Game level design is the foundation of creating an entertaining gaming experience. In this article, we’ll explain what game level design is, how it has developed over time, and what stages location design goes through. We’ll also share some useful tips and tools for beginner designers.
What is game level design
Game level design is the art and science of creating in-game environments in which a video game’s action takes place. Level design involves much more than simply arranging objects on a map. Level designers think through each element to create a gripping and meaningful experience for the player.
Good level design:
- Immerses one into a video game’s atmosphere. Creates a convincing world that captures the player’s imagination and compels the player to suspend their disbelief.
- Directs the player through the game’s storyline. Employs visual cues, lighting, and architecture to subtly lead the player through the storyline.
- Helps create interesting in-game situations. Puts forward a variety of challenges and opportunities to employ the game’s mechanics.
- Balances difficulty and reward. Slowly ramps up the game’s difficulty and, at the right time, rewards the player’s efforts.
- Incentivizes exploration. Creates intriguing locations and hidden secrets, which motivate the player to explore the in-game map.
- Takes replayability into account. Offers several progression paths or dynamic elements that change with each playthrough.
It’s important to note that the role of a game level designer differs from that of a game designer.
The game designer is tasked with a game’s overall concepts, its mechanics and rules. They create the game‘s framework.
A level designer, in turn, fills in this framework with specific in-game environments and situations that embody the game designer’s vision.
Level design is a complex process. It demands creativity, technical skills, and a deep understanding of the player’s psychology. And if level design is effective, even a simple game can be transformed into an unforgettable adventure.
How level design has changed over the past 40 years: from Pac-Man to Elden Ring
Game level design has gone through a long path of evolution since the appearance of video games. Each decade brought new technologies and ideas that expanded the capabilities of designers and enriched the gaming experience.
1980’s: starting simple
In the 80’s, video games had to fit into a single screen. But even so, designers came up with unusual approaches.
Examples of video games from the 80’s:
- Pac-Mac (1980). A simple maze but every turn has been thought through. The player is always deciding: run or fight?
PAC-MAN. Source
- Donkey Kong (1981). The first game in which the player climbs up. Platforms and ladders became the foundation for hundreds of future projects.
Donkey Kong. Source
- Super Mario Bros. (1985). A revolutionary game featuring open, 3D worlds with non-linear progression. The screen started to move, and obstacles became trickier.
Super Mario Bros. Source
1990’s: flourishing of 2D and first steps toward 3D
The 90’s were the golden age of 2D and the dawn of 3D. Games became brighter and larger.
Examples of video games from the 90’s:
- Sonic the Hedgehog (1991). This game introduced the concepts of both alternate routes and superspeed.
Sonic the Hedgehog. Source
- Doom (1993). This game represents the introduction of 3D corridors. The player can both shoot and hide behind corners. Both horror and awe in a single package.
Doom. Source
- Super Mario 64 (1996). This game introduced a 3D world that was more realistic. Unlike 21st century games, the world still isn’t open but it is already a lot bigger than a world that’s 2D.
Super Mario 64 (1996). Source
2000’s: 3D on the rise
3D worlds became the norm, and the worlds themselves became huge.
Examples of video games from the 2000’s:
- Half-Life (1998–2004). A video game series which raised the bar in the creation of atmospheric and detailed levels that convey a story without video clips. Instead of using any cutscenes, the entire narrative takes place in-game directly. Moreover, for its time, these games’ enemy AI was revolutionary.
Half-Life. Source
- Grand Theft Auto III (2001). Introduced the concept of an open-world city in which the player can freely explore their surroundings.
Grand Theft Auto III. Source
- Shadow of the Colossus (2005). This game doesn’t have that many details—it only contains a few colossi that the hero must find and defeat. However, this minimalist world is also impressive—before encountering each colossus, the player must cross many open miles.
Shadow of the Colossus. Source
2010’s: expanding worlds and procedural generation
First appearing in the 2010’s, a new aspect of level design was procedural generation. That is, the automatic creation of both levels and worlds on the basis of algorithms. While big game worlds appeared in the previous stage, this stage features worlds that are open. No more walls and obvious transitions between levels. Typically, during each new playthrough, the world is regenerated from scratch. As a consequence, for games in this category, no two reruns are exactly alike.
Examples of video games from the 2010’s:
- Minecraft (2011). Given Minecraft’s environment, which is entirely destructible and buildable, the video game industry was revolutionized.
Minecraft. Source
- No Man’s Sky (2016). The Universe is infinite, and so, too, is this game. Each planet is unique. One can explore to their heart’s content.
No Man’s Sky. Source
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017). Presented players with a huge open world that one can explore endlessly—these aren’t linear levels but instead a large space in which one can accomplish in-game objectives in different ways. Freedom and mystery at every turn.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Source
2020’s: VR and interactivity
At this stage, becoming all but tangible, video games enter the real world.
