Creative workflow in game development

Workflow: Designing a level

Today’s post is by our Level designer, Klas, and is a short introduction to how we go about designing levels for Shadow Puppeteer.

Once we know what new gameplay elements we want to introduce to the player in a level, the creative work can start. The first step is often the hardest one, yet it is probably the most important: The idea phase. Members of the team bring their thoughts to the table, discuss them, and sketch out basic concepts. These are often scribbled on paper and contain possible layouts and/or abstract interactions.

Start with scetches and Ideas

When the idea and rough layout is agreed upon, it is taken into the game engine for a 3D sketch.

Level propositions are set up using basic shapes such as boxes. The basic interactions are also implemented. This way we can see what works and what doesn’t without producing a single custom 3d model. In the end this saves us alot of time.

Boxed-level-and-visual-conceptsNext the visual concept is designed by the Art director, Philip, using the boxed out sketch,

and then passed on to the 3D modelers. A modeler uses the boxed level as a base, and the visual concepts as a guideline for the look and feel of the area and objects.

modelling-the-visuals-from-boxesOnce this is done the final 3D models are added to the game, replacing any box or basic shape that was used in the first place. Textures and materials are also added during this time, to ensure a wholesome colour scheme and general look.

Exchange-the-boxed-sketch-and-adjustNow we set up any remaining or broken interaction/collision, and we are ready for in depth testing.

After testing the level to see if player objectives are clear and easy to understand, this is the part where we get someone to try and break the level while playing. And they will. In all sorts of ways. Once kinks and bugs both technical and in gameplay/flow are sorted out, our work is done…

…until someone break it again.

 

Shadow Puppeteer available on Steam

20 thoughts on “Workflow: Designing a level

    1. Thank you, André. It is a lot of fun to do. This description is pretty straight forward. What we haven’t written about is how we work to re-design the level if the testers don’t understand their objective within it. I think we will touch upon that in a future post, though. Looking forward to having you try the game!

  1. أكبر شركة لانتاج أنابيب البولي ايثيلين و يو بي سي ومستلزماتها للمنتجات الصناعية في عيراق

  2. Статья содержит подробное описание событий и контекста, при этом не выражая пристрастие к какой-либо стороне.

  3. Я ценю информативный подход этой статьи. Она предоставляет достаточно фактов и данных для лучшего понимания проблемы. Хотелось бы увидеть больше ссылок на исследования и источники информации.

  4. If some one needs expert view concerning running a blog afterward
    i propose him/her to visit this web site, Keep up
    the good work.

  5. I simply had to thank you so much again. I’m not certain the things that I could possibly have gone through without the opinions revealed by you regarding this area of interest. Certainly was a very terrifying concern in my view, but looking at the professional avenue you handled it made me to cry over contentment. I am happier for your service and as well , wish you are aware of a powerful job you happen to be accomplishing educating the mediocre ones by way of your web page. Most likely you haven’t encountered all of us.

  6. I’m commenting to make you understand of the outstanding encounter my daughter gained checking your web page. She mastered many pieces, with the inclusion of how it is like to have a very effective giving mindset to have folks with ease know precisely several impossible subject matter. You really exceeded her expected results. Thanks for churning out those informative, dependable, revealing and also cool guidance on your topic to Janet.

  7. I precisely needed to say thanks again. I do not know the things I would’ve followed without the concepts provided by you directly on my industry. Certainly was an absolute distressing case for me personally, but spending time with a new skilled approach you dealt with that took me to cry with delight. Now i’m grateful for your work as well as sincerely hope you recognize what a great job you are always putting in instructing men and women by way of your webpage. More than likely you’ve never encountered all of us.

  8. Автор старается предоставить объективную картину, оставляя читателям возможность самостоятельно сформировать свое мнение.

  9. Having read this I thought it was really informative. I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this content together. I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!

Leave a Reply to André Read Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *