CAGD 270

CAGD 270

Level Design

ePortfolio Post 3

My level starts in the middle of the map and comes outwards. The pacing is pretty well balanced in my opinion. The level starts off pretty easy with a simple moving platform and introduces players to checkpoints. The player only has to defeat 2 enemies before moving on. Then parkour is introduced to them as well as ranged enemies. From here on out, these mechanics are used more widely and implemented in harder ways so the player does not get bored. There are a few parkour sections in between the fighting to give the players a break whether they prefer combat or parkour. 

The player’s progression in the level is very linear. There is only one path they can take. There is a door at the end of the area which they must unlock by finding switches throughout. This gives the player a reason to explore everything and not just run past the enemies. Seeing the doors open and the crystals light up can give them a sense of progression. 

Since there are not multiple paths the player can take, I had to make sure the areas were not boring to progress through. There are a lot of enemies and parkour they have to get through. Having one path also made sure that people did not get confused or overwhelmed on which direction to go first. If the player is good they can hurry through some of the parkour which gives them a little more freedom. 

Things were introduced to the player slowly. The first thing they come across is a moving platform which tells them they can expect to see more later on. The first checkpoint has a UI that tells the player what it is and from then on they can recognize the checkpoints on their own. I also introduced the spitter enemy using text sharing what it does. The first door is just opened using a pressure plate but the ones after require multiple switches. The pressure plate is intuitive but for the switches I added text to make sure the player understood how it worked. 

I think the parts of the level that were the most well designed were the portals. They look like portals so the player can expect what they do. I also colored the portals which you must enter purple and the ones you exit red to indicate the difference between them. The player had to run past a pool of acid and go further to use a portal to skip that acid. This taught the player to not keep doing the same thing if it does not work. 

The mechanic I did not enjoy much was the parkour in level 2. I think it was a little too difficult at times and I could have added more platforms. It was very frustrating to miss the jumps because you aimed slightly off. I did add a checkpoint which made it better but I would make that section shorter next time.

Overall I am happy with my level and how the whole thing came out. Everything works and looks good. I like how it was designed in a spiral instead of just being straight the whole time. It took a lot longer than I expected to make the level and make sure the walls lined up how I wanted. Some areas are also a little empty which I would have liked to fill with enemies or terrain to make it look more interesting. If I had access to more mechanics I could implement it would make it better as well. Still, I am happy with it and I feel like I know a bit more about designing a level now.

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ePortfolio Post 2 

My MegaMan level is jungle themed. It is a mostly horizontal level with a few blocks of the map having elevation upwards or downwards. Starting off with the annotated map I tried to think about how I wanted my level to be designed. I wanted to keep it fairly simple and beginner friendly. When I actually started designing the map in MegaMan Maker it was quite different from my annotated map. I had to make adjustments so my map fit into the size of the maker. For level 1 my map and level are pretty similar. However, I was not satisfied with my level 2 annotated map so there were a lot more changes to my actual level. 

In the playtests for the level I realized that people were having difficulty in some of the platforming sections with the spikes. I added a few more checkpoints so the player would not become frustrated by repeatedly dying to the same thing. That also made the level more accessible to players with a lower skill level. I also added some more health across the whole level to make it easier.

             

Since the level required two weapons I had to redesign some of my level. I added the Power Adapter a little bit into the level. It gives the player a chance to learn the controls and how to defeat enemies before getting another weapon added. The Power Adapter looks cool and feels familiar to the buster the player already has. Some blocks were added that the player had to destroy with their new weapon to progress. This stopped them from just sticking to the buster they were used to.

Near the end of the level, a new weapon is introduced: the fire sword. Before this the power adapter is taken away. That way the player is forced to use the new weapon and also they are not overwhelmed with too many weapons. The fire sword is used to break certain blocks only it can break. It can also destroy ice which is introduced to the player here. Having ice in a jungle level made me go up high and lower into the ground since it made more sense to have ice in a place that is usually a bit colder than ground level. Since the player had been introduced to upper levels earlier it did not break the flow of the level.

I did not want the player to be overwhelmed with enemies, especially at the start of the level. That is why the enemies are pretty spread out at the start and also easy to defeat. As the level goes on, there are more enemies. The enemies are also harder, like having more health or requiring the enemy to be in the air to damage it. A boss-like cat enemy is placed near the end to give players a challenge and test their combat skills. I also included some platforming sections but not many. Since there would be some challenges in the combat, I did not want the player to have to get introduced and get good at both fighting and platforming. The platforming also starts out easy and simple. There are spike platforms but they will not kill the player, only damage them. The later platforming sections can be difficult since spikes are instant death. There are checkpoints placed near them though if the player does fail.

