Comments on: Level Design is Game Design

By: hatae55

hatae55 — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 03:13:44 +0000

Think about checkers vs chess. Each have the same board yet the games are completely different. It is the pieces and what they are able to do that sets these games apart. Those piece abilities are truly what game design seeks to create. Game design or more like ‘rules design’ tells a player what they can and cannot do on an open field. Level design puts those abilities in context, creating a challenge that the player must fight. A harmony of rules and level design will result in a game that challenges players and encourages them to use all of the abilities available to them. Thus, if moving the pieces is fun and the level design works with those pieces, then the game will be fun. The best videogame example I can think of is Team Fortress 2. Everywhere, distance, cover, and paths work to ensure equality within very different classes. The areas inside the bases on two fort without roofs are common places for engineers two place turrets over. The far steps are the exact length for a skillful scout to run up without giving enough time for a turret to lock on. As seen in Team Fortress, rules design and level design both work together (or against in unsuccessful cases) to create a cohesive game. A creator must fully understand the intent of both types within a game.

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Sonic The Hedgehog- A Video Game Masterpiece | Vintage Video Games — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:05:19 +0000

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By: Game Architecture » The three Qualities of Level Design

Game Architecture » The three Qualities of Level Design — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:27:28 +0000

[...] my definition of the digital play space some in my last (somewhat controversial) rant about how level design is game design. I’m afraid I failed somewhat since there were a lot of misunderstandings there – but [...]

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:35:22 +0000

i was wondering if you knew how i could find someone who designs games im 15 and have an idea for a new game but not for sure if it would be any good

By: Games Development and Gaming in the World Today « WETONG Blog

Games Development and Gaming in the World Today « WETONG Blog — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:41:43 +0000

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By: Bruno Palermo

Bruno Palermo — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:21:28 +0000

Agreed. (That’s all I have to say, since you said already everything worth saying…) Great article!

By: Game Architecture » Level Design is Game Design | boardgame

Game Architecture » Level Design is Game Design | boardgame — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:13:20 +0000

[...] View post: Game Architecture » Level Design is Game Design [...]

By: Martin Nerurkar

Martin Nerurkar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:41:23 +0000

I certainly agree with your core idea: Successful / good level design needs to be in tune with the game design. That’s a pretty basic concept but so important. If you have a game feature that’s used only used at one place in one level, then that’s usually not such a good idea.

On the other hand I’m not so sure if Level Design is a “subset” of Game Design. Granted I was a bit polemic with my statement above but I think it’s more that the two disciplines have a lot of overlap instead of one being a subset of the other. If you think about it, each one has their unique elements. Like fiddling with the visuals of a level – that’s certainly not “game design” in the sense that it does not establish any game rules, not even spatial ones. Thinking about board games: It makes no difference wether the board is green or red, the gameplay is the same, right?

By: James Gonzalez

James Gonzalez — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:59:09 +0000

I think that Game Design and Level Design are dependent on one another. For example, a puzzle game like Goof Troop for the SNES will have rules such as picking up objects, throwing and dropping them. But for those rules to be used effectively, the Level itself must form the puzzle for which the rules will be applied to.

Another example is in any FPS game the player is usually bound by rules such as running, jumping, taking cover, and aiming (shooting) , but the Level will be tailored to emphasize the rules and create the experience the design has laid out.

I guess a way of looking at it is that Level Design is a subset of Game Design – a large one at that – and without proper Level Design , the Game Design will fail.