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# Level Design Guidelines
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# Level Design Guidelines
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The name of the game is ***rapid iteration***. **Throw shit together**, see if it works, if it doesn't, iterate.
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The name of the game is ***rapid iteration***. **Throw shit together**, see if it works, and if it doesn't, iterate.
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If iteration doesn't help or becomes too slow, sometimes you need to **scrap it and start over**.
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If iteration doesn't help or becomes too slow, sometimes you need to **scrap it and start over**.
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This lets you start with a clean slate for more creativity, and make better use of lessons you learned while testing.
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This lets you start with a clean slate for more creativity, and make better use of lessons you learned while testing.
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@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ For designing levels, it is **heavily suggested** to make use of:
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- If you have to explain a design to a playtester, then the design might need more work
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- If you have to explain a design to a playtester, then the design might need more work
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- Testing each level segment individually before working on the next segment
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- Testing each level segment individually before working on the next segment
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- ...and then testing each segment together at once!
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- ...and then testing each segment together at once!
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- Feel free to make separate levels for testing ideas
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- Make separate, small levels for testing specific ideas
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As with all forms of design, **level design should speak for itself**.
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As with all forms of design, **the level's design should speak for itself** to players.
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The player should naturally be pulled to whatever solution the developer asks, but be left open for resolution themself.
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The player should naturally be pulled to whatever solution the developer asks, but be left open for resolution themself.
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The following guidelines are here to reduce friction between the player and the game, while providing tools for innovation.
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The following guidelines are here to reduce friction between the player and the game, while providing tools for innovation.
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@ -106,19 +106,19 @@ as well as the challenges they might encounter.
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First impressions are just as important in-game as they are out of game.
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First impressions are just as important in-game as they are out of game.
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### Mechanics
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### Mechanics
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When teaching a player a new mechanic, follow these guidelines:
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When teaching the player a new mechanic, follow these guidelines:
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- Give the player a safe space to fail in
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- Give the player a safe space to fail in
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- Ensure that the problem can only be solved with the given mechanic if possible
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- Ensure that the problem can only be solved with the given mechanic if possible
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- Ensure that the problem makes sense within the context of the setting
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- Ensure that the problem makes sense within the context of the setting
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- Keep instructions minimal, but clear
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- Keep instructions minimal, but clear
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- Lead the player to the solution with context clues
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- Lead the player to the solution with context clues
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Ideally, we do not have to directly tell the player what they need to do.
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We may do this for clarity's sake, but the level design should make it clear with lighting, leading lines, and other rules of composition.
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Giving players a safe space for failure allows experimentation and learning, without creating stress.
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Giving players a safe space for failure allows experimentation and learning, without creating stress.
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As soon as the player becomes frustrated, they are not enjoying the game, and we have failed our objective.
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As soon as the player becomes frustrated, they are not enjoying the game, and we have failed our objective.
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Ideally, we do not have to directly tell the player what they need to do.
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We might do this anyway for clarity's sake, but the level design should make it clear with lighting, leading lines, and other rules of composition.
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### Enemies
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### Enemies
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When introducing a new enemy type to the player, follow these guidelines:
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When introducing a new enemy type to the player, follow these guidelines:
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- Only one of that type of enemy should be in the given encounter
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- Only one of that type of enemy should be in the given encounter
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@ -134,17 +134,17 @@ Giving them time to observe, think, and react is better than dropping them into
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As stated before, players should be eased into combat and new enemies initially.
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As stated before, players should be eased into combat and new enemies initially.
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Using small amounts of enemies in initial encounters with those types allow players to develop strategies without being overwhelmed.
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Using small amounts of enemies in initial encounters with those types allow players to develop strategies without being overwhelmed.
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Once you think a player has "mastered" something, test their skills by ramping the intensity, or mixing in other underused mechanics.
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Once you think a player has "mastered" something, test their skills by ramping the intensity, or mixing in other underused mechanics.
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Spawning more enemies, using platforming hazards, and etc can further encourage the player to move ahead.
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Spawning more enemies, using platforming hazards, and etc can further challenge the player.
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This can easily be done with [**arenas**](#arenas), as mentioned before.
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This can easily be done with [**arenas**](#arenas), as mentioned before.
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The same goes for platforming. As the player becomes more acquainted with their tools, mixing up movement or creating more hazards can encourage the player to think more creatively.
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The same goes for platforming. As the player becomes more acquainted with their tools, mixing up movement combinations or creating more hazards can encourage the player to think more creatively.
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Combining platforming and combat can lead to a successful flow state, but requires careful planning and lots of iteration.
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Combining platforming and combat can lead to a successful flow state, but requires careful planning and lots of iteration.
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## Final Notes
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## Final Notes
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While there is a lot of considerations to making a level, these are still ideas and not entirely rigid rules.
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While there are a lot of considerations to making a level, these are still ideas and not entirely rigid rules.
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*Sometimes, rules are best broken*, and this applies to game design as well.
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*Sometimes, rules are best broken*, and this applies to game design as well.
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If you think something enhances an experience but challenges these guidelines, *test it and see how it plays out*.
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If you think something enhances an experience but challenges these guidelines, *test it and see how it plays out*.
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Have other devs try it! Have playtesters try it! If it enhances the game, then you've successfully iterated.
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Have other devs try it! Have playtesters try it! If it enhances the game, then you've successfully iterated.
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See other project guidelines [here](../README.md).
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See other project guidelines [here](../README.md#resources-and-guidelines).
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