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…
Midterm | ||
---|---|---|
Chapter 6 (Previous) |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | Study Page (Home) |
page revision: 17, last edited: 18 Oct 2009 22:26