lecture 11 - cs.cornell.edu

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Level Design

Lecture 11:

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Today

Administrivia

Lecture on level design

Group time and consultations

Level Design2

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Design Documents Graded

Out of 36 points

4 points per section: Vision, Objectives, Challenges,

Interactions, Mockup, Feature List, Plan, Playtesting

Revisions allowed – resubmit it to me

Level Design3

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Next Week

Oct 7th

1st prototype due

Submit SWF through CMS

In class: playtesting

Bring multiple computers

Oct 9th

In class: postmortem presentations

You need to be in class all of next week

Level Design4

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Prototype Grading

First Prototype: Oct. 7th

Out of 5 points

5 – playable

4 – playable but some crucial components don’t work

3 or lower – unplayable; multiple components are missing

Second Prototype: Oct 21st

Out of 100 points

Each group gets a customized rubric

Rubric will be distributed Oct 8th

You can submit a counterproposal by next Friday, Oct. 10th

Level Design5

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Change to First Prototype

Only three levels required

Easy

Medium

Hard

Level Design6

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Policy on crashes

First Prototype

It’s okay but will annoy your playtesters

Second Prototype

Acceptable in rare circumstances

Releases

Unacceptable!

Level Design7

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Level Design

Level Design8

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The Level Designer’s Dilemma

Greatest game idea ever!

Now what?

Level Design9

Show off the design!

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Three Key Ideas

Progress through mechanics

Explore the design space

Implement design patterns

Level Design10

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Progress through mechanics

Explore the design space

Implement design patterns

Level Design11

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Portal 2 Mechanics

Level Design12

Level

Mechanic

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Level Design13

Recombination

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Reinforcement

How long to “dwell” on a mechanic before

introducing a new one?

Level Design14

Actions:

A = jump B = dash

A A A BA B vs.

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Recombination

How often to combine mechanics with other

mechanics?

Level Design15

Actions:

A = jump B = dash C = shoot fireball

A AB ABCA B C vs.

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Level Design16

Rei

nfo

rcem

ent

Recombination

A, B, C, D, E

A, A, A,

B, B, B

A, AB, ABC,

ABCD, ABCDE

A, A, B,

B, AB, AB

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Robot Unicorn Attack

Level Design17

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Robot Unicorn Attack Progression

Level Design18

Mechanics:

A = jump B = dash

A A A B A A B

High reinforcement, low recombination

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Level Design19A

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Level Design20AB

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Level Design21AB

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Level Design22ABC

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Level Design23ABC

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Hello Worlds

Level Design24

ABCABCABABA

Moderate reinforcement, high recombination

Mechanics:

A = move B = two worlds C = close world

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Starcraft

Level Design25

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Starcraft

Level Design26

ABCDABCABA

DCBA

A A A A

Low reinforcement, high recombination

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What’s the best?

No correct answer

Some reinforcement but not too much

Some recombination but not too much

Level Design27

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Progress through mechanics

Explore the design space

Implement design patterns

Level Design28

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thegamedesigninitiative

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Progress through mechanics

Explore the design space

Implement design patterns

Level Design29

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Explore the design space

How do mechanics interact in interesting ways?

Level Design30

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Braid

World 2: basic mechanics (jump, kill, rewind)

World 3: unrewindable objects

World 4: time is connected to motion

World 5: clone yourself and do two things

World 6: slow down time

World 1: time moves backwards

Level Design31

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Braid

World 2: basic mechanics (jump, kill, rewind)

World 3: unrewindable objects

World 4: time is connected to motion

World 5: clone yourself and do two things

World 6: slow down time

World 1: time moves backwards

Level Design32

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Level Design33

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Level Design34

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Level Design35

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Level Design36

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Progress through mechanics

Explore the design space

Implement design patterns

Level Design37

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Progress through mechanics

Explore the design space

Implement design patterns

Level Design38

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What is a design pattern?

what everyone else does

Level Design39

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First-person Shooter Design Patterns

Level Design40

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Arena

Level Design41

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Stronghold

Level Design42

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Sniper spot

Level Design43

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Choke Point

Level Design44

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Progress through mechanics

Explore the design space

Implement design patterns

Level Design45

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Rest of class

Group meeting time

I will come around to each group

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