Game Development Essentials:
An Introduction Third Edition
Chapter 7
Levels creating the world
Key Chapter Questions
■ What is level design and how is it related to gameplay?
■ What is the importance of the structural features of game
worlds—such as duration, availability, relationship, and
progression?
■ What is the importance of the temporal features of game
worlds—such as authentic, variable, player-adjusted, and
altered?
■ What is the importance of the spatial features of game
worlds—such as perspective, scale, and boundaries?
■ How are reality and style achieved in a game environment?
Structure Objectives
Free Realms
Sony Online Entertainment
Structure Flow
God of War III
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Structure Duration
Wario Land: Shake It!
Nintendo
Structure Availability
Wii Sports Resort
Nintendo
Structure Relationship
Global Agenda
Mission Selection (above)
Desert & Water Missions (right) All images Hi-Rez Studios
Structure Progression
Diagram by Per Olin
Time Authentic
World of Warcraft
Blizzard
Time Limited
FarmVille
XxSugarLoveX (Photobucket)
Time Variable
Ultima Online
Electronic Arts
Time Player-Adjusted
Madden NFL 11
Electronic Arts
Time Altered
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Ubisoft
Space Perspective & Camera
Omnipresent
Halo Wars
Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation
Space Perspective & Camera
Aerial (Top-Down)
Railroad Tycoon 3
Take-Two Interactive
Space Perspective & Camera
Isometric
Anno 1404
Ubisoft
Space Perspective & Camera
Side-Scrolling (or Flat/Side-View)
Shadow Complex New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Take-Two Interactive Nintendo
Space Terrain & Materials
Killzone 2 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Sony Computer Entertainment America Nintendo
Space Radiosity & Effects
Jets ’N’ Guns Gold
Rake In Grass Games
Space Scale
Making History II: The War of the World EverQuest II
Muzzy Lane Sony Online Entertainment
Space Boundaries
Flight Simulator X: Acceleration
Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation
Space Realism
Major League Baseball 2K11
Take-Two Interactive
Space Style
Flower Resident Evil 5
Sony Computer Entertainment America Capcom
Summary
■ Level Design
■ Structure
■ Time
■ Space
■ Space & Time: Levels, Gameplay & Story