Level Design Part 4: Architecture and Levels meet
As we have been discussing the history and culture of level editing, the priority has been to talk about an open secret. Schools, malls, and other publics places would make great deathmatch levels. The reasons why have been discussed in each essay to the best of my abilities.
The first part was that level design is a new subject, and very little is written about it. The second reason goes with it point out that level designers started out on their own, and thus don’t have a lot of technical terms to use, although they do try to show some connections. The third reason why is that one of the shooters in Columbine highschool was a budding level designer, and used this as part of his reason to kill his friends and fellow students. If you haven’t noticed, I specifically did not name him.
This leaves level editors, and game designers in general in a PR disaster. Most designers can figure out code, and even the basics of level design, but naming why is difficult. There isn’t a lot of terms to use, and saying how we know about them will have references to a school shooting. There is an answer, but it takes work to realize what is going on and know how to explain it.
There are only a few movements that can really work in gameplay. To get from point A to point B with large crowds means creating a system of circuits. Knowing where you are at any given moment helps out a lot. Alternative paths, and what can be seen at any given moment help design strategy.
Chess is a complex game, with several different strategies. The reality is that the game has only a few moves, and knowing your own skills lets you know the best of them. For a beginner, a good starting move for any chess match is the pawn in front of the knight. It means you can open up your bishops, set up a good tactic for castling, and your knights can jump over it. This is the safest move. I have seen some amazing chess players use it.
Although chess can have several openings, and movements there is only a few good strategies. The rest is trying to hide good movements and strategies. Yet, this game is considered one of the most intellectual in the world.
Likewise, although it seems like architecture can have multiple paths, the best strategies are those that are simple enough. In other words, there is a finite amount of ways to make something work right without confusing someone. Because you want your player to learn the map quickly, and know how to use it the movements are kept at simple.
Pardon me for a moment, the mention of chess made me start thinking like I was making a documentary. The PBS documentary narrator voice started to kick in. The one with with English accent that never shows up in real life. They probably keep narrators in the same holding cells as BBC announcers.
“Oh look mummy the man behind the cage is explaining the war of the roses”
“Be careful dear, don’t feed him, he may report the NEWS to you.”
Anyway, large crowds are planned for in architecture. Each person is trying to get from one point to another, while dodging others as best possible. You walk through the area, and see railings giving openings, and sort of point people into specific directions.
“He looks so sad mummy.”
“He’s just trying to remember what the Duke of York said to the Lady Tudor while they were discussing the latest Jousting tournament.”
The reality is, this works the same if you want a fast paced deathmatch level. The explanation for this is the idea of circuits. A level editor for Halo 2 explained it best:
The most important thing about an infantry space is cover. The most interesting thing about the combat in Halo is cover: how to use it to protect yourself, how the enemy is using it, and how to circumvent their use of it. So we focus a lot on the cover early on. Interconnectivity within a space is also important, as it opens up interesting ways to engage the player, and interesting ways for him to engage the enemy. When we're designing a space, we talk a lot about "circuits," which are just small loops in the space that the player (or AI) can use to shake off an opponent. Interior spaces, by virtue of their cover and interconnectivity tend to have a lot of circuits.
A vehicle space isn't completely different, just larger in scale and with less emphasis placed on cover. Vehicles tend to defend themselves by moving fast (as opposed to moving behind cover) or just killing what is threatening them. The keys to good vehicle spaces are clear paths and terrain that is fun to drive on, even in the absence of combat. Smooth, inviting terrain with some jumps for showing off, and easy ways to use it.
In other words to properly move around in a house, a mall, or a school, you create circuits. Let’s show an example. In the second essay I showed that a level in Mario Kart 64 was similar to a shopping mall in Spokane.
What you probably don’t see is that it is three major circuits.
First off, that is an amazing graphic right there. It has such artistic style. What it also shows is the connections that every spot has. At no point do you not have a way to go. In fact, the circuits here are just connected forms of one sequence of circuits.
In each circuit you can see a placement for classrooms, apartments, labs, offices. About every 30 feet is a door. Any building you know would follow this same design. The interconnections are cool, but follow basic architectural planning. The walkways are just like any walkway you would find in a city between buildings.
If you look even closer, or know the level very well, you start off in the middle. You will likely never return to that central spot again, racing around the areas as much as possible. This middle space that you race around is also well known in architecture. Latin American culture actually has a name for these middle spots, Plazas. They can also be called platzas.
You will notice that in malls, the central area tends to be specialty shops, eating areas, or just wide open spots. These plazas are from your natural desire to not go directly through the middle. If somehow everyone did go into that central area, the foot traffic would end up slowing down.
