Level Design Aesthetics - or what makes a good map

[OCF]

I havent seen much discussion on here as to what are level design nonos and what are considered to be "good map aesthetics".

 

I know there are some general guidelines, boxy is boring etc. but I'd like a more general idea of what level designers think about when they sit down to design a level. How they decide on how they want to detail it, etc.

 

What design features exactly do people like in maps?

[Manquesa]

from the book Game Design - Secrets of the Sages

Paul Jaquays, level designer for Id Software

 

1. Know what you want to do with a level before you start. Don't expect a map that you start as a single-player map to be easily changed into a multiplayer map. The reverse holds true for trying to make a deathmatch map into a single-player challenge.

 

2. Sketch out a diagram of the map to use as an initial guide.

 

3. Don't start with grandiose projects. Try making something fun with a few rooms.

 

4. If possible, build your level with a "gimmick" in mind--some tricky gamism bit that players will remember. Popular gimmicks that have been used in the past include wind tunnels; numerous portals; lava maps; water-filled maps; maps with large, slow-moving hazards; and low gravty maps.

 

5. Try to be fresh and original with every new design. Do sonething that you haven't seen done before.

 

6. Test gimmicks of gameplay, tricks, and traps in test levels before building them into your game level.

 

7. Do architecture and texture studies ahead of time to establish an architectural style. Stick to that style.

 

8. Block out your level with large pieces of geometry. Think of the architecture you'll use, but concentrate more on how gameplay will flow through the level. At this stage, I try to keep my map grid at the largest possible setting (in Quake II or Quake III, that's the "64" grid). Avoid fussy details at this point and go for massiveness. At this stage of development, try to keep your frame-rate speeds well below the amount allowed by the game (for Quake II, we aimed to be below a maximum count of 500 triangles of architecture in any view). A good rule might be to try for no more than one-third of your total possible polygon count in the worst views in and near you larger rooms.

 

9. Once the flow is established, you can start adding architectural detail and refining hall and room shapes.

 

10. Build in a modular manner. Make prefabricated pieces that can fit together easily to make your level. Build tricky pieces of detailed architecture (such as door frames, complicated cornices, or furniture) once and set them outside the boudaries of your map. Clone them as needed for placement in the map.

 

11. When designing architectural elements, study the real world. Try to duplicate the look and feel of impressive works, but with less complicated geometry. Set yourself challenges in this regard.

 

12. Strike a blance between the use of real geometry and textures that imply three-dimensional depth when building architectural details. Textures that appear 3D should be used with caution. When viewed from a distance, the can fool the eye into believing that the architectural geometry is significantly more complex than it actually is. But the came texture viewed up close and at eye level completely destroys the illusion of depth.

 

13. Compile the map often. Don't wait until everytihing is placed to see what things look like (or if you have leaks in the map hull).

 

14. Complete you map geometry before adding monsters and items.

 

15. When building single-player game maps, don't put every game feature in the level. Having every monster possible in the game in a single game level is a glaring sign of amateur work. Generally speaking, the only place you're going to see all the monsters at once is in the AI programmer's test level.

 

16. The same goes for tricks, traps, items, weapons, and power-ups. Unless you map is as massive as the 64-player DM maps creatd for Quake II, restrict the number of different items you put in the map. Use a few things cleverly, rather than many poorly.

 

17. Small maps can be relatively similar throughout. Large maps should have distinctive, memorable locations that the player can use to orient himself in the map. "City64," a large DM map for Quake II, features a huge canyon area, a massive alien temple, underwater caverns, a vast deep tank with water in the bottom, and numerous stretches of twisty corridors. The corridors were often similar, but they ended in distinctive large play areas.

 

18. For DM maps, give the player frequent opportunities to avoid pursuit and dodge for cover. Long hallways with no exits are bad. Avoid forcing players to make long trips to dead-end rooms--even to get to good power-ups.

 

19. Place lights to achieve drama. If you have a choice between under-lighting an area and over-lighting it, err on the side of darkness. Just don't go overboard. Dark levels may look nifty, but stumbling around in the dark while playing gets old fast.

