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The Iterative Level Design Process for BioWare’s Game Developer Conference 2009 Corey Andruko – Project Manager, Mass Effect 2 Dusty Everman – Lead Level Designer, Mass Effect 2
The Iterative Level Design Process for
BioWare’s
Game Developer Conference 2009
Corey Andruko – Project Manager, Mass Effect 2Dusty Everman – Lead Level Designer, Mass Effect 2
MASS EFFECT2: Level Design
To maximize the value of level iterations:
oDo only the work that answers the right questions in the right order.
oYour workflow should follow the questions you are answering.
AgendaI. Level Design on MASS EFFECT (ME)
• Review process, assess problems, identify source
II. Theory – MASS EFFECT 2 Level Design• Examine the phases & the questions they answer
III. Application – How is it going?• How are we implementing it (Agile, Lean)• What’s working well (and what’s not)
IV. ConclusionV. Q&A
ME1: Level Creation Teams• Writers
• plots, dialog, journals, codex• Level Artists
• layout, static mesh, texturing, lighting• Cinematic Animators
• animator cutscenes• Cinematic Designers
• cinematic dialogs, designer cutscenes• Technical Designers
• scripting, integration of level content
ME1: Level CreationPlots
(Writer)
2D Map(Writer/
Level Artist) Block Level(Level Artist)
LevelArt
(Level Artist)
Combats,Plots
(Tech Design)
Performance Optimized(Everyone)
Dialogs(Writers/
Cine Design)Cutscenes (Cine Anim)
ME1: Level Creation Problems
• “Silo Mentality”: Focus on disciplines, not levels• Deliverables not always judged in game• Assumes pieces will just fit together
• Iterations within one silo have hidden costs in other silos• Narrative changes affect geometry• Geometry changes affect scripting• Scripting changes affect cinematics• Etc.
• A rippling “rework” effect occurs.• .
ME1: Level Creation Problems
• Impact of Silo Mentality• Costly and unplanned iterations• Cross department communication discouraged• Levels rarely playable
o Difficult to try new game mechanics or creatureso QA testing hinderedo Content isn’t reviewed until late in the process
• Cut content (e.g. Caleston)• Intractable performance issues
ME2: The Phased Level Creation Approach
• Purpose: Get answers to critical questions early, and only do the work that is required to get those answers
Basic Premise: o Always playable o Always a foundation
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Narrative Overview• Narrative Playable• White Box• Orange Box• Hardening• Finaling
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Phase 0: Narrative Overview• What is the story?• Deliverable: Documentation
o Narrativeo Characterso 2-D Layouto Art Themeso Cutscene Descriptionso Level Event Description
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Phase 1: Narrative Playable• Is the pacing and spacing good?• Deliverable: First Playable
o Box Level Geometryo Concept Arto Placeholder Set Pieceso “Box Level” Dialogso Pop-up Cutsceneso Pop-up Level Eventso Prototyped Level Mechanics
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Phase 2: White Box• Can you see the fun?• Deliverable: Representative Collision
o Box Level Geometry -> First Pass Static Mesho First Pass Dialogo Bronze Combats, Basic Cover Placemento Animatic Cutsceneso Crude Level Eventso Placeholder Musico Treasure Placemento Auto Saves
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Phase 3: Orange Box• Is it fun?• Deliverable: Actual Collision
o Untextured Static Mesho Dialog Ready for VOo Dialogs Cinematically Blocked Outo Silver Combats, Full Cover Placemento Basic MoCap Cutsceneso First-Pass Level Events
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Phase 4: Hardening• Could this be shipped?• Deliverable: “Finished” Level
o Textured and Lit Level Arto VO’d Dialogo First-Pass Cinematic Dialog Designo Smooth Motion Cutsceneso Actual Music and Audioo Finished Level Events
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Phase 5: Finaling• Can you feel the awesome?• Deliverable: Final Level
o Everything tweaked, balanced, and polished.
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• <Combat Video illustrating phases 1 to 4>
• <Dialog and Cutscene Video illustrating phases 1 to 4 >
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
What we borrow from Lean Manufacturing:• Focus on the elimination of waste
oMuda: “waste”oMuri: “overburden”oMura: “variation”
Kaizen (wisdom through learning/schooling)• Continuous improvement plan
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
Agile & Scrum
• Releases & Sprints
• Goals & Planning
• Team Size & Composition
• Product Owner & Reviews
ME2 Level Creation: What Works
• Pairing Level Art & Design
• Co-locating Teams
• Time-boxing
• Going deep with some levels
ME2 Level Creation: What Works
• Proving out content and systems in-game
• Evaluating levels in sections (as necessary)
• Being agile with your Agile process
• Stopping to assess the big picture
ME2: Level Creation Pitfalls
• Missing a step can hurt
• “Special Snowflakes” - every level wants to be one
• Level teams getting too big
• Creatures need to be “representative” and completed early
ME2 Level Creation: Conclusion
Reflection• Would this have worked on ME1?
Message• Do only the work that answers the right
questions in the right order.