This is seen in driving all the time.
The light system is to help you move through without causing too much traffic build up.
A roundabout take away the central area, and has you move around it.
This runs naturally for most people at malls, so architects add nice scenery, and open spaces.
This design is used for buildings, traffic, and level designs. It is the best use of space, knowing how people will act. Ever notice that if there is a central spot in a level, it tends to be open, and only noobs run into it? It’s because it will be the most difficult spot to hold. Although it seems like there could be several different movements, the best are pretty easy and apply to all sorts of things.
If you walk through a giant store like Fry’s, Cabela’s, or an airport the central location will be decoration or for eating. This lets people slow down, enjoy the central part, and not stop people from moving around the area.
Choke points are areas of the map where the attacking team meets resistance from the defending team before reaching the objective. Choke points are also called control points or bottlenecks.
The attacking team (Terrorist in defuse maps and Counter-Terrorist in hostage rescue maps) must fight through the choke point to reach the objective or retreat and try a different route/strategy.
Choke point areas are specifically designed to enhance gameplay. They are used tocontrol flow, pacing and balance within the map. Whether you are playing Dust (Underpass choke point), Office (Side Hall choke point) or Nuke (Outside choke point), each of these areas are manually crafted. The architecture, cover placement and timing are used to channel each team to attack or defend.
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Back to the Mario Kart level, we see that each ‘building’ has a different color. This is so that at any given point, you know where you are. The corner of Yellow and red is easy to describe. As is the second outer corner of the second floor on blue.
The better levels get advanced ways of telling where things are, but follow the same pattern. At every major location, something is placed for you to remember where you are. It could be that the walls are a different color, or that a statue is placed in specific spots. Also, the ammo spots, or even health aids help you out.
If the game announces that the opponent was just at health pack fireplace, you know where it is. Though in this mall picture, the health packs are nice lounging chairs.
Clear sights to other areas, and alternative paths are also important. While playing the game, if you can look past the Plaza, and see where your opponent is, you have a shot. Always looking at what is where is important as you play. Those with the skillz know how the levels flow, and thus where an opponent likely is at a given time.
The Mario Kart level has open areas for the view, and also to help you maneuver. It lets you find where your opponent is, and then gives you a path to them. You are never chased into a corner, you can jump off the building, climb some stairs, or take a left instead of a right to evade the chaser. As you can see within circuits, and plazas, these are shown in all sorts of design in real life, and games. I would take this further, but these two subjects will need essays of their own.
While driving through a part of Kansas City, a friend of mine began to talk about the architectural design of the buildings around us. Having studied level editing, I knew what he was talking about, though I lacked the correct words. The facades -decorations to help you know where you are- were quite stunning. The open areas -choke points, or plazas- had amazing sculptures. The entrances -spawn points- were distanced enough to control the foot traffic. There were enough alternative routes, and views that it was quite enjoyable.
While studying videogame culture, I tried to find the proper terms and ideas. Although many books talked about level design, they didn’t seem to have the depth my friend understood. I tried to understand why. Slowly it began to dawn on me that most designers didn’t know the terms themselves. In fact, they started on their own, and thus never had the subject come up. Talking openly about how a hospital used a courtyard in the middle to help with the flow, should be a great example for a level has all sorts of negative stigmas.
Videogame designers can talk a lot about the art of game design. They also dodge around subjects because they don’t have the skill to explain. The truth be told, we have all been scared of the crowds in malls, or airports. In fact, thats why we have zombie movies with them as the setting. We have all walked through a school and thought about the circuits, and different routes. Some see this as levels, others see this as shortcuts. There are plenty of movies that we admire which any shooter would have connected with. Heck, the book Carrie came out in the 70’s, and it was entirely about many of these subjects.
People have also taken advantage of this through war, politics, and shootings. Saying we understand why is not an easy subject, but the best answer is that most people will never do this. Does this mean that I support the game makers who let you shoot random people in an airport? No, I think thats a sign of needing to grow up.
The Tony Hawk Pro Skater series has had schools, malls, an airport and a part of suburbia. At no point did anyone think it was about doing evil things. There are plenty of games that use real world architecture, and not make you look like an @#$hole.
In conclusion, I think its time that we opened up and started to talk about these subjects. It would be great if I could have another conversation with my friend, and point out a great spawn point.
Alright, as soon as this is posted, I leave to Seattle for the North West Arcade And Pinball Show. Expect updates from me on that subject, and tons of pictures as well. Then we have E3, where I will discuss the finer points of the big presentations. Last year was pretty lackluster, so lets see if they can do something cool this time.
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