3D Level Design

  December 6, 2021

3D Game Level

    While making a second level using the 3D GameKit Lite I decided to create a level that moves the player around the room that contains the final boss. Players begin the level looking at a door that contains the boss in which they will fight. To complete the level players have to complete the various sections moving around the map and eventually finding the switch that opens the door revealing the boss. I began by breaking the map into different sections with different elements players would have to complete in order to progress through the level. I created three sections that were composed of platforming, a maze and combat. I created the level with different play styles so that players would be challenged in different ways and progress through the level at a slower place.

    The first section of platforming was composed of light combat and fairly easy platforming. I didn’t want players to find the level too difficult at the start of the level. I placed a pressure switch at the top of the platforming in view of the player so they would know where to go in order to progress through the level. While players were able to understand where they were supposed to go, some players decided to see if they could move through some of the barriers in the level to look for secret areas. While I didn’t intend for there to be any secret areas there was a sliver of one of the platforms players were able to use to get beyond the intended play area. Moving into the area beyond the play area, players would find themselves stuck with no means to progress. Once players were stuck they would find a means to reset their character and move back to the levels intended pathing. For the next iteration of the map the platforms will be blocked so players will be unable to move beyond the intended play area.

    For the second section of the map I created a maze the player would have to traverse in order to move forward. I added objects as scenery to give hints to astute players as to which direction was the correct path. I was very surprised how intuitive many of the players were and how quickly they surmised the correct pathing with the subtle hints I hid in the maze. I intended the maze to be fairly difficult to add to the play time of the level. Once players found the exit to the maze they would find a switch that would lead them into the next section. For the next iteration of the map I’m going to move the switch away from the exit. The player will then be forced to find the switch that will open the door to the exit and then they will have to search for the exit door. I will also add a door so once they enter the maze they will be unable to leave through the way they came into the maze.

    The final section of the map was composed of combat in which the player would be forced to fight off many enemies before progressing to the next part of the map. When testing the map I found the enemies moved and fought the player. But when I sent out a build of the map there was a malfunction with the nav mesh and enemies didn’t move to attack the player. Spitter enemies were still able to damage players but players would avoid the enemies and progressed through this section of the map very easily. Once players completed the combat portion of the map they would find a moving platform and two switches. One switch would activate the moving platform and the other would open the door to the boss. Most players understood that the switch would open the door to the boss. But I had one player who didn’t notice there was a boss and believed the level to be complete once they were back at the beginning. To help players move towards the boss I will either be adding a dialogue or a light which will help move the player towards the boss.

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November 17, 2021

3D Game Level 1 v2 Feedback

While playtesters enjoyed the first playthrough of the level and mechanics there were a few takeaways from the initial playtest that were able to improve the second iteration. The first change I made was to introduce the player to the combat mechanic before the player reached their first enemy. To accomplish this I added destructible boxes after the first platforming area. By adding the destructible boxes players are forced to use the attack mechanic to progress. After the player destroys the boxes they are immediately faced with enemies so players have to implement the mechanic they just learned by destroying the boxes.

The next addition I decided to make was to create a wall so the players don’t see what they will encounter later on in the level. The wall accomplishes a few things in the context of the level. First it adds some aesthetic to the level and the theme, I tried to make the wall look like a dense forest. Secondly the wall prevents the player from seeing what they will encounter next. Finally it helps to show the player the path they should follow while traversing the level so players don’t become lost.

From my initial playtest, players mentioned that they liked being able to see that the first switch they encountered opened a door in front of them. But subsequent switches opened areas that weren’t in sight. I decided to redesign the level with a cause and effect pattern in mind. Now when players encounter switches they immediately see the effect those switches have in the level. I also added a large door that blocks the player from progressing on a route but gives them visual indication of where they will go later. But if players don’t take note of the door the switch which opens the door has the door insight. Once players hit the switch they will see the large door open and understand they should move in that direction to continue progressing through the level.

After watching playtesters play through the level the first time I felt I should utilize the vertical space of the level more. I have a large staircase that leads up to a building but I wanted to add platforms that the player has to interact with. So I created a small platforming area with enemies underneath it. The player can either choose to fight all the enemies and then take on the platforming or the player can ignore the enemies to complete the platforming. Most of the players I observed opted to ignore the enemies and chose to try the platforming. While this worked for some players, other players would miss a jump and then fall into all the enemies. The series of platforms also allow me to utilize more of the cause and effect pattern I’ve been using throughout the level. As I had the switch before, players would touch it and it would open the door on the building at the top of the staircase, but players wouldn’t necessarily see the correlation between switch and door. Now with the platforms added I put the switch at the top of the platforms. As players complete the platforming area they will see the door on the building open when they hit the switch.

Going forward with the level design I would like to add some more features to the building at the top of the staircase. The building is the end goal of the level but there isn’t anything in the building to indicate to the layer the level is complete. In the next iteration I would like to add a button with a victory text to indicate the level is over. There were also some bugs players encountered during this playthrough that they didn’t encounter the first playthrough. Players going down the staircase encountered a movement bug with their character. In future iteration I would correct these issues with the staircase. Overall players enjoyed the second iteration of the level and liked the changes that were implemented over the first iteration.

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November 10, 2021

3D Game Level 1 Feedback

    The aim of this project was to create an introductory level using the 3D GameKit Lite. I began by making an annotated map of the level I would like to design. The level is designed to teach players mechanics very quickly and then move to an open acid area that relies on platforming to progress through the level. The playtest of this level was very successful overall. Players liked the early introduction to the platforming that was present for the remainder of the level. The player begins in a small platforming section that they can jump through without repercussion. If players fall when trying to jump across the platforms they fall into a pit with stairs in which they can climb to try the section again. After progressing past the introductory platforming area, playtesters are introduced to their first enemies. Once players defeat the enemies the level opens up and players are able to see a majority of the map.

    Playtesters enjoyed the introduction of the door switches. The first door switch playtesters encounter has them directly across from the door as it opens upon pressing the switch. The level was designed with the door in view to indicate to players where they should be going to progress the level. All playtesters upon hitting the first switch understood that they should be moving toward the platform with the door that opened. All players were able to understand the pathway progression when playing the level. Playtesters never became lost or were confused about where they should be going next. Playtesters also felt that the difficulty of the level was appropriate for an introduction level. While there were plenty of enemies to fight around the map, health packs were set up in various areas after fights so they could heal their character.

    While players didn’t become lost when traversing the level there was some feedback about switches and doors. The first switch I have is placed near the door it opens so playtesters understand where they should be going to activate the next switch. Upon pressing the next switch a door opens across the map. Players understood where they should be going to progress in the level. But playtesters noted that while they liked the first switch directly across from the corresponding door, they didn’t like the lack of visual indication to see what effect the second switch had and where it’s corresponding door was on the map. 

    The path of the level was created in a linear fashion with slight diverging points of interest the player has to interact with to complete the level. The critical path was obvious to players and they were able to complete the level without issue. But going forward I would like to add more points of interest in which the players have to complete a task or interact with an object to progress through the map. Next to points of interest there were areas that contained a lot of empty space. Going forward with a second interaction of this level I will work on cutting down the empty space around features and fill in empty space with objects for players to interact with. To fill the empty space around the map I would like to implement more mechanics that players will have to overcome to progress. I will also be utilizing vertical space to add to the dimensionality of the platforming. As the level is now the platforms consist on a single horizontal plain and don’t take advantage of vertical platforms or jumps. Adding more objects and mechanics while utilizing vertical spaces will create a level that is more dynamic and interesting for playtesters.  

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