Ultimate Game Design : Building game worlds

Building Game Worlds
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U L T I M A T E G A M E D E S I G N
by hand. This is a killer. However, with file referencing on my side, I can adjust just
one pagoda—the file referencing definition file for “pagoda”—and all 20 pagodas
will be updated on the map. Wow! Much better.
Another example: suppose that I want to stamp terrain sections of a certain kind
all across my map or level. Maybe I have a terrain stamp with some rock outcroppings
on grass where the rocks are of a given height. Suppose I’ve used the stamp 43 times
in my current level. What if I want to change the height of the rock outcroppings
based on a gameplay decision? Maybe a character needs to get over them in a few instances
and they are currently too tall on the grid to allow a character to step over
them. Wouldn’t it be nice to adjust just those few and not have to do it by hand? I can
make a unique file reference and do the task much more quickly!
Checking Character Flow Throughout a Level
Character flow refers to how well a character fits into the environment. Can the character
navigate steps, ladders, and jumps and reach switches? Are hazards or props
coming together in scale with a character’s size and abilities?
Once you have your basic level layout complete, you’ll get to move a block
around. Just kidding. Not really. Depending on your production planning, you may
be moving around a 128-unit block (based on your grid settings) because the animation
system support for the game engine is not yet complete, or character animation is
not complete, or a combination of these factors. That’s okay.
What we’re now looking for as we move around throughout the level are any fundamental
problems. Are there pure geometry errors? Is the construction “clean” (has no
redundant or unnecessary geometry)? Can we simplify anything? Can we do something
smarter, smaller, or cleaner? We’re doing early checking for feel and overall
scale. Are the pagodas and ponds the right size relative to our characters? They should
be close, if we did solid grid planning. Still, there may be some changes required.
Do our transitions between interior and exterior spaces work out correctly? Did
we forget about any pieces that we need to end or terminate a physical feature in the
level or map? That lava has to flow somewhere, so where and how does it end? It
doesn’t just stop at the edge of the paper like it did on our topographic sketch! We
may need to add some transition pieces here to our construction set.
Undoubtedly, our character or vehicle is going to do things in the environment,
right? We want to start looking at these actions early on. The character might use
door switches and will probably perform a wide array of interactions with the environment.
Part of our grid system details should define at what unit height these operations
occur. This is design information for the whole team that must be followed.
Other designers might be building other levels, but door switch height, for instance,
must be common to all. What unit height are drinking fountains in the world? At
what height should a ladder be placed from the ground in order for a character to be