Level Design Fundamentals

Цели урока

• Understand the linear ↔ open world spectrum
• Study hub structure and its advantages
• See metroidvania as progression through space
• Recognize gating and its types
• Apply spatial design for player experience

Предварительные знания

• Goals and challenges: level design creates challenges in space

• Goals and Challenges

Level design is the invisible storyteller. It says 'go here', 'this is dangerous', 'there's a reward here' - without a single word. Understanding level design = understanding how to guide people through space.

• **IKEA**: The path through the store = level design for shopping
• **Museums**: Curated path through the exhibition
• **Airports**: Navigating thousands of people through signage and architecture
• **UX**: User flow through an app = mini level design

Doom and the Birth of Level Design

Before Doom, levels were backgrounds. Romero made them characters. E1M1 is one of the most studied levels in history: every corner, every secret was deliberate. Romero created the language of level design still used today: keys, doors, secrets, shortcuts.

Space as Gameplay

Half-Life 2 vs Skyrim

Two approaches to space

**Half-Life 2 (Linear):** - Every moment choreographed - Setpieces impossible in open world - Player sees exactly what designers intended - Replay value: low **Skyrim (Open):** - Player creates their own experience - Emergent stories - Pacing fully in player's hands - Replay value: high **Lesson:** Neither is 'better' - different goals require different structures.

You're making a horror game where tension is important. Which level structure is best?

Horror requires tension control. You need to know when the player will be in the dark corridor, when they'll hear a sound, when they'll see the monster. Linear structure gives this control. Open world horror (Subnautica) is possible, but requires different mechanics for tension.

Mass Effect Normandy

Hub as character development

**The Normandy does several things:** - **Pacing break:** After an intense mission - a safe space - **Character access:** Talk to crew, build relationships - **Preparation:** Upgrade gear, plan next mission - **Home feeling:** Player knows every corner **Design insight:** Hub is not just a menu - it's an emotional space. Player 'lives' there. **Lesson:** Hub should feel like home, not a transit point.

Hollow Knight

Modern metroidvania perfection

**World design:** - 15+ interconnected areas - Each area has distinct visual/audio identity - Multiple entrances to most areas - Secrets everywhere **Ability progression:** - Dash → reach new platforms - Wall jump → vertical exploration - Super dash → horizontal shortcuts - Each ability recontextualizes old areas **Lesson:** Good metroidvania makes backtracking exciting, not tedious.

In a metroidvania the player got wall jump. What should the designer do with early zones?

Key metroidvania principle: old zones gain new value with new abilities. The player thinks 'oh, now I can climb up there!' - this rewards exploration and makes backtracking meaningful.

Elden Ring's Soft Gating

Difficulty as gate

**Stormveil Castle (early):** - Player CAN enter immediately - But likely to get destroyed - Soft gate: skill/level requirement **Player choice:** - Go grind elsewhere - Keep trying (skill improvement) - Find alternate route **Why this works:** - No 'You need X to enter' - Player feels in control - Veterans can skip ahead - Casuals have path forward **Lesson:** Soft gates respect player skill variance.

Упражнения

1. Why does Mario 64 use a hub (Peach's Castle) instead of a level select menu? — The castle creates a physical presence in the world, exploration rewards (secrets in the castle itself), sense of place and progression (opening new floors), visual shows progress (paintings), emotional connection to the space. A menu is functionally the same, but without soul.
2. Design gating for a puzzle game where each chapter teaches a new mechanic. — Chapter 1: Only mechanic A available. Chapter 2: Must complete C1 (proves A mastery), introduces B. Chapter 3: Must complete C2, introduces C, combines with A,B. Gate type: completion-based (soft) + ability-based (puzzles require previous mechanics). No arbitrary keys - each gate proves player ready for next complexity.
3. How do you make an open world game with controlled narrative moments without breaking openness? — 1) Critical path exists but player chooses when. 2) Story missions gated by soft requirements (level, items). 3) Main quests are linear inside but order flexible. 4) World changes reflect story progress (environmental storytelling). 5) NPCs reference player actions (dynamic dialogue). Example: Elden Ring - main bosses required, order flexible, world reacts. Key: control macro (what) but not micro (when/how).

Level Design in Context

How spatial design connects to other concepts:

• Pacing — Space controls tempo
• Teaching Through Design — Space teaches without words
• Environmental Storytelling — Space tells stories
• Progression — Space unlocks through progression

Итоги

• **Linear ↔ Open:** Spectrum, not binary. Choose based on goals.
• **Hub structure:** Best of both worlds - player agency + designer control
• **Metroidvania:** Progression through space, abilities recontextualize old areas
• **Gating types:** Hard vs Soft, keys vs abilities, arbitrary vs earned
• **Space = Experience:** Level design guides without words

Вопросы для размышления

• Recall a game where you 'got lost' - didn't know where to go. What went wrong? How could level design have guided you better without explicit markers?

Связанные уроки

• alg-12-bfs