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I researched level designs of various games such as dark souls 3, portal and destiny 2. I discovered how the levels encourage social interactions, more time spent by more objectives and how the levels have a non-linear path whilst having hints towards the path by having objects such as wall torches to suggest the way.
Spawn points are locations where players start or respawn in a game. These need to be fair to ensure balanced gameplay.
Choke points are narrow pathways areas that limit player movement. These will have to be considered to ensure both sides of the chokepoint are placed to create strategic outcomes for all parties.
Cover is objects or terrain that allows the player to take cover with and use strategically. This is crucial for player safety and strategy.
Flanking routes are areas where enemies can be caught off guard. They are alternative routes that players can use to get to areas with the element of stealth and advantage.
Line of sight is an unobstructed view that the players have. This affects combat and engagement range.
Objective points are the places where players have to go to complete an objective. This will have to be placed fairly with consideration of other aspects as mentioned.
Vertically is the presence of multiple layers in the map that can be used to add depth and complexity to gameplay.
Environmental hazards are hazards within the level that are dangerous to players, such as land mines, explosive barrels, traps and lava which can impacts gameplay
Line of defense are selected areas that are made with advantageous cover and sights that allow defensive players to use effectively.
apocalyptic mall / supermarket
A mall will have the potential of verticality as they usually contain multiple floors with central areas to traverse and multiple outer areas that may contain staff only stairs down to the floors, so their will be multiple flanking routes aswell. Although their isn't usually much cover on each open floor, the theme of apocalyptic means their could be destruction and misplaced objects that act as cover to make lines of sight shorter and reward close quarter combat.
feedback:
looks very empty
not many rooms or pathways
no objectives
good diagrams though
interesting theme
plenty of room for hiding and verticality
maybe more cover so big area isn't as bland
simple to navigate
good description
why is an escalator there? there is no verticality clearly shown
bottom is not finished
not much cover
thoughts on verticality
escalator is a good way to interact with the map
not much detail
Evaluation:
The map sketch was not finished but had some potential problems such as limited cover and unclear spawns. The map also had large lines of sight with very little balancing with short LOS.
improvements:
Since the map has little cover and long lines of sight, I will add walls / props on the upper and lower levels to reduce the lines of sight for players.
There will be multiple flanks through shops such as breakable walls and open doorways along with the main quick route of going up / down layers with the escalator (the escalator will leave a player more exposed and vulnerable to more lines of sights but will be the quickest route, ideal for rusher playstyles).
There will be destruction such as demolished floors and ceilings that make up the terrain whilst also giving players covers. For example, their could be a ceiling that is caved in and blocks a pathway whilst limiting lines of sight and offering different flanking routes and strategies for players to utilize.
There will be railings on the top floor that create cover for players, along with this, there will be walls and pillars located on either floor to allow the players to have lots of cover and create strategic plans with the lack of sight that they produce.
As the map has 2 layers, their will be multiple spawns for all parties on either level.
Secondary Research is data that has not been collected by you personally
Reviewing game reviews - research involving analyzing and studying reviews written by players, game critics or industry experts.
Reviews give a diverse perspective of the game for other players to interpret with and use their insights effectively. They are accessible to all who want them and have comparative analysis across multiple games
The reviews are subjective and often go off the players biased opinion. Players may change opinion so historical reviews could make it challenging. Reviewers may not cover much of the game in their review and leave limited data about their experience.
Lots of players enjoy dark souls with negative reviews being once in a blue moon. The positive reviews suggest that dark souls is the "best game in history" but without much detail in the reviews. However, the negative reviews were hard to find and were mainly about how hard the game is and the bugs / crashes they were facing.
Game Walkthroughs are step by step instructions for completing a game and explanations of game mechanics to help other players navigate.
Walkthroughs provide comprehensive data for analysis, visual examples help players understand the game mechanics, the data collected is time efficient as players don't need to play the game directly, and the walkthroughs capture real player experiences and decisions.
Walkthroughs are only available for existing games, quality of them vary, lack of control over player doing walkthrough and limited quantitively data.
Primary research is done by the researcher personally with personally collected data.
Spider-Man walkthrough (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCVOCSlzQno)
The walkthrough has lots of different combat mechanics used by the player with the buttons shown so players are greatly helped by the educational aspect. The player also speaks to the researchers and shares his personal opinions on the game.
