Level Review

The overall level design is what I wanted to achieve which is a monastery in the high mountains of China where the player walks on a path and gets to the monastery. I wanted to add a lot of detail to create the high mountain atmosphere.
Looking at the level blueprint, the final leve has alot more assets and special effects. In the original blueprint the level is very basic, only a monastery and a Buddha statue with some trees. Then I decided to add the monastery towers int the distance, the rock arc and the volumetric clouds which gives the level a better look.

Level Drawings

Game Level Ideas
Here are some level ideas. A top view of what the level might look like, and few drawings of a monastery tower. The level is set in the high mountains featuring a monastery and other Chinese architecture.

Game Level Building Ideas
Chinese gate ideas to go in the level

Monastery Columns
Columns ideas. Researching different Chinese columns,
and here are some drawing of columns to place in the monastery.

Monastery Top View

Top view of the monastery and what it will look like.

Monastery Yard
A concept of the monastery yard. Columns on the side, cobblestone yard with grass,
and the main praying hall for the monks.

Monastery
Monastery concept. Main gate for the monastery with walls, and only the roofs can be seen.

Game Assets

Rock Bridge
Chinese arc bridge that I modeled based on Chinese architecture. The bridge
is usually made of wood, but I decided to make it from rocks, it gives it more
of an ancient look.

Chinese Monastery Gong
Every monastery should have a gong. I wanted my monastery to have a gong
to add more detail and decoration to the level.

Monastery Columns
Columns base don the research feature rock base and wooden beam with a
wooden or rock top. These columns are in the monastery.

Chinese Gate
I researched a lot of different Chinese gates and none of them were the same.
I wanted the model to look ancient, with old wood texture, and the symbol
on the gate is the symbol for wind element.

Monastery Gate
This is the front gate of the monastery.  It is similar in design to the Chinese
gate, but it is the main entrance of the monastery.

Monastery Tower
This monastery tower is based on a Chinese pagoda design. There are entrances
on either side of the tower. I wanted to make it look new and ancient in the same
time with the wooden and marble textures.  This tower can be seen next to the
monastery in the level.

Chinese Monastery
Monastery design is based on Chinese architecture. I wanted to give the
monastery an ancient look as if only monks live there and is high in the
mountains.

Rope Bridge
Basic model of a rope bridge.

Level Screenshots

Top View of the Level.

Level start, mountains with fog and volumetric clouds in the distance.

Rock bridge.

Rock arc with steps.

View from arc of the monastery towers.

Small lake.

Rope bridge leading to monastery, Buddha statue in the distance.

Chinese gate, monastery in the distance.

Monastery view.

Monastery towers.

Front of monastery.

Entering monastery.

Monastery yard.

Monastery gong.

Digital 3d Environment Textures

Bridge Textures
Textures used on the rock bridge. I wanted to give the bridge an ancient look
with rocky textures.

Chinese Gate Textures
Wooden textures for Chinese gate. Weathered wood was used for the sides
of the Chinese gate and roof.

Monastery Gong Textures
Cymbal and wood texture for the monastery gong, the rope texture is used
for the rope holding the gong.

Columns Textures
Wooden and rock textures for the columns, and decoration texture for
between the columns.

Monastery Textures
Different varieties of textures were used for the monastery. Mainly
wooden textures for the beams and doors, stone textures for the walls
and monastery yard.

Monastery Textures 2
Combination of rock, wood, and decoration textures for some buildings of the
monastery.

Monastery Gate Texture
Monastery main gate of a wooden door texture to
make it look ancient.

Monastery Wall Texture
This texture is a combination of few textures, concrete, decoration and lizard
scales. The lizard scales make it look like a dragon scale texture along the wall
for more Chinese look, and the other textures are for decoration.

9105189011.blogspot.com - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Game Level Design

1. Building on the original concept you developed in Chapter 2, create a

blueprint for your level. Make sure you begin with a series of rough sketches

until your blueprint begins to take shape.

2. Create at least three gameplay mechanics for your level. How do these

objectives relate to your original story idea?

Exploring the Environment

The game environment is an open environment where the player can explore the high mountains of China with small villages and other monasteries and collect items during the game play.

Item Collection

Items are scattered throughout the environment. Players collect power-ups for their character and the non-playable characters.

Objectives

Each level has different objectives, collect power-ups for character, or find the secret key to unlock a mountain path, or find the monastery artefact and return it to the monastery.

3. Come up with five level objectives that correspond to your gameplay

mechanics. How will you identify these objectives in your level blueprint?

Level objectives are different in each level. The main level objectives are to find the artefact and return to the monastery, unlock the mountain path to get to one of the monasteries, find the power-up for your player to be able to jump higher in the high mountains and float on water, free the villagers form the evil lord.

9105189011.blogspot.com - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Conceptualization spawning your imagination

CHAPTER REVIEW

1. Using some of the techniques discussed in this chapter, begin developing a concept for

an original game idea. Discuss the central theme of your idea, and the methods you used

to bring your idea into existence.

