Architecture in Game Design

[Meowster]

Level design is never really something a lot of us think about. Adventure Games don't spring to mind quickly when somebody mentions level design; it's usually something you'd associate with long loading times or Quake... or both. But in reality, levels are the world in which the player interacts, so pretty much every game is built on levels.

We rarely consider level design when building adventure games, or at least I know I rarely do. This is a very interesting read, and it's written by Steven Chen (Double Fine Productions) and Duncan Brown (LucasArts). It may not appeal to everybody here, but as a (not very good) artist, I find it pretty fascinating. Download the Word File Here. (Right click and save as)

Here are some juicy extracts:

Building materials, or texture in the case of games, lend a great deal of character to a space. Brick adds warmth, stone is cold, and white walls clinical. The first rule is to keep it simple. Try limiting yourself to three materials. One for the floor, ceiling and walls or even simpler. The architecture should be background and not draw attention away from gameplay with dazzling textures. Add detail with trim like wainscoting and mullions, but keep them in a consistent material. Avoid mismatching construction types, the weaker, lighter materials should always go on top.

Light is the most effective way to dramatize and enliven a space. You can improve a corridor simply by adding skylights or backlighting...

In an architecture studio you are asked what the concept for your design is. They are asking what the big organizing idea or ‘parti’/ spatial idea behind your project is. Organizing ideas and types are often tied to specific programs like schools or hospitals or structural types like brick arches or gothic vaults. In games the player isn’t going to get a chance to ask you that question so you better make it clear what you concept or idea is. When designing game levels you might want to be think about some these types to reinforce the idea of feeling of space that game narrative might involve. If you have a story idea about some huge corrupt corporation trying to take over the world with cyborgs (an often used and hackneyed story line) then it might help to go look at what some of the great corporate headquarter buildings look like; how does a corporation express it’s power in the world by building architecture?

[Hobbes]

Yufster, I can't seem to download the file....

Is it faulty on the server or...?

[Meowster]

Right click and save target as. Otherwise it loads as a blank screen.

[Hobbes]

It downloads to 60 kb, then my download manager fails to continue... I've tried it 15 times already.

[Ishmael]

I just downloaded fine... with no DL manger. Seems interesting, I gotta print this out and read when I got more time

[Meowster]

Try without the DL manager, Hobbes Sometimes they do crazy stuff.

[Hobbes]

Got it.

[Miez]

Great find, Salks   - this is a very interesting article. It looks like part of a course in game design, any more where this came from?

[Meowster]

I stumbling across this quite accidently. Indeed, it looks very much like it was used at some sort of lecture on game design.  I'll keep an eye out for more.

It puts across a good few relevant points in design that quite frankly, I hadn't even thought of until now. I think it's good that, should any of us young uns especially, want a career in games design... we should get into good habits now.

And I will be looking for those architecture books.