Krunker map designs vary with open maps and short maps like shipment that is close range with few long lines of sight at the edges. The game is accessible to all players that have a suitable computer allowing players to play from nearly anywhere.
Level prototyping is researching that involves the creation of early, simplified versions of game levels or environments to test or evaluate specific gameplay mechanics. These prototypes are used to gain insights for the final developed game.
This form of research is good as it allows for rapid iteration of tests, feedback of the level before a full version is created, resource efficiency as a full level does not need to be created, the prototypes can be created to be flexible towards specific mechanics and reduces the risk of mistakes in the final design of the game.
However, this can take time to create the multiple iterations and waste time into refining prototypes, the limited completeness may not reflect the full complexity and quality of the level, the tester may be biased, the player may misinterpret the final game because of the limited prototype.
Interviews with Gamers are interviews with players asking them about their preferences, experiences and opinions. They can be conducted over the phone, in person, or online platforms.
This form of research is beneficial as we get a personal opinion on a game from a player that has explored the game personally, Rich qualitative data, flexible and adaptable questions and data, provides a human connection, and a holistic understanding of the game mechanics and their gaming experience.
This form of research can be viewed as negative as it may require skilled interviewers and time / resource, their can be a limited sample size, subjectivity can lead to bias and logistical challenges are apparent as the interviewers may be in very different geographical areas and even cause problems such as high latency.
Player surveys are research tools that involve gathering insights and feedbacks from players and gamers about their gaming experiences. They contain a series of questions that are aimed at player behaviors, opinions and preferences.
These are good for researchers as they provide anonymity for the player, the surveys are free, they can go out in a wide area, they can be customized with specific questions and provide quantitative data making it easy to analyze and identify trends.
However, the surveys may close-ended questions, sampling issues, inefficient answers that are short sentences or answers that are not relevant to the questions in the survey.
link to my survey:
Quiz task:
Person B is clearly talking about Portal as they share their favorite tool in the game to be a "portal device". They also say the portal device helps to manipulate portals which we know is a common action in Portal.
Person C is talking about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as they describe the realistic and detailed environments. They also comment on the theme relating to modern warfare tactical operations and military strategy.
Person E is talking about CSGO as they talk about the competitive multiplayer and modern military theme, they also talk about the stealth and precise aiming which is popular in CSGO.
Person A – No mans sky
We believe that person a is talking about no mans sky as a lot of there answers are about exploring new areas and planets as well as making up there own story as they play the game. They also say that there is no use of conventional weapons which don’t exist in no mans sky, instead you use a multi tool. They also say that stealth is not an integral part of the game. Stealth isn’t really an option in no mans sky.
Person D – Cuphead
We believe that person D is talking about Cuphead for various reasons. First of all they talk about the thrilling boss fights and platforming challenges. which are only present in Cuphead. They go on to talk about the fantastical setting and the whimsical worlds which Cuphead is infamous for. There are also no conventional weapons instead they use other ways to overcome their challenges.
How the level design contributes to player engagement?
Lots of open space and tall structures that allow the player to move around the level more and discover areas.
What role does the city of new York play in the level design of the game?
relatable area, improves engagement in the level as this city is iconic in real life.
How does the game mechanics impact level design and player engagement?
The Player can use props such as boxes in the level as a form of attack, making more boxes visible in the level. The tall buildings allow the player to swing around often and quick
In Hogwarts Legacy, the puzzle door is an interactive feature that requires the player to do maths in order to complete the puzzle. This interactive element engages the audience. This could be adapted into my level by having a simpler version that is suitable for first person shooters, such as a floor puzzle.
In portal 2, their are many interactive features that engage the audience. A few of these are turrets, portals, buttons and lasers that are all interactive and can be used to benefit the player. This could be adapted into my level by having hazards that the player can avoid using elements around the map.
In TWD season 1, the player can interact with characters to unlock dialogue. They can also interact with objects in the environment to collect them and use later. Along with this, the player can make choices that changes the story of the game for the user. making it immersive. I could adapt this into my level by having options that the players could choose such as loadouts and team before they get into combat.
I created a door in unreal that opens. I did this with blueprints in unreal engine.
