels.

Perspective & Camera

  • Omnipresent
    • Allows player to view different parts of the game world and can take action in differen locations
  • Aerial (Top-Down)
    • Shows player how the game is seen from above
  • Isometric
    • Landscape view from a 30- to 45-degree angle
  • Side-Scrolling
    • Flat 2D view, moves from left to right.

Terrain & Materials

  • Includes metal, glass, sand, sky, clouds, etc. that influence the look and feel of the game

Radiosity & Effects

  • Radiosity or lighting without this players would not be able to navigate through level
  • Helps give effects such as reflection on surfaces.
  • Other effects include climate and natural movements

Scale

  • Scale includes size of physical game space and size of objects in the game
  • Scale should be related to the type of game being played, and distorted to accomodate the player

Boundaries

  • Occur in all games
  • Artificial boundaries incude:
    • Football Stadiums
    • Racing Tracks
    • Theme Parks
    • Terrain

Realism

  • Consider how much detail you would like to include

Realism can be recognized by incorporating tourist hot spots, back alleys, overcast skies, etc…

  • Often you must subtract speed and efficiency

Style

  • Influences everything from the character, interface, manual, and packaging
  • Environments in the game incorporate vivid detail such as:
    • Aging = wrinkles
    • Engaging in battle and exercise = scars and muscles
  • 2 Main Style Forms:
  • Style of the objects in the world
  • Style of the artwork that will depict the world
  • Styles become over-used in games
  • Do not borrow a style or setting from another game- Try something new.
  • Think about the emotion you would like the world to bring out in the player:
  • Awe, fear, excitement, amusement, etc…
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