Sunday 13 November 2011

Game Level Design Group Work

Firstly we looked at other games that featured similar layouts, dimensions and mechanics that the game level design must have.





Level Breakdown

We divided our level into four primary sections, and discussed the features that would be introduced in each, in order to create and maintain a hold on the players interest.

·         Main Assembly 

The player take control of Baz, a disgruntled elf working in the tyrannical Santa’s toy factory. Having had enough of working all year, he takes his newest toy, a state of the art whip and sets off to escape the factory.
The main assembly is mostly an exercise in timing and learning to run and jump. The player is introduced to using the whip to pull and move inanimate objects. The will encounter conveyor belts, crushing machinery and moving cranes and platforms. The player will use their whip to move industrial lasers to cut through doors and enemies, pull boxes down to form platforms, and swing between platforms.

Finally, the player gains the electric whip power up, which they use to power a generator. This generator powers the end of level elevator, and the player takes it up to the factory roof.

·         Rooftops

The rooftops continue in the same vein; however they introduce new mechanics in the form of chimneys. Chimneys can spew out dangerous chemicals, needing careful timing to be passed, or gusts of air which can be used to reach otherwise inaccessible platforms. The consequences of failing are now much higher, as Baz will die if he falls off the roof. The electric whip power ups can be used to charge lightning rods and power up the way forward. At the end of the section, he jumps down a skylight into the next section.

·         Packaging

The player must now make their way through packaging, dodging exploding xmas presents, more complex conveyor belts and angry enemies. The electric whip is needed to power generators, and the player is introduced to the second whip power up – the fire whip. This can be used to burn through wooden obstacles and set off alarms to distract enemies long enough for Baz to sneak past. Fire Alarms also open fire doors, which allows the player to move to the final section of the level, the Loading Bay.

·         Loading Bay

The loading bay is the final section of the level, and includes all of the things found so far, and is the final test before the player is considered to be into the game proper. New enemies and more complex platforming provide an increased challenge. Finally, the player finds and steals Santa’s sleigh, making their escape to LEVEL TWO.




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