Architectural Approach to Level Design Second edition

Written by a game developer and professor trained in architecture, An Architectural Approach to Level Design is one of the first books to integrate architectural and spatial design theory with the field of level design. It explores the principles of level design through the context and history of architecture. Now in its second edition, An Architectural Approach to Level Design presents architectural techniques and theories for you to use in your own work. The author connects architecture and level design in different ways that address the practical elements of how designers construct space and the experiential elements of how and why humans interact with that space. It also addresses industry issues like how to build interesting tutorial levels and how to use computer-generated level design systems without losing the player-focused design of handmade levels. Throughout the text, you will learn skills for spatial layout, evoking emotion through gamespaces, and creating better levels through architectural theory. FEATURES Presents case studies that offer insight on modern level design practices, methods, and tools Presents perspectives from industry designers, independent game developers, scientists, psychologists, and academics Explores how historical structures can teach us about good level design Shows how to use space to guide or elicit emotion from players Includes chapter exercises that encourage you to use principles from the chapter in digital prototypes, playtesting sessions, paper mock-ups, and design journals Bringing together topics in game design and architecture, this book helps you create better spaces for your games. Software independent, the book discusses tools and techniques that you can use in crafting your interactive worlds.

ForewordBrian Upton 1.A Brief History of Architecture and Level DesignBREAKING THE RULES OF LEVEL DESIGNAN EXPERIENTIAL HISTORY OF ARCHITECTUREElements of Architecture and Level DesignFunctional RequirementsUsabilityDelightThe Beginnings of Architectural Sight LinesArchitecture as Representation in Ancient MesopotamiaArchitecture as Statement in Ancient EgyptSpatial and Symbolic Relationships in Greek ArchitectureIndian, Southeast Asian, and Asian Representational ArchitectureLinear Experiences in Roman ArchitectureMedieval Christian and Islamic Symbolic ArchitectureThe Renaissance Return to Human-Centered ArchitectureOrnamental Reformations and Material RevolutionsTHE HISTORY OF GAMESPACESBoard Design for Early GamesPhysical Gamespaces and ArchitectureDigital GamespacesWAYS OF SEEING FOR LEVEL DESIGNSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESIndustry PerspectivesReflections on Game Landscapes – Dr. Umran Ali2.Drawing for Level DesignersLEVEL DESIGN GOALSAdjustment Player BehaviorTransmitting MeaningAugmentation of SpaceNON-DIGITAL LEVEL DESIGN TECHNIQUESBasic Drawing TechniquesHow to Draw a LineContours and Line WeightsDrawing with ReferencesShadingHierarchical DrawingTypes of Architectural DrawingsPlanSectionElevationAxonometricPerspectiveSketching and Journal WritingDesigning on PaperNotation Methods for Level DesignProximity DiagramsConcept DiagramsGame MappingFlow ChartsMark Brown’s Boss Key DiagramsDIGITAL LEVEL DESIGN TOOLSCAD ProgramsDigital Art ProgramsEngine Primitives and Placeholder ArtD Modeling ProgramsSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESIndustry PerspectivesTools and Design – Robin-Yann Storm 3.Level Design WorkflowsFORM FOLLOWS FUNCTIONForm Follows Core MechanicsLevel Progression with Scaffolding MechanismsLEVEL DESIGN WORKFLOWSLevel Design Parti“Scenes” and ReadabilityNon-Digtal PrototypesDigital Prototypes with GrayboxingPacing Your Levels with the Nintendo Power MethodIterative Design with PlaytestingModular Level DesignLEVEL DESIGN SCHEDULINGThe Toy BoxBuilding from the MiddleBuilding in OrderSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTES 4.Basic GamespacesARCHITECTURAL SPATIAL ARRANGEMENTSFigure-GroundForm-VoidArrivalsGenius LociHISTORIC GAMESPACE STRUCTURESLabyrinthMazeRhizomeSPATIAL SIZE TYPESNarrow SpaceIntimate SpaceProspect SpaceMOLECULE LEVEL SPACESThe Basics of Molecule DesignSpatial Types as Molecule Nodes and EdgesHUB SPACESSANDBOX GAMESPACESPathfinding with Architectural WeeniesOrganizing the Sandbox: Kevin Lynch’s Image of the CityLandmarksPathsNodesEdgesDistrictsWORKING WITH CAMERA VIEWSD ViewsFirst PersonThird PersonD ViewsSide-Scrolling SpaceTop-Down SpaceAxonometric/Isometric ViewsENEMIES AS ALTERNATIVE ARCHITECTURESUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESIndustry Perspectivesalt ctrl level design – Jerry Belich 5.Communicating through Environment ArtTEACHING THEORIES FOR GAME LEVELSBehavior Theory and Operant ConditioningMontessori MethodConstructivismSYMBOLS AND VISUAL DESIGN IN GAMESImplementing Symbols in GamesTeaching with Symbols in GamesIntroducing Symbols Symbols as GuidesDesigning and Placing Symbols for Effective CommunicationBasic Color TheoryContrastFramingRule of ThirdsARCHITECTURAL FORMS AND TYPESCONTROLLING INFORMATION IN MEMORY PALACESCertaintyUncertaintyRiskPutting it All Together in a Memory PalaceSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESInterview: Greg Grimsby 6.Building Exciting Levels with Dangerous ArchitectureSURVIVAL INSTINCTS AND GAME COMPLEXITYMaslow’s Hierarchy of