Level design

So I am still making the platform game Pogo Fred and everything is going really well except for one thing... the actual level design.

Im finding it really difficult to be creative with the structure and I am only on my third level. How do you lot go about it? Or maybe someone has gone through something similar.

I suppose it could just be the fact I am the one making the level, maybe if I were playing these levels having not made them I would be happier?

Any thoughts? Ta!

Here's my thoughts on the subject:

I believe the idea behind level design (in a platformer EDIT: actually thinking about it, in pretty much all games) is to continually provide surprises within the limits of what your engine is capable of. If you can help it, no set of obstacles or enemy placements should really be repeated unless it's unavoidable in order to set up the next challenge. That's the reason why games like Mario are consistently engaging, it's not that you can do lots of different moves, it's that you have to use the limits of what moves you've got in many different ways.

For that reason, good level design is really really hard.

But hey, that sounds really depressing. You could just hand what you've got to a few testers and see what the deal is :P

Also I think it's worth going back and making your first few levels or changing them after you've done all the rest and are more skilled/creative by then.

i used to make my counterstrike maps in lego first! not much help for a platformer though.

Pete

Loved how that made so many shortcuts in the level design in Mario64 just because of the 3rd-dimension....

I take it your platformer (download link is dead) involves a lot of bouncing around on the pogo-stick, ever thought of making "unique" levels that provide unique challenges not found in other levels? I was thinking something along the lines of a pinball machine would be nuts to try to navigate, making use of bumpers and etc to make your way higher and what not, things like that, making use of the level itself, not just hopping from platform to platform in the same old generic fashion.

Least your platformer is 2d, easier to design levels via pen & paper first and think of ways to improve/add to every spot in the levels to keep them fresh feeling.

Play some 8-16 bit console games for a bit of research, find out what others have done, and make notes.

When I built a platformer, I found looking at existing level design very engaging (if that's the word).

Take Alex Kidd in Miracle World, old game, but notice that the first level requires you to navigate down the level carefully, and with a bit of thought. If you jump on the wrong plaform first, the goodies on the other side will become out of reach.

That's just one example, but in essence, it's a good one, because most people will just whizz down the level, then think... oh bugger, I've missed all that stuff!

Also, Grey's tip on redoing levels is a great idea, build a set of them, then play through them, make notes on what you would like to acheive in the level as you play, then rebuild.

You could also build a level editor and pass it on to friends and family, include your engine with the editor so people can play they levels they build. Then get them to pass the maps on to you to test them, and if they are okay, tune them up, then include them in your game!

You've also got to remember that while developing a game, and testing it, you eventually become a master of it, so be careful not to think that a level might be easy, and say, use it for level two, when in fact, a fresh player might think it's too hard, and it should in fact be level eight (If you get my drift).

Anyway, good luck on your project

Dabz

I don't know the details of what you are able to do. But in general, a 2D platformer should be designed on paper. (unless it has seriously mobil elements, like giant monsters that you walk on that move...) But even then, you can do a lot on paper.

Level design is a big topic, but there are a few major pitfalls that designers fall into that you shouldn't.

A good level is easy to know where to go next, the challenge is in getting there, not finding where to go.

Levels can really only be in 3 forms...

The 'hub' where there are many equal paths that you must travel to complete the level, they all lead back to some central point that either then lets you take a new path, or the paths are all do-able with your current skills... And example is the Zelda dungeon.

The line, or linear. This is a level that has only one (with some variation) clear path. Mario is like this with a few exceptions like warp pipes. Another example is Megaman.

There is also the 'realistic' level. Which has a lot of exploration and dead ends. A well designed level will terminate dead ends in a way that they lead you near to where the dead end path began. So you might climb to the top of a cliff and get a power up, then rather than back-tracking, you fall through the ground and into a cave that leads back to the base of the cliff. These levels are the hardests to make, since they require a LOT of planning. An examples of this is Super Metroid.

There are a few other types of levels, but these are the major ones. There is no 'right' style. It depends what your game needs.

For all of these, the next place to go should be obvious, or it should be obvious where you haven't been. (like in super metroid)

Also, the levels need to offer new things, new enemies, new powers, new things to use. Once the player has done something, they will only put up with doing it a few more times, then they get annoyed and resent doing it... and eventually they just stop playing.

They will only put up with thinly veiled old things as new things too... Like.. If all the enemies do the same thing... or if you have them collect 'objects' that ammount to keys.

There MUST be a list of platformer level themes??? Pogo jumping on flying frogs while mushrooms shoot puffs of sleepygas at you (OK I "borrowed that idea!" was insired by something else...) What is Pogoboy doing? What is his goal??? What is your theme??? Did you have a sketch or plan??? If you can answer those Qs you should know where you are going...

Personally I think you should spoof Prince of Persia on oone level!

Personaly, I like designing levels with a spreadsheet

Start by makeing the cells roughly square and then put an X in each one that the player cannot travel through, then you can use other symbols and colours to represent other varying things

"/" and "\" could be slopes for example

Hi Chris,

If you look here http://guildhall.smu.edu/

you'll see that level design is in it's own class along with art and software. So it's no surprise you're having trouble with level design. I think maybe there are some good tutorials, or sermons, out there that might help.

No idea how level design works myself, other than it is a specialized subject.

LOL - that's the problem with writing a platformer isn't it?

I'd start off with a very easy level and gradually introduce elements of difficulty - and characters. I'd also vary levels between exploration and arcade action - add secret rooms and such for people to discover.