 

20. Light as you go--even if you're on placing temporary lights.

 

21. Don't forget the audio elements of a map. Sounds can provide important game clues.

 

22. If possible, allow multiple solutions to puzzles. You can still reserve the greatest rewards for players who solve them in what the designer has decided is the "best way."

 

23. Give the player a variety of game experiences and challenges in each map. All combat or all puzzles can get old quickly.

 

24. Be kind to your players; don't over-challenge them unnecessarily. Well-placed environmental hazards add to the tension of gameplay, but falling into lava or slime every third step or being crushed to death by falling weights every time you turn around quickly becomes frustrating.

 

25. Study maps you like and make an effort to duplicate or even improve situations and settings.

 

26. Finish what you begin

[OCF]

Right, those are all great points, but that wasn't what I wanted

 

I mean, visually, architecturally, texturally and detailing and gameplay what kind of maps do people really enjoy and why?

 

Cloud City, Tatooine, Yavin, Dagobah, generic imperial facility etc?

 

What bits of architecture in general can be used to really enhance, flesh out a basic room setup, without having to redesign the map completely? and fit into almost any map? Ex. Crates, those royal guard things from the death star, misc tubes and things sticking out of the ceiling/floor, columns, etc

 

Door types - is there any real preference for splitting doors, doors that open at odd angles, upwards, sideways? Door frames - any preferences?

 

Ex. I start a map, plan out the basics, but want to really enhance the "feel" of it, what is the threshold where having too many different kinds of textures, door types etc becomes aggrivating, or too processor intensive?

 

I'm coming to grips with the architecture of mapping, and I'm trying to decide what kinds of shapes of room, shapes of brushes, entities, models, etc help to make a map more interesting and exciting but without going overboard.. the artistic rather than technical side.

 

For example, I find maps like the bespin capture the flag map kind of boring, since you pretty much just run in circles the whole time, and the death star, while having some great gimmicks, only has so many different textures to it.

 

I'm on the architectural study phase and thats what i'm coming to grips with. Trying to spruce up what is right now a relatively boxy map, make it more exciting to play without having my CPU overload. Trying to hone the aesthetic side of things. Know what I'm saying?

[PainGod]

What you are striving for here I think is "Identity." At least, that is what I'm reading into this. If I'm off-base, forgive, but keep this in mind in case it ever comes up in your life.

 

"Does this look like the map I wanna make? Have I overdone the textures a little?"

 

My solution:

 

I have a friend who doesn't game at all. He doesn't even own a computer. But he knows me and understands my tastes for decor (which includes my own apartment, my cube at work, etc.) So since he has 'virgin eyes', I show him screenies and even a tour of my map. And I use his judgement and criticism. I also know a girl who is the same way. Chicks are cool about interior design, y'know.

[OCF]

Yea, I think you're right, search for identity, but also ideas too. Its frustrating to want to design a map have the basics all there, but feel like its too big and/or plain, empty, lacking detail, etc...

 

Ah well, I'm gonna get second opinions when I can.

[twoshadows]

Think Game play 1st

This is the MOST important....You can have the best looking map and the coolest mapping "style", but if is is no fun to play, then it was a waste of time.

 

Atmosphere second

All of the most memorable maps usualy have a specific Atmosphere about them, scary, pretty, shiny, dirty, whatever.... I mean, if your map is on HOTH - it is your JOB to make the player "feel" the chill, the cold. Know what I mean?

 

Performance third

If it runs like a slide show on most systems, no one is going to play it no mater HOW much fun it is or how Cool the Atmosphere is.

 

Good Looks fourth.

Ugly maps are Ugly maps, but if it has the 1st three points I mentioned, it is forgivable...you'll just be known as a mapper that makes Fun,Cool,well running, but Ugly maps.

 

There's my 2 cents worth..

[OCF]

Right now I'm trying to come to grips with gameplay and visuals at the same time... I have a specific map design which I've already built, but gameplay issues have arisen as a result of the level design which I'm Trying to correct by adding more architecture/ etc.... its not that the gameplay is bad, it just feels, I dunno, off

 

Atmosphere i'm not too worried about, its definetely got that going for it at least...

