Creating a fun level Design

foleyben · 03-06-2009, 06:27 AM

i was hoping to generate some ideas from the community on what makes a great level exciting and fun. Eg to people prefer linear or open level. Types of enviroments, Puzzles, examples of favoite levels, both user levels and originals etc. How long should a level take to pass? Etc.

IwantMORE · 03-06-2009, 06:43 AM

For me it's levels where you have a choice of a few routes through the level and as you progress you open up routes to places you have been. Ultimately opening up the whole level so you can bomb around it quickly and clean up any mess you left behind. Also lots of re-spawns so you keep finding new creatures in areas you have cleared.

How long? Don't get personal now

but it's got to be as long as possible....

Puritan · 03-06-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IwantMORE

...
How long? Don't get personal now

but it's got to be as long as possible....

Then you should play Billy Boy and my maps

***

I favour large maps with lots of places to visit.
The levels should be close to real life regarding gameplay. I mean, there should be natural progress in the map.

And I don't like very bright levels.
One more thing; If I encounter multiple button puzzels I hit 'delete' pretty fast.

Jinroh · 03-06-2009, 08:35 AM

Let's see...Roch maps are nice. I rather like them and other like City or Structural type maps. I like the eye candy and the contemporary feel. That's asthetically.

I tend to like maps like that like, though Lunar Apocalypse was a good Episode, I tended to avoid it because it was just a little strange. Though tooling around a Space station was cool.

Still repeating asthetics, um...repeating textures is bad. All the same bland textures all over the place are boring...Duke Nukem Advance does this somewhat with the Egypt levels of DNA. I mean it's "true to life" I suppose but boring.

Getting away from visual asthetics.

Levels with variation in height are always a plus. Blah...levels where it's mostly flat are boring.

I mean I like Wolf3D but if I am playing an engine that is capable of SO much more. I want that MORE.

Levels with some kind of gimmick are cool. As long as that Gimmick is not too Gimmicky.

Like a nice big explosion from a building or whatever is always cool but don't overuse it.

That's about it. I mean it should be a challenge but not overwhelming. Balance, ammo placement, etc. all heard a million times so I won't go over that.

Thedutchjelle · 03-06-2009, 12:00 PM

I like places that seem realistic. I doesn't have to be completly realistic, but it's nice if the place the map takes place in seems real and looks like it could've been used as a real place.. like for example Duke Burger, it feels like a real restaurant, whereas Occupied Terroritory makes no sense to me at all.
So enviroments.. city like, even tho it's overdone, would be ok, or industrial, space station or military base will be OK if it's very well done. Alienish or weird maps are not so my thing.

Also the ability to choose my path is preffered over linear gameplay, although if a linear map is welldone i'm willing to look past that.

I want the map to have realistic lightning. Again, it doesn't have to be Crysis but if it's so badly done that you almost notice it it's a big turn down for me.

I don't mind puzzles that require thinking and skills. I _hate_ buttonmashing puzzles, as in , 'try out every combination till you find the good one'.

Mr. Pink · 03-07-2009, 12:37 AM

^ +1.

There were some great puzzle action in Last Pissed Time: the shrinker bounce puzzle was simply awesome. There's a great map for at least a few ideas imo.

The Commander · 03-07-2009, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foleyben

i was hoping to generate some ideas from the community on what makes a great level exciting and fun. Eg to people prefer linear or open level. Types of enviroments, Puzzles, examples of favoite levels, both user levels and originals etc. How long should a level take to pass? Etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

^ +1.

There were some great puzzle action in Last Pissed Time: the shrinker bounce puzzle was simply awesome. There's a great map for at least a few ideas imo.

If you want to play a map that has great puzzles in it plus action, try this map made by Geoffrey van Dijk (Fakir). It was original made for Command & Conquer TC (but that failed as we know)

http://rapidshare.com/files/206320359/CNC3.zip

I think this map deserves a decent review. It has nice game play and great design and makes you think out side the box at times.

You could get some great ideas from this map.

