Level 8 & Environment Feel
Last week I worked on making level 8 while my partner worked on creating the lighting for the levels and adding animations to the world. The eight level is the last level we are going to make for the demo, thus now that it is finished, we are going to start placing all of the final level art.
The 8th level is the final challenge of the demo, where we test the skills the player has learnt so far. For this reason the level as a whole is larger than all of the previous ones. Thus, maintaining the player engaged was a focus of mine as the long trek through the level could easily bore the player before reaching the end. This meant I had to design the sections in order so I could test the progression through the level to ensure that each section worked by itself and as part of the whole. If a section felt disconnected from the rest or if it felt too long I would change it. Testing process increased more than linearly as more sections were added because the level is open ended meaning that the player could choose to do some parts in different orders. I had to take this into account and test the sections in different orders as well.
There is a suggested path for first time players and I did a big effort in making the guidance for the player unobtrusive but clear. So far only myself and my partner have played the level but it seems like my efforts bore fruits.
The level itself is divided into 5 main sections. The starting area at the lower-south area of the level. Here the player starts at the south-east most corner of the area. I use a couple of stairs and a HP pickup to guide the player towards the north. As the HP pickup is near the east stairs the player is most likely to use them to go up to the main hub.
In the main hub section the player can go to the east section, the west section of the final section up to the north. The main hub is simple, consisting of a wide square with connections to each of the other sections. There are two enemies following a simple and long patrol around the borders of the square. When starting the level the final section is blocked by two sets of doors, meaning the player can only go to the east or west section. By using the proximity to the east stairs, the direction the enemies are moving and placing ½ tempo tiles at the entry of the east section, I try to guide the player there.
The east section has a “U” composition, meaning that the exit is close and parallel to the entry and that to reach the exit the player has to walk along a singular path. There are a couple of short extra paths along the way but in order to reach the button to open the first set of doors and exit the area the player has to walk the whole main path. The first advantage of this composition is that the player can see the button and the exit from the very start, giving them their objective. The second advantage is that the area is simple to understand, making it perfect for players just getting the lay of the land.
The west area has 2 possible entryways, one to the south and one to the north. These two entryways connect soon after taking them, allowing the players to quickly go and check what they might have missed. The reason for having these two roads is to create a buffer zone for a bit of exploration and to create the feeling of a real place, not just a level filled with hallways. In the south henry the player can find a HP Pickup, while on the north entrance the player can see the button they want to reach.
After this initial area, the player proceeds to a higher area with a bush garden labyrinth. The labyrinth in itself is simple but there are enemies inside it. This gives the player a clear short term objective with an added pressure to keep in mind. The labyrinth is divided into a south and a north areas, with the north being harder than the south. In general every challenge in this section is harder than anything in the east section, while also offering different types of challenges. After that the player walls along an empty and narrow hallway to decompress before entering the last and hardest challenge to press the button and open the second set of doors.
Once the doors are open the player proceeds to the final section. Here the player starts by going up a wide set of stairs that have an enemy walking over several ½ tempo tiles. After that, they must complete two sets of short but increasingly hard challenges. This is the hardest part of the level and the game, functioning as the peak of the experience. Once overcomed, the player walks through a wide road until they reach the final tourist vista, a large ancient temple.
This week I’ll start placing the final game art on the levels. Once I finish placing the first art pass, my partner will review it, apply the final materials and make changes if necessary.