I incorporated any feedback I got into my levels. Overall, the feedback was positive. People liked the colors I chose and how cohesive the level felt. One mistake I made was not putting MegaMan at the start of the level. This was easily fixed though. I was told to add more health and checkpoints to make the level a bit easier. This made sense to me since it was supposed to be a more beginner level. I did add those and it made the level easier and more fun to play.

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ePortfolio Post 1 

Area 1: Dungeon

Summary: You awaken in a dark and cold dungeon. There is a key dropped down to you that can unlock your door. Learn the basics to see if you are fit to survive in this world.

Inspiration Photos

 

A1: Key and Door

This is the start area of Dark Souls. The player starts in a room with a door. On the floor is a key. This key unlocks the door into the rest of the area. This teaches the player Contextual Actions, which in this case is unlocking doors using keys. This is the first action the player takes in the game. It also lets them know how they should interact with objects in the future. The player can proceed to the hallway. 

A2: Attacking

On the ground there is a message teaching players Basic Attack Controls. Use RB for basic attacks and RT for heavy attacks. The enemies are represented through the skulls. These enemies do not attack the player, giving them a chance to learn the controls without worrying about dying. Having 3 enemies gives a good tutorial on different ways to combo attacks.

Stairs and Ladders

The player can go up some stairs and enter a room with some water in it. There is an enemy in the water which the player can practice their combat skills on. Continuing on the player reaches a room which is the end of that area. The ladder can be taken up to enter a different area.

Area 2: Floor 1

Summary: You make your way out of a dungeon and are faced with a massive door. What lies on the other side? What new dangers await?

Inspiration Photos

Bonfire

As a reward for getting past the dungeon the players are met with a bonfire. It lets the player save their progress and set a respawn position in case of death. This is an extremely important aspect of the game and a good indicator and a new area or change is about to come.

Boss

The player can only proceed to the door in front of them. They enter the room and approach the message on the floor. It says to get away and then the Asylum Demon boss drops from the ceiling. The player can escape using the door to their left. This gives the player an idea of what kinds of bosses are in store for them.

B1: Shield

As the player gets away from the boss and into another room they come across a room with a shield. This introduces the player to Inventory Management. They learn to pick up and equip new gear and weapons. The message next to the shield shows which button to press to open the inventory. It also shows what button to use to use the shield. 

Reflection

The layout of this level is quite simple. It consists of two areas, a dungeon and then an upper floor. The first level had to be quite simple so as to not overwhelm the players. The player starts off in a room with nothing but a key. This forces them to interact with it and pick it up. Considering there is a locked door the player can assume they must use the key to open the door. This is the first action they learn. It is important to start teaching with the basics like interaction, especially if this is the player’s first time. From there, a long hallway is in front of the player. There are other cells but they are not unlockable, teaching the player that not everything can be opened and encourages exploration. Two enemies are placed in the hallway along with a message on the floor instructing the player how to attack with their weapon. The enemies are unable to move giving the player a chance to practice their skills before moving on. The hallway connects to a more open room with a single enemy. Once again the enemy is their for practice. That leads on to a room with a ladder to teach the player about climbing. 

The ladder takes the player to a large open area. This is a big contrast to the smaller dungeon they were confined to. It lets the player have a grander feel about the level and they lets them know to expect bigger things. The bonfire is introduced as a save point and lets players regenerate their health. This provides comfort to the player but might let them know that something difficult is coming up. The boss room has a big door which the player opens to let them know the size of the thing they are about to face. There is writing on the floor when the player enters the room telling them to run which informs the player that the boss is unbeatable for now. There is a small door which the player can run through to escape. A bonfire provides comfort and a new part of the level. The inventory management is introduced here so the player can get a new shield. This will be used to block the arrows of the upcoming enemy. The blocking mechanic is extremely useful especially to player who are not aggressive and needs to be taught here at the start of the game.

It was important that the player starts in the dungeon so they do not get overwhelmed. It is a small and confined area and does not allow exploration. It only exists to start the story and teach the player the basics they need. This way the player will not be too confused by the environment or get lost. It will stop them from missing critical information about attacking. In contrast, the upper floor is extremely open. The player can explore but will not find anything. This sets up how barren and deserted the place they are in is. The reason for this is shown with the giant Asylum Demon boss. It is necessary to set the player's expectations for the rest of the game and a terrifying enemy like that right at the start does that. Having a safe area away from the boss is also important as it teaches the player that being scared all the time is not necessary. If a boss cannot be defeated yet, go see if you can gather more resources and practice your fighting. 

The feedback I got told me to make the map clearer which I did. Everything is clearly labeled and properly sized. There is also a clear distinction made between the two areas so the player and level designer can recognize that they are distinct areas. I also included the writing on the floor telling the player to run since I did not have that before. That made it more clear on what I was talking about. I was also advised to use my colors in my map which I did. The blue is used to showcase areas with a roof. The red rooms are inaccessible. The yellow is for outside areas and the green is for the boss room.