 

Game Ideas:

Rooftops. The setting is in the year 3040. High buildings reaching the higher atmosphere of Earth, everything below is the city, smog and haze, where the lower society people live, dirty environment for rebels and other cultures.

Environments

Rooftop environments, building tops, high altitude environments, futuristic cities.

Textures

Metal, wood, plastic, old textures, rocks, wall textures, painted buildings, corrugated rooftops, rooftops from old buildings.

Alleyway. You are detective trying to solve a crime in the backstreets of a large city full of alleyways. Different environments and cultures. The environments are the abandoned buildings covered in vegetation, the night clubs with neon signs, china town and underground.

Environment

Alleyways, front entrance of nightclubs, neon signs, rubbish bins, old pipes, walkways.

Textures

Concrete and brick walls, wooden textures, gravel and stone streets, sidewalks, markets.

2. Create a backstory, environment, and three character descriptions associated with your original game idea. How are these elements integrated and linked through a central theme?

Set in 12^th century China. Five monasteries in the highest mountains of China protected by a different element - metal, water, wood, fire and soil. That element is the ancient artefact and protector of each monastery. Each of these artefacts brought together create the ultimate and powerful artefact that can control the elements. The evil lord has stolen four of the artefacts and on a mission to steal the fifth artefact, has destroyed many monasteries and villages protecting the artefacts.

 A monk from one of those villages with the help of a ninja assassin girl and another monk are on a mission to help recover the stolen artefacts from the evil lord and save the monasteries. The main character possesses the power of levitation.  The ninja assassin has the power of invisibility and the other monk has the power of super strength.

3. Document your concept with reference material and original sketches. How did you capture your reference images? Create thumbnails and silhouettes. Compile these images into an art “bible” to help guide your vision.

Research images are of Chinese mountain environments, architecture, monasteries, gates and bridges. Most images are from Google and few are from games.

9105189011.blogspot.com - Chapter 1

Ch 1 – History & Background the world of the level designer

1. Imagine that you are a level designer working in the 1980s. Knowing the

limitations associated with this era, what type of game would you develop?

I would design a top down view platformer in the form of call of duty with very basic but colourful graphics. The game would be based around missions to complete as the player goes through different environments such as jungle, desert and underwater. There will be a selection on weapons (used in the Vietnam war). The main goal of the game will be to recover intel from the Russians hidden somewhere in the jungle.

2. Play three games—one from the 1980s, one from the 1990s, and one

released after 2004. Compare and contrast how levels and environments are

designed in all three games.

The original Prince of Persia was a platform game with very basic gameplay but with a strategy behind it. The game had a time limit to save the princess before the powerful wizard killed her. The level design at the beginning of the game was simple and then become more maze-like towards the end of the game. As the game progresses the colour scheme also changed from dark dull colours to colourful and bright levels. Throughout the game the player stamina increased and the weapons were more powerful.

Doom was very ahead for the time it was released, one of the first fps games. Game play was simple but interactive. The game had 3d environments and that made it very playable and interesting. The level scheme changes as the game progresses but still keeping the consistency of the overall design. The levels became bigger and more like a maze. The player had to find keys and artefacts to progress to the next level. In Doom you got to shoot aliens with cool weapons and no other game had that.

Half-Life 2 was a great game. Its graphics were breathtaking for the time it was released. It used a technology called HDR (High Dynamic Range) for brighter and sharper colours. It was one of the first games with continuous game play and interactive storyline still based from the first Half-Life. The game features a lot of cinematics which makes the storyline more interactive. There few allies who help you throughout the levels. The game environments are based in a city and its surroundings somewhere in the eastern part of Europe or Russia based on the building designs and level layouts. Later in the game the environment changes from coastal to sort of underground and dark levels and back to urban environment. Later there were three continuous episodes of Half-Life 2 making the storyline more open as well as improving the graphics.

3. How does a game’s genre affect the way its levels and environments are

designed? Choose one level from three different games—each from a distinct

primary genre—and compare how these levels are designed with regard to

setting, goals, puzzles, and risk–reward system.

Quake 3 Arena is a first person shooter. The levels were designed in the style of arenas and mazes based on an alien planet. Item placement in the level had to be good for the players to be able to find them easily and quick. The main goal of the game was to kill as many bots as possible and to progress through different environments.

Trine is a 3d platform puzzle game. There are three players each with different abilities and skills – a wizard, a knight and assassin. The levels are very colourful and non-repetitive but still consistent with the overall theme. Players must collect artefacts and powerups and solve each level’s puzzle to progress through the game. Players can also upgrade their skills by collecting orbs or skill points.

Portal is a first person puzzle game. It is a very different genre game. It was built around the Half-Life universe. The levels themselves are puzzles that the player has to solve by using a futuristic weapon that creates two kinds of portals.