Flip flop makes the door able to reverse the open, making it able to be closed.
2023-12-14 12-13-04.mkvThe door now opens and shuts, has collision and the trace is not visible.
Loot chest interactivity
What are collectables?
Collectables are special items that players can collect that benefit them in various ways.
What types of collectables are there?
Key items: object essential for unlocking new areas or progressing through the game.
Cosmetic items: skins outfits or other visual enhancements that allow players to customize their characters.
Upgrades: Parts or materials used to enhance weapons, equipment or abilities.
Easter eggs: playful and hidden references or secrets that surprise and delight players who discover them.
What are chests?
Chests are special containers that players find and open to get rewards like new weapons, items or surprises.
How can they be used to engage a player into a level?
Chests act like hidden surprises in levels by being strategically placed to create a sense of mystery and excitement.
Should opening a chest be vital for progression?
Not always, opening a chest in-game can be rewarding but doesn't have to be vital for progression. It needs to have a balance between enjoyability and progression
Is the chest seen frequently throughout the game or are they rare?
The chests are quite common, especially in larger points of interest.
Are there any sound effects that accompany the chest?
When the chest is opened there is a sound effect as well as there being a sound effect that allows the player to hear where the chest is.
How does the opening mechanism of the chest contribute to player engagement?
Makes a sound effect on opening, makes the chest more rewarding.
Is the chest significant to the gameplay?
Gives the player weapons, ammo and consumables that are vital for the player's progression for the rest of the game.
Is the chest seen frequently throughout the game or are they rare?
They are in derelict areas and are quite rare.
Are there any sound effects that accompany the chest?
When the chest is opened, it is accompanied by a sound effect and music.
How does the opening mechanism of the chest contribute to player engagement?
Requires the player to complete puzzles to unlock chests.
Is the chest significant to the gameplay?
The chest offers items that give upgrades to player's abilities and weapons but are not required to progress.
Is the chest seen frequently throughout the game or are they rare?
There is only one chest available at a time unless the player collects a fire sale.
Are there any sound effects that accompany the chest?
The chest plays music when it is being opened
How does the opening mechanism of the chest contribute to player engagement?
Requires currency to open that requires the player to collect currency, chest can spawn anywhere which requires the player to look for the chest. Displays weapons for the player when being opened.
Is the chest significant to the gameplay?
The chest has a variety of weapons that the player can achieve by gambling on the box. The chest is not required to play the game but can give the player powerful weapons that can only be achieved with the box. Some easter eggs require the player to use the box.
Is the chest seen frequently throughout the game or are they rare?
The chests are quite rare in dark souls.
Are there any sound effects that accompany the chest?
When the mimic chest is opened, the mimic makes a sound effect of anger. When a normal chest is opened, it has a sound effect that accompanies it, like a wooden floor creaking.
How does the opening mechanism of the chest contribute to player engagement?
When the player opens a mimic chest, the mimic will attack them and they can fight the mimic but a normal chest will not attack them.
Is the chest significant to the gameplay?
The chest offers resources for the player to upgrade but are not required to progress.
This will make the chest open and print "chest opening" when it is opening
The final level had lots of imported models from the themes of café and horror. These models made the level look more particularized and engaging as it promoted exploration for more intricate props. The level was created with lots of dark area with dim red lights that promoted the theme of horror as this has been psychologically proven to create tension.
The level was good as it had elements of horror and showed aspects of it being multiplayer and possibly similar to current FPS games like the Call Of Duty: black ops series. The level had lots of detail and short + long lines of sight to remove predictability and make the level more horrific.
The level did not have many horror themes other then the lighting, if I had more time I would have made an enemy AI that had a scary model and made it attack the player and chase the player. I could have also implemented an RNG event that would make footstep noises / floorboard creeks behind the player in the distance, creating the illusion of not being alone in the dark mall, making the player more tense and alert.
The level could have had more interactivity like a secret quest that rewards the player, for example pieces of paper scattered around the map that gives the player a combination to a safe that gives them a new weapon / gadget. This would have been beneficial as it would have made the player more engaged as their were more side objectives to supply their attention span.
Overall, the level was adequate with many detailed models and blueprints for interactivity but could have had more time invested in to have more elements that promote the themes of First-person Shooter and horror more efficiently.
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