Examples of video games from the 2020’s:
- Half-Life: Alyx (2020). A VR game in which the player can (virtually) grasp practically every object since they control the game with the aid of a VR headset and so-called “gravity gloves” that are used by the game’s protagonist.
Half-Life: Alyx. Source
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- Deathloop (2021). An island stuck in a time loop. One location—different times. A game-long puzzle
Deathloop. Source
- Elden Ring (2022). Combined an open world with the traditional design of levels in the Dark Souls series. This game enabled players to freely explore a huge world. And at the same time, when it comes to the classic enemy encounters, Elden Ring compromised on neither difficulty nor opportunities for strategy.
Elden Ring. Source
The evolution of level design continues. What lies ahead? We might end up playing video games in augmented reality, where the level itself becomes the real world in which we live. For instance, that’s how Pokémon Go works. Or, players might use so-called “neurointerfaces” such that levels might be projected directly into one’s mind—an idea made possible using VR gear. Only time will tell.
Stages of developing a video game level
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Defining the extent of a project
Before initiating work on a level, one must complete several steps as follows:
- Study the capabilities of both the engine and platform.
- Define both the project’s deadlines and its budget.
- Analyze the target audience’s preferences.
By adhering to these tips, one can not only define goals that are realistic but also avoid needless work. For instance, if you are making a mobile game, we suggest taking into account mobile devices’ limited memory and processing power.
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Developing ideas and frameworks
During this stage, game level designers:
- brainstorm, creating interesting mechanics,
- select the main elements of a level,
- write out the key moments expected during gameplay.
Suppose you are creating a level for a platformer-type video game. Consider what obstacles and enemies the player will encounter, and where one should place bonuses and secrets.
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Creating bubble maps
Bubble maps help visualize a game level’s structure:
- A level’s main zones are marked with circles.
- Connections between zones are marked with lines.
An example of a bubble diagram. Source
A diagram like this can help one evaluate not only the extent to which a level is organized logically but also whether there are any dead ends or confusing areas.
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Using prototype maps
At this stage, one establishes a level’s basic geometry:
- One determines the location of key objects and platforms.
- The player’s movement paths are determined.
- Baseline gameplay is tested using a prototype.
As we would suggest, use simple shapes and textures. At this stage, the key objective is to verify whether the thought-up concept works in practice.
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Finalizing level design
At the final stage:
- Add details and textures.
- Calibrate both lighting and visual effects.
- Include sound effects and music.
- Finally, optimize and polish.
At this stage, you are turning your prototype into a fully-fledged, beautiful, and atmospheric level.
Recommendations and advice for level design
To create interesting levels in video games, one must combine artistry and technique. Here are a few tips which will help you on your level design journey.
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Write a game design document (GDD)
A game design document (GDD) is a detailed description of a video game in every aspect. It is an important tool for any project, especially in game level design.
- Keep your team informed of your overall vision. GDDs serve as a unified source of information about the video game’s concept, its mechanics, its storyline, and its visual style.
- When designing video game levels, ensure between-level consistency. With respect to the overall vision, use the GDD as a reference to ensure that each level fits.
- Help new teammates get up to scratch quickly. By studying a GDD, your team’s newcomers can quickly grasp the project’s central thrust.
- As you develop your project, update your GDD regularly. The GDD is a living document that should reflect the project’s current state.
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Design with an aim in mind
In each video game level, there must be a clearly defined goal. A goal helps create a meaningful and entertaining experience.
- Teaching a new mechanic. When a player must encounter novel gameplay elements, use a level to familiarize them.
- Developing the storyline. Integrate narrative elements in your level design.
- Crafting a certain emotional response. Design your levels with the intention of evoking in the player specific emotions—for instance: fear, joy, or surprise.
Example: In the game “Portal,” each level familiarizes the player with a new way of using portals, slowly increasing puzzles’ difficulty.
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Focus on authenticity and immersiveness
Creating believable video game worlds substantially increases the player’s sense of immersion.
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- Work out each location’s backstory. Each level should appear as though it has both its own backstory and its own significance.
- Ensure the environment has small details. By adding small decorative elements, one can drastically increase an in-game world’s realism.
- Use sounds to create a particular ambience. Effective sound design can strengthen a player’s immersion.
- Study real-life locations. This will help you find inspiration for your levels.
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Strike a balance between difficulty and reward
A high-quality level maintains a player’s interest and suggests appropriate challenges and rewards.
- Gradually increase difficulty. Start with simple objectives and slowly complicate them.
- Reward the player on a regular basis. As rewards, provide the player with resources, new abilities, or simply beautiful vistas.
