Level Design

Professional Games Conception

Introduction 

This blog has been create by Charlie Lambert, a Student Currently living in Manchester attending at Futureworks University,third year. In order to show the progress of each project that will be complete charlie will be creating a blog for each project given to her. This Blog will talk about the project titled 'Games Proposal' Given by Lecturer 'Benjamin hill'.

In order to complete this Project Charlie Lambert most chose a theme that can be used to demonstrate her ability's across four different areas of games design. Charlie is to undertake this task in order to understand games design in a professional working practise.

The four assignments are as followed:

1. Professional Games Conception  
2. Professional Character Conception and 3D Modelling 
3. Professional Level Design 
4. Professional Environment Design and 3D Modelling

What The Theme is?

The Theme that Charlie has chosen for this assignment will be simple so that it is easier to manipulate around all four assignments. However the theme chosen will not be as simple as basing the theme on an excising game or film and just recreating in her own style, instead charlie has chosen the theme of elements, for example fire, water, wind, ice and so on.

Why Charlie has chosen this theme?

The main reason that this particular theme has been chosen by charlie is simply because there are many different elements for Charlie to play with, which gives her more room to come with a large number of creative ideas. Another good reason for chosen this theme is that it can be easily used though out all four areas of this project. 

How Charlie Plan's to apply this theme to each assignment?

Assignment 1

Using the idea of elements for the main theme idea can easily be used when creating an idea for a game. Charlie will have to think of way on how the theme can be used to create a good concept idea to be used with game, whilst keeping the idea simple and not being overambitious

Assignment 2

As this part of the project requires Charlie to create a concepts of a character and a 3D render of the same, makes applying the theme to this assignment will not be to difficult. In order to apply the chosen theme to the character charlie intends to make a character that can control the elements. Making the character to look like one of the elements could also tie the theme in with this assignment.

Assignment 3

When apply the theme to this section of the project Charlie has decided on using the different elements as puzzles for plays to complete, in order to gain access to different/ hidden areas. An example of a element based puzzle could be to make the player do something as simple as to guild water to a tree that is on fire and is blocking the path.

Assignment 4
As environments are mostly element based any Charlie will have no difficulty mixing her chosen theme in with this final assignment. Although environments are element based charlie would have to consider how to use other element in different environments, and chose with elements would work in a particle area. for example if the player is in an underwater world then the fire element could not be used in that environment, as fire can not be lit underwater.

Level design prosses

This project will show the process of creating a level and will be broken down in to eight areas. These areas are as followed:

1.       Idea

·         Everything starts with an idea

·         Ideas can happen at any time in life

·         Carry a journal that is specifically for though workings and ideas around with me everywhere

·         Draw sketches as well

The way to pick an idea is to ask myself these questions:

·         How excited am I about the environment I want to create?

·         Am I inspired to create the idea and see it as a game environment?

2.       Purpose and features

·         What is the purpose of this idea?

·         Why do I want to pursue the idea to completion?

·         Why do I want to create this environment and level design?

·         What are the reasons? What ids the purpose

Whatever it may be purpose is an important drive if your level design is going to be successful. Know why you want to create this environment and the game play it hold.

How will you make this level standout?

3.       Location and environment setting

·         Where does the level take place

·         Urban or Rural

·         Interior or exterior

·         What time period

·         Past, future, or present

·         Weather it was raining

·         Is it mid-day early morning noon or night

4.       Photo reference

·         The best areas to focus on

·         Environment and location reference

·         Set design and props

·         Lighting and style

·         Inspirational reference

Even if you are going to stop at a white box or UDK asset level design.

5.       Story

·         There are two types of story in a level

First:

·         What happen to the environment prior to the player getting there.

Second

·         How did the player get to the environment and why are they there.

Write a history for the environment. How did it come to be? What is the character doing within the environment?

6.       Objects and Obstacles

·         Objects and obstacles are a goal for the player

·         Objectives: what does the player need to do within the environment in order to progress

·         Obstacle: oppositions that the player must overcome.

A solid way to plan obstacles is to create an obstacle mind map tree.

This allows me to plan how the player approaches particular objectives before you plan the map.

I can create scenarios within the game play

7.       Top Down map

·         Top down layouts is a top down drawn map of how the environment that I want to create will look.

·         It will show:

·         Buildings

·         Landscapes

·         Map barriers

·         Player spawn points

·         Enemy’s

·         Puzzles

·         focal point

Rough sketches then add more detail when placed in Photoshop, create the map in many different looks.

8.       Focal points

A Functional Purpose. It helps players to orient themselves in the environment

A visual aesthetic function. Making the environment more visually pleasing.

It draws the player towards the focal point.