If you need help to finish it, just ask.

foleyben · 03-07-2009, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Commander

If you want to play a map that has great puzzles in it plus action, try this map made by Geoffrey van Dijk (Fakir). It was original made for Command & Conquer TC (but that failed as we know)

http://rapidshare.com/files/206320359/CNC3.zip

I think this map deserves a decent review. It has nice game play and great design and makes you think out side the box at times.

You could get some great ideas from this map.

If you need help to finish it, just ask.

I tried that link and the file is corrupted...

The Commander · 03-07-2009, 04:59 AM

I just tried downloading it again, extracted it and it worked both in eduke and mapster. There is nothing wrong with the link.

03-06-2009, 06:27 AM	#1
foleyben	Creating a fun level Design i was hoping to generate some ideas from the community on what makes a great level exciting and fun. Eg to people prefer linear or open level. Types of enviroments, Puzzles, examples of favoite levels, both user levels and originals etc. How long should a level take to pass? Etc.

03-06-2009, 06:43 AM	#2
IwantMORE	Re: Creating a fun level Design For me it's levels where you have a choice of a few routes through the level and as you progress you open up routes to places you have been. Ultimately opening up the whole level so you can bomb around it quickly and clean up any mess you left behind. Also lots of re-spawns so you keep finding new creatures in areas you have cleared. How long? Don't get personal now but it's got to be as long as possible.... __________________ Signature removed to protect the guilty

03-06-2009, 08:35 AM	#4
Jinroh	Re: Creating a fun level Design Let's see...Roch maps are nice. I rather like them and other like City or Structural type maps. I like the eye candy and the contemporary feel. That's asthetically. I tend to like maps like that like, though Lunar Apocalypse was a good Episode, I tended to avoid it because it was just a little strange. Though tooling around a Space station was cool. Still repeating asthetics, um...repeating textures is bad. All the same bland textures all over the place are boring...Duke Nukem Advance does this somewhat with the Egypt levels of DNA. I mean it's "true to life" I suppose but boring. Getting away from visual asthetics. Levels with variation in height are always a plus. Blah...levels where it's mostly flat are boring. I mean I like Wolf3D but if I am playing an engine that is capable of SO much more. I want that MORE. Levels with some kind of gimmick are cool. As long as that Gimmick is not too Gimmicky. Like a nice big explosion from a building or whatever is always cool but don't overuse it. That's about it. I mean it should be a challenge but not overwhelming. Balance, ammo placement, etc. all heard a million times so I won't go over that.

03-06-2009, 12:00 PM	#5
Thedutchjelle	Re: Creating a fun level Design I like places that seem realistic. I doesn't have to be completly realistic, but it's nice if the place the map takes place in seems real and looks like it could've been used as a real place.. like for example Duke Burger, it feels like a real restaurant, whereas Occupied Terroritory makes no sense to me at all. So enviroments.. city like, even tho it's overdone, would be ok, or industrial, space station or military base will be OK if it's very well done. Alienish or weird maps are not so my thing. Also the ability to choose my path is preffered over linear gameplay, although if a linear map is welldone i'm willing to look past that. I want the map to have realistic lightning. Again, it doesn't have to be Crysis but if it's so badly done that you almost notice it it's a big turn down for me. I don't mind puzzles that require thinking and skills. I _hate_ buttonmashing puzzles, as in , 'try out every combination till you find the good one'. __________________ Hopeless Encounters Succesfully Won Thedutchjelle

03-07-2009, 12:37 AM	#6
Mr. Pink	Re: Creating a fun level Design ^ +1. There were some great puzzle action in Last Pissed Time: the shrinker bounce puzzle was simply awesome. There's a great map for at least a few ideas imo.

03-07-2009, 04:59 AM	#9
The Commander	Re: Creating a fun level Design I just tried downloading it again, extracted it and it worked both in eduke and mapster. There is nothing wrong with the link. __________________ I Know Everything There Is To Know About Anything. Duke Nukem Red Alert SVN Ask Me Anything!