7.Level Design Process Part 2

This is the summary of Emilio Padulo's Level Design Master Class.

· Sound

· Test 1

· Optimize

· Cut Scenes

· Polish

· Test 2

· Fix

1. Sound

· When it comes to sounds, this is one of the most important tools a level designer can use.

· These ambient sounds are crucial, it is painting a whole picture for the players as they travel through your level.

· Its also important to note voices for diglogue for certain characters is needed for storytelling, level goals and other things.

· Sounds brings the level to life.

2. Test

· Next is testing level, not for bugs, but for design flows that might have been overlooked.

· This would be a good time to also run usability or playtest to see what works well in the level.

· This is usually done in house with some of the other team members playing the level and seeing whether it is fun and if the level can be broke as well.

3. Optimize

· This is one of the most important steps in the level building process.

· In this step, we stress test the level to see if it is running at 100%, seeing of the geometry of the level is precise, and making sure all the textures are fully optimized and not causing any issues.

4. Cut Scene

· After optimization, if any rough cut scenes were in place, it is at this point where you would go in and polish it, making sure they look great for the user.

5. Polish

· When polishing a level, you should go back and see what can be added to define the level.

· Adding small details to bring certain aspects to life is important not only for the level itself, but to truly create a great mise en scene for the player as well.

· You will also have tune and regulate the difficulty of your level in comparison to the previous and next one to make a seamless transition.

6. Test 2

· This stage is where the level is ready for play-testing for outside sources.

· Creating different groups to try and play the level in every way imaginable to break, and find bugs is crucial to do before release.

7. Fix

· After rigorous playtesting is done, all notes are takes, final assessments are made, it’s time to go and fix all the problems.

· As you can see, there are many different steps required in the level design process.

· Each step as important as the last, and relying on other teams to help along the way. A truly good level designer is as good as his team.

· When everyone part of the process is in sync and working effectively together, a level designer can truly do their job and create beautiful compelling and fun levels.