 

Performance, I'm not sure about. The frame rates are very good (at least as far as I can tell) it runs smoothly at 800x600 in mp mode, but I can't judge.... based on my machine (800 mhz, 256 ram, GEforce2 GTS w/32 - 64 megs vid ram, i forget)

[OCF]

Oh yes, one other question. In general what defines good gameplay?

 

 

Why I'm asking:

 

Here's some of my current map in development's (MID as in midway finished ) details:

 

Currently I am working on a multiplayer map which will support FFA, CTY and possibly other modes. Right now, its a Giant room, 1 small inaccessible room (eventually linked) , a dead end hallway (which will eventually lead to another large room) and a small tunnel,

 

The map is painfully symmetrical, so it probably could support CTF with some reworking too.

 

Part of my problem is, the giant room is so big, it feels.. empty. It also takes a Long Long Long time to cross (somewhere between 15 seconds and 45 I think - rockets when fired can take 1 to 60 seconds to find a wall - I think) Dimensions are something like 1.5 deep as the death star bay x 3 (3.5?) across If Not More. Its so huge, if someone is shooting at you, you dont even need to take cover

 

The map was originally designed as a stomping ground for an ATST duel (possibly even team ATST) complete with 2 emplaced guns.. but since driveable vehicles and guns aren't currently available in multiplayer...

 

I want to add to that room, without hurting my framerates, or having to rebuild the entire level from the ground up for the 10th time because of a leak, crash, etc.

[RichDiesal]

Eh... I'm not an experienced mapper by any means, but a level that big doesn't seem like it'd be all that fun.

 

The easiest thing that I've found so far in mapping is to sit back, be impartial, and say "Would I want to play this?" (As twoshadows said, "Think game play first.")

 

If you wouldn't want to spend 30 seconds running across a playfield, why would anyone else?

 

Although if you did have AT-STs, that probably would be a really cool map... it's just that you don't.

 

Also, I wouldn't set out to support multiple modes... have one target. For example, a good FFA map would have lots of close quarter combat with a few good-sized areas for duelling. A good CTF map, on the other hand, would have two huge bases (not necessarily identical) that are a good distance from one another (say, up to a 60-90 second run), so as to promote prolonged chases.

 

Choose one type and stick with it.

 

If you can just so happen to create a map that's great in two modes, then all the more power to you, but don't make a kickass FFA map suffer because you want to modify it to be a mediocre FFA/CTF hybrid.

[B0rG]

The best way to contemplate gameplay within your arena is to consider scenarios. Think of how force powers, or certain weapons in certain areas can be placed and used to full, or at least some kind of strategical effect.

 

I find JO mapping requires different thinking than when mapping for other games, and it pays to consider this - especially if you've done alot of mapping for other FPS games.

 

Unlike many other games, you want high areas in various places (most places I think) where players can jump high and have few limitations, edges or blocks to get in the way. Using clip brushes to remove physical edges can help alot - you do not want your player getting stuck inadvertantly.

 

Use a basic theme to your map, stick to it as best you can and think of scenes or scenarios within it. Think of duelling areas, sniping areas, close quater combat areas and balance it altogether to get the flow and feel you want.

 

And if you ever get stuck of architectural ideas for a map, go down to your local shopping center. I swear, most of them are model deathmatch arenas.

[aazell]

I'm into duel maps personally. I think duel maps should be dramatic as hell. The player should feel like they're out on fin at the end of Empire. It's exciting to duel over a gaping chasm or in a room full of force feilds or on a platform with ships taking off and flying by all around you. You want the player to feel that it's the most important moment of a star wars movie.

 

JK2 isn't like other FPS games because it's got such a lot of history surrounding it. If you can't make a map that feels like part of the star wars universe then I say go play Q3A.

 

With the new movie out this month I don't think anyone's got any kind of excuse for lack of inspiration.

 

Where is that duel of fates map anyway????

 

Aaz

[sights0d]

I keep seeing the post for DOTF at the top of the forums.