Needs“Bad Spaces”: Vulnerability as a Game MechanicVulnerability as a Game StructureVulnerability in Individual Game ChallengesPROSPECT AND REFUGE SPATIAL DESIGNCreating Paths with Refuges, Prospects, and Secondary RefugesProspects and Refuges in ArchitectureProspects and Refuges in Video GamesSHADE, SHADOW, AND SURVIVALShadeShadowNegative SpaceLOVING AND HATING HEIGHTSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESA Common Language for Level Design – Camden Bayer 7.Rewards in GamespacesTHE PURPOSE OF REWARDSIncentivizing In-Game BehaviorsEnticing ExplorationCreating a Sense of CuriosityTHE TYPES OF REWARDS IN GAMESPACESReward VaultsRewarding VistasMeditative SpaceNarrative StagesMAKING REWARDS EXCITING THROUGH DENIALZen ViewsFrank Lloyd Wright’s Hanna HouseReligious Structures and Eastern Garden DesignLayered WallsOkuGOALS AND REWARD SCHEDULESLong- and Short-Term GoalsThe Rod of Many PartsReward SchedulesSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTES 8.Level -: The Tutorial LevelTHE MANY FUNCTIONS OF FIRST LEVELSArchitectural ArrivalsInteractive ArrivalsBUILDING BLOCKS FOR TUTORIAL DESIGNSpatial Building BlocksScenesPortals and ThresholdsControlled ApproachesMeeting SpacesBehavioral Building BlocksRewards in TutorialsAccess as a First Level RewardMontessori Building BlocksConstructivist Building BlocksProximity of CheckpointsDETERMINING PLAYER NEEDSPLAYTESTING IN-GAME TEACHINGA Literature Game for those who Have Not Read the BookTeaching Molecular Immunology in Only Four LevelsDeveloping Concepts into Challenges in a Math GamePuzzles as Problems, Levels as Lessonsstep tutorial designTUTORIAL ASSETS AND MEDIAEffective Visual ElementsAudio ElementsTEACHING GAMEPLAY THROUGH ADVERTISING METHOD Demonstrative Advertising with Scripted Events and TriggersIllustrative Advertising through Environmental NarrativeAssociative Advertising as DeconstructionSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESCase Study: Immune Defense – Melanie Stegman 9. Storytelling in GamespacesEXPRESSIVE DESIGNNarrative Design and WorldbuildingNarrative Worldbuilding in GamesMECHANICS VS. MOTIFNarrative as a Generator of DesignMechanics vs. Story NarrativeMechanics vs. Gameplay NarrativeNARRATIVE SPACESEvocative SpacesStaging SpacesEmbedded SpacesResource-Providing SpacesENVIRONMENT ART STORYTELLINGStorytelling with Modular AssetsEnvironment Art and CinematographyMATERIALITY AND THE HERO’S JOURNEYPACING AND NARRATIVE REWARDSThe Dramatic Arc as a Pacing ToolRewarding Exploration with Embedded NarrativeRewarding Exploration with Optional Narrative and Easter EggsSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESPsychological Character Development in Halo Levels – Kelli Dunlap, PsyD. 10.Possibility Spaces and WorldbuildingUNDERSTANDING IMMERSION AND PLAYER INDIVIDUALITYThe Immersive FallacyPlayer PersonalitiesARCHITECTURAL PHENOMENOLOGY AND PLAYEMERGENT SPACESEmergencePossibility SpacesMINIATURE GARDEN AESTHETICOverviewsOverviews in Historic GamesOverviews in DToursPossibility Space and Procedural LiteracyJAPANESE GARDEN DESIGN AND WORLDBUILDINGPoints of View in Japanese GardensScenic EffectsSensory EffectsOFFERING EXPERIENTIAL CHOICEIntroducing ChoiceIntelligible ChoiceShaping Choice, Risk, and Reward“Metroidvania”: worlds of rewards and possibilityDEGENERATIVE DESIGNSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTES11.Working with Procedurally Generated LevelsHOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE PCGPATTERN LANGUAGESPatterns in Game DesignWorking with Patterns in Level DesignBLENDING HANDMADE DESIGN WITH PROCEDURAL GENERATIONScenes as PatternsCombining Handmade Design and PCGNight of the Living Handmade/PCG Case StudiesPCG Alternative Architecture in Left DeadMixing Methodologies in Dead Man’s TrailSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISESENDNOTESInterview: Chris Pruett 12.Influencing Social Interaction with Level DesignEMERGENCE AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONLEARNING FROM URBAN EMERGENCEModernism and Non-Emergent CitiesJane Jacobs and Mixed-Use Emergent NeighborhoodsIntegrating Urban Design into Multiplayer GamespaceTHE IMPORTANCE OF SPAWN POINTS AND QUEST HUBSShaping with Spawn PointsShaping Player Interaction with Quest HubsEnticing Exploration with Side QuestsHOUSES, HOMES, AND HOMETOWNS IN GAMESSUMMARYCHAPTER ENDNOTES13.Sound, Music, and Rhythm in Level DesignTHE ROLE OF RHYTHM IN GAMES AND BUILDINGSMood and MusicRhythm and Interactive SoundRhythmic Entrainment in Games and SpacesVarying Structural RhythmsCOMPLEMENTING LEVEL DESIGN WITH AMBIENT SOUNDD SoundD SoundENHANCING GAMEPLAY EXPERIENCES WITH SOUND DESIGNSound as Gameplay FeedbackSound as RewardSound as Narrative IndicatorsSUMMARYCHAPTER EXERCISE

Chris Totten is Game Artist in Residence at American University. He has contributed to several independent game productions as an artist, animator, level designer, game designer, and project manager. Totten is also an active writer in the game industry, with articles featured on VideoGameWriters.com, GameCareerGuide, and Gamasutra. He has also published a book entitled Game Character Creation with Blender and Unity. Totten's writings on interdisciplinary approaches to game design have earned him guest speaking appearances at GDC China, Dakota State University's Workshop on Integrated Design in Games, and East Coast Game Conference.