This book provides a starting point for anyone interested in level and game design with zero prior knowledge. By analysing existing games and levels it introduces good design ideas and works towards communicating them in either design or practical methods. It covers a multitude of design standards as well as showcasing relatively easy methods of communicating ideas to an industry standard.
The book provides an introductory example of how to create and format level design documentation to an industry standard with no prior experience needed. It uses step by step discussion to show how and why certain methodologies work, and covers the key topics needed to understand level design, including: mapping, blockouts, flow maps, critical paths, and affordance.
This book will be suitable for undergraduate students studying on game design courses, as well as those looking to learn the basics of level design.
Chapter 0. Introduction.
Chapter 1. Identifying the Key Features of Level Design.
Chapter 2. Abstraction of level analysis and creation.
Chapter 3. Methods of Deconstruction and Construction.
Chapter 4. Advancing Designs.
Chapter 5. Tricks of the Trade.
Chapter 6. Let’s Design – Side Scroller.
Chapter 7. Let’s Design FPS.
Chapter 8. Let’s Design – Open World.
Biography
Michael Beardwood is the course leader for Computer Games Design at Staffordshire University, one of the biggest games design courses in the UK, and has been teaching games design and tech for over a decade.
