In a forum I frequent the question was posed 'How do I create a level?'. I wrote this long response. I feel it is relevant to all level designers or budding level designers.
I'm going to talk about the design side of creating a level. The technical side of building a level people have already covered. Read tutorials and experiment in the editor until you know how it works.
Heres my way to design a level.
First. Pre design. Think up a scenario you think would be cool. It doesn't matter if everyone else would think it lame. As long as you think it is cool. If you don't like the idea, then you probably won't do a good job and generally people won't like it either.
Take the idea. Think of the environment of which that idea is set in. Often I find it easiest to think up a little backstory before actually starting to build the map, that gives me a reason for certain items to exist. If you know why it should be there then it will fit all the better.
There is nothing worse than just opening the editor, plonking some meshes down and saying 'its erm.... a room with crates'. You make crap work and it has no style or character.
Just a side note. Cliches. We have all seen the factory maps a million times. We have all fought in deserts and snowfields and forests and oceans before.
However.
Don't be afraid to do them again. Cliches exist because they work. They are good settings to base levels around, this is why they worked in the first place. As long as you are putting your own cool spin on that idea and making it interesting, it's still a cool map.
So. You now have a cool idea, a setting for your level and a reason for the combat. Time to get into the editor
First, get some references. Ideas are cool, but ideas won't make the game fun. You have to work with the gameplay of the gametype you are working with. So look at a lot of other maps. Take note of the distances between objects. Note how much cover is available. Take a close look at the size of everything.
Try to write down all the important elements that involve this style of play. - Is the movement fast or slow?
- Is there going to be level interactivity?
- Do I want choke points and where are they going to go
- Where do I want my player to be when combat starts?
- Do I want the player to go in a specific direction?
Once you have a good idea how the gametype works. Draw up a rough sketch and as long as it is all sounding cool to you, then open up the editor.
(on a side note, a lot of people like to rough out their levels using the editor. I'll leave this to your discretion. I personally like having paper in my hands to reference to at all times)
Rough out the map. Don't get too locked down in one layout and think you can't change it. Your players will never know what it looked like originally. it wouldn't be much fun anyway if you stifled yourself creatively.
Don't be afraid to ignore your plan or start again a zillion times. It took me 8 attempts to make Bushwalk before I made a layout I was happy with.
Also. Test things. If you don't know how something works. Make a quick test map and test a specific feature. It's a lot easier than trying to get it into your level and hoping to hell it will work.
Flesh out the level with the areas you want, any specific features you need to make the level work. Put all the essentials in.
- Cover
- Basic design of the level
- Items to stop the player falling out of the world.
- Basic artistic premis.
- Any levelinfo required items to get the level to work.
Then. You are at alpha.
Slap a 'WIP' on the map filename and put it up here. Get people to play it and tell them it's at an alpha stage. The main question here is fun. Don't give a shit about the graphics or the sound or the environmental effects. If other players like it, then you have a winner.
Take feedback in stride. If people don't like elements, don't change it just because they say so. A lot of people are biased towards one type of play. Instead try to balance the problems out.
If the map is too large, shrink it down or bring the two forces closer.
If the map is too open, add more cover or large objects to bring the players closer before combat.
If the map is to small, add more areas.
If the map feels too focused towards a certain class, work in some areas specific to that class.
Side note. Always remember the reason people are playing games like strike force. They want to get into combat and have fun, taking a million years to find each other is not fun. Having to open a huge sequence of doors is not fun. KISS is your friend (Keep It Simple, Stupid!). People want an environment that works with them - not against them.
Level flow is all about accomodating the player and keeping the player moving without actually telling them to do so. Reward the player for performing certain actions or taking a specific path. Never penalise a player.
If people think it is fun then keep on editing. If not, keep changing things until it does become fun. Never be afraid to ask for feedback. Thats what level designers are there for.
Once other people and you think the level is fun. Now all you need to do is resolve the bugs and make it pretty.
I won't go into details on how to make a level pretty and it feel like an environment. I have written up that rant in my blog.
Once it's all done. You have completed a level that you can both be proud of and happy to play. If you don't like playing the level at the end of the process, don't take it to heart. It happens.
On large projects (like when I was working on stargate) I was developing the same levels for over a year. I was sick to death of playing my levels by the end of it. That doesn't mean that people won't like them though.
Remember always. People WILL play levels, just because they are levels and they are new. Never hold yourself back because 'I don't think people will like it'. Screw that. Map for yourself first, others second.
Also. Remember to talk to experienced level designers. They have learnt tricks of the trade from doing it for years and will be able to help you when things just don't make sense.
Heres a tip. Nobody ever 'understands' the Unreal Engine. It doesn't make sense, ever. We all just know how it works and what we can do with it. We're accustomed to things working the way they do, but we can't explain how or why it happens in the way it does, 90% of the time.
However, if it all comes together. You will have learnt a great deal, developed a kickass level and will be establishing yourself as a level designer.
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