- Tubelator AI
- >
- Videos
- >
- Gaming
- >
- So You Want to be a Level Designer - An Introduction to Level Design in Video Games - Extra Credits
So You Want to be a Level Designer - An Introduction to Level Design in Video Games - Extra Credits
Use code EXTRACREDITS to get 50% off a full year subscription at OneDayU. Visit http://www.onedayu.com/extra-credits & use code: extracredits
Thanks to Max Pears for guest writing this episode!
When we talk about game design on this channel, we often talk about the mechanics or even the narrative design of our games. But in order to play them they have to... you know... take place. Somewhere. Enter the level designer! There are loads of specialized level designers and loads of different kinds of levels but here are some tips and tricks of the trade!
*Thanks for participating in this week's discussion!*
Check out our community guidelines so we can have MORE high-quality conversations: https://www.extracredits.site/extra-credits-community-code-of-con
*Want to support the people who make this show?*
Become a Patreon Member & Vote on future Extra History episodes! http://bit.ly/EHPatreon
Or show off your fandom with our merch! http://extracredits.store/
*Want more Extra Credits? Subscribe and follow us on social media!*
Twitter: http://bit.ly/ECTweet
Facebook: http://bit.ly/ECFBPage
Instagram: http://bit.ly/ECisonInstagram
Twitch: http://bit.ly/ECtwitch
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extracreditz
Website: http://extracredits.site/
*Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email us: [email protected]*
♪ Intro Music: "Penguin Cap" by CarboHydroM - http://bit.ly/1eIHTDS
♪ Outro Music: "No Place Like Home" by: Argle - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03618
#ExtraCredits #GameDesign #IndieGames
Install Tubelator On Chrome
Video Summary & Chapters
No chapters for this video generated yet.
Video Transcript
Throughout your gaming adventures, I'm sure you have some memories of exploring lush jungles,
venturing through the ruins of otherworldly civilizations,
or climbing high mountains and witnessing a sprawling fantastical world below you.
But have you ever wondered what makes some levels and game spaces more memorable than others?
Well, part of that comes from level designers, the architects of these virtual worlds.
And today, we get to peek inside one of their brains and learn some world-building secrets.
Thanks so much to One Day University for helping us get smarter.
Real quick up top, please welcome today's guest writer, senior level designer on the Division and Cyberpunk 2077.
and the host of the podcast Level Design Lobby, Max Pearce.
Thanks, Max.
While we've discussed level design before,
we've never really dove headfirst into the digital building blocks of what exactly a level designer does or the skills
they need to be one. For the uninitiated,
level designers are game designers who specialize in crafting the spaces in games where players explore, fight, and overcome challenges.
You know, basically any digital space where the player plays. And these areas
they design can take a ton of different forms. From the bombastic islands of Fortnite, to the sneaky pig built towers found in Angry Birds,
to the massive sprawling open worlds like in Breath of the Wild, or the more linear levels you see in The Last of Us.
But when we say design, we don't just mean geometry. Though, of course,
that is certainly a major component of the job. While building, level designers must also take into consideration the game's pacing, forms of combat,
types of puzzles, methods of movement, and story beats. All while creating a visually compelling
environment that keeps the players hooked as they explore.
However, these lively locales aren't created in a vacuum.
In order to forge levels that drive games forward,
level designers need to work closely with their interdisciplinary teammates,
balancing the needs of narrative design, game design, environmental art,
lighting, effects, audio, and others into their own plans.
Because nobody wants to have to rebuild an entire area because they forgot to
integrate core mechanics or important gameplay principles.
So there's a lot of communication and information collection through design
time docks, pacing, flow diagrams, mood boards, and more,
before level designers even begin planning out their levels in earnest.
Then once all the info is collected and everyone's on the same page,
the level designer begins blocking out their level
in a variety of different ways depending on their game.
Sometimes using 3D software such as 3D Studio Max,
or more modular kit pieces in commercial game engines like Unreal or Unity.