- Create moments of triumph. Following particularly difficult areas, allow the player to feel heroic.
Example: In the Dark Souls franchise, although the bosses lying at the end of long and dangerous areas are difficult, the sense of accomplishment after slaying these bosses can be immense.
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Levels should be both tested and improved
Imagining a level is only the first step. To render a video game level genuinely cool, the level must not only be constantly tested but also updated according to players’ feedback.
- Start testing as early as possible—preferably at the prototype stage. The earlier you identify problems, the easier it is to fix them.
- Observe real players. Note the places in which players become either stuck or bored.
- Gather feedback. Ask players about their impressions, what they liked, and what they disliked.
- Don’t be afraid to implement changes. If it improves the gaming experience, be prepared for either part of a level or its entirety to be redone.
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Consider the flow of players’ moment
To create a smooth-flowing and intuitive gaming experience, consider the player’s course of movement.
- Create points of interest. To direct the player’s attention, distribute visually appealing elements.
- To attract the player’s attention, use lighting. Bright or high-contrast areas naturally attract the player’s gaze.
- Leave room for exploration. For curious players, add optional paths and secrets.
Example: In the video game series “Uncharted”, to indicate to the player which areas of the level are climbable, designers often use either bright colors or elements of architecture that are striking.
Game level design is an iterative process. Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn from your mistakes.
The best tools for video game level design
Among the tools that help game level designers implement their ideas, here are a few tools that are popular.
- Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine is a popular video game engine developed by Epic Games. It is used to create games in various genres, from first-person shooters to open-world games.
Features:
- An intuitive level editor with the capacity to work in real time.
- Enabling visual programming, a system called “Blueprint” that allows one to create game logic without relying on deep knowledge of coding.
- Advanced tools for working with landscapes and greenery.
- For creating special effects, a particle system that is powerful.
Applications in game level design: with both lighting and physics that are realistic, Unreal Engine is especially good for the creation of detailed 3D levels.
- Unity
Unity is a universal video game engine that one can use for both 2D and 3D games. Unity is popular among indie developers and triple-A studios.
Features:
- A rich library of assets and plugins.
- From mobile devices to consoles, Unity supports a variety of platforms.
- In-built tools for creating and editing terrains.
Applications in game level design: Unity is an excellent fit not only for rapidly prototyping levels, but also for creating both 2D platformers and open-world 3D games.
- Maya
Created by Autodesk, Maya is a suite of professional software for 3D modeling, animation, and rendering.
Features:
- Tools for creating 3D models that are complex.
- An animation system that is advanced.
- Functionality for the creation and editing of textures.
- Integration with video game engines.
Applications in game level design: Maya is used in the creation of detailed 3D assets. These 3D assets are subsequently imported into the video game engine.
- Blender
As an alternative to Maya for 3D modeling and animation, Blender is both free and open-source.
Features:
- A complete set of tools for 3D modeling, texturing, and animation.
- A game engine that is in-built.
- Not only an active community but also a variety of learning resources.
Applications in game level design: Blender is suitable for both the creation of 3D models and for the prototyping of game levels, especially when used by small studios and indie developers.
- Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard for working with 2D graphics.
Features:
- Tools for image editing.
- Enables creating and editing textures.
- Tools for digital painting.
Applications in game level design: Photoshop is used for the creation of textures, concept art, and 2D assets.
Additional tools:
- World Machine. A specialized software suite for the generation of landscapes.
- Substance Designer/Painter. Tools for the creation of textures and materials that are detailed.
- ZBrush. A program for digital sculptures. ZBrush is especially useful for the creation of 3D models that are highly detailed.
- Trello. Trello is a tool for project management that helps organize level development, monitor progress, and coordinate the work of a team.
Frequently Asked Questions
In video games, why is game level design necessary?
Game level design creates gaming experience environments. It defines how the player will interact with the in-game world, what challenges they’ll face, and what emotions they’ll feel.
Can one create an entire video game level alone?
When working on small projects, yes. However, in large games, a level is typically worked on by a team of specialists: designers, artists, and programmers.
How much time is spent on developing a video game level?
The answer to this question depends on both the project’s difficulty and its scale. For a small level in an indie game, developing a level could take a few weeks. For large levels designed by AAA game studios, designing a level could take months.
What software packages are used in game level design?
Frequently used software packages include game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity) and 3D modeling tools (Maya, Blender). One’s choice of software will depend on both the specific project and the team’s preferences.
Can game level design influence players’ emotions?
Naturally! Game level design directly influences what the player feels. For example, narrow corridors can evoke feelings of claustrophobia. In contrast, open areas can evoke a sense of freedom. To elicit the right mood, game level designers use lighting, sound, and visuals.
If you have a project in need of improvements in level design, do not hesitate to contact us at .