And you can think of this blocking step as a sort of rough draft,
something that can be made and edited quickly.
Which is important because a level designer will iterate on their block out a lot
It'll constantly be reviewed not just by themselves
But also by their team to ensure it meets everyone's needs
After the block out has been approved they can move on to crafting the finer details within the level weaving together any puzzles
narrative and combat scenes or whatever other finishing touches the game calls for and as
Development progresses further a level designers work shifts to testing the pacing feel of the encounters and clarity of player goals
Until finally, the game locks and goes live, ready to have their levels experienced and explored by players all over the world.
Now you might be saying,
Dang, that sounds neat!
I want to be able to harness the power of my imagination to craft exciting worlds that players will never forget,
that push their skills to the max, while making them wish to never return to the lackluster realms from which they came!
Uh, well, you're in luck!
Video Summary & Chapters
No chapters for this video generated yet.
Video Transcript
Throughout your gaming adventures, I'm sure you have some memories of exploring lush jungles,
venturing through the ruins of otherworldly civilizations,
or climbing high mountains and witnessing a sprawling fantastical world below you.
But have you ever wondered what makes some levels and game spaces more memorable than others?
Well, part of that comes from level designers, the architects of these virtual worlds.
And today, we get to peek inside one of their brains and learn some world-building secrets.
Thanks so much to One Day University for helping us get smarter.
Real quick up top, please welcome today's guest writer, senior level designer on the Division and Cyberpunk 2077.
and the host of the podcast Level Design Lobby, Max Pearce.
Thanks, Max.
While we've discussed level design before,
we've never really dove headfirst into the digital building blocks of what exactly a level designer does or the skills
they need to be one. For the uninitiated,
level designers are game designers who specialize in crafting the spaces in games where players explore, fight, and overcome challenges.
You know, basically any digital space where the player plays. And these areas
they design can take a ton of different forms. From the bombastic islands of Fortnite, to the sneaky pig built towers found in Angry Birds,
to the massive sprawling open worlds like in Breath of the Wild, or the more linear levels you see in The Last of Us.
But when we say design, we don't just mean geometry. Though, of course,
that is certainly a major component of the job. While building, level designers must also take into consideration the game's pacing, forms of combat,
types of puzzles, methods of movement, and story beats. All while creating a visually compelling
environment that keeps the players hooked as they explore.
However, these lively locales aren't created in a vacuum.
In order to forge levels that drive games forward,
level designers need to work closely with their interdisciplinary teammates,
balancing the needs of narrative design, game design, environmental art,
lighting, effects, audio, and others into their own plans.
Because nobody wants to have to rebuild an entire area because they forgot to
integrate core mechanics or important gameplay principles.
So there's a lot of communication and information collection through design
time docks, pacing, flow diagrams, mood boards, and more,
before level designers even begin planning out their levels in earnest.
Then once all the info is collected and everyone's on the same page,
the level designer begins blocking out their level
in a variety of different ways depending on their game.
Sometimes using 3D software such as 3D Studio Max,
or more modular kit pieces in commercial game engines like Unreal or Unity.
And you can think of this blocking step as a sort of rough draft,
something that can be made and edited quickly.
Which is important because a level designer will iterate on their block out a lot
It'll constantly be reviewed not just by themselves
But also by their team to ensure it meets everyone's needs
After the block out has been approved they can move on to crafting the finer details within the level weaving together any puzzles
narrative and combat scenes or whatever other finishing touches the game calls for and as
Development progresses further a level designers work shifts to testing the pacing feel of the encounters and clarity of player goals
Until finally, the game locks and goes live, ready to have their levels experienced and explored by players all over the world.
Now you might be saying,
Dang, that sounds neat!
I want to be able to harness the power of my imagination to craft exciting worlds that players will never forget,
that push their skills to the max, while making them wish to never return to the lackluster realms from which they came!
Uh, well, you're in luck!
