Archive: 11 posts

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Hey! I know it may be too demanding and/or time consuming to ask, but can someone give me some tips on level design? I know it depends on the type of level I'm try to create, but I can't ever seem to get that far. When ever I do get a theme, I can't ever seem to make it realistically fit. Obstacles always seem to be a problem also, I can't do anything that hasn't been done before, and even then it looks horrible. If possible, could someone with reliable experiance give me some tips, or even, when possible, could someone show me some hints in create mode? I know logic and things, and I understand how to use it, but I fail horribly at level design! Any help will be appreciated, thanks in advance!

2011-01-02 02:20:00 Author: Super_Clone Posts: 849

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What I do is build most of the level in just basic materials until I know it works, then use the material changer and global tools until it's perfect. My obstacle ideas usually come from things that I think would be visually exciting, then I make it so the player can readily understand it.

2011-01-02 02:32:00 Author: ThisDudeRufus Posts: 170

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I don't think obstacles have to fit in with the theme to be worthwhile. A moving platform is more exciting than no platform at all. Coming up with a new kind of obstacle is tricky. One way to do it is to take one that already exists, and try to improve upon it.

2011-01-02 03:06:00 Author: midnight_heist Posts: 2513

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My two philosophies... make it look realistic, then make it fun -or- make it fun, and then make it look good. Stare at the screen, let it flow. Drop down on foot and play as you build, and see what feels like it needs more, or what it needs next. Jump into the air off your last spot, and see if you feel like you should grab, swing, or hit a platform. Think logically... why is this here, what does it do, or if your theme allows then why wouldn't it be there? If you're going for a realistic environment, build in a compartmentalized way. Perfect a section, build on the grid, and keep it easy to change. That way, when you start adding the things that make your awesome looking labs and houses into a fun place to leap and bound, you can cut things with a big grid line, slide 'em up and over as needed, and space things out to fit gameplay, but still have your immaculate and decisive theme and core design being the glue that holds it together. Never have fun in a boring environment, and never have an interesting environment with no fun... fun can be cerebral puzzles, mechanical wonders, platforming, or action. Interesting looks can be cartoonish, abstract, realistic, detailed, sterile and solid, symmetrical, jagged and free flowing etc etc After you build something, change your material set as many times as you feel you need to, and you might find a truly perfect and unique look... or you may go back to what you started with. In my opinion there's three dominant schools of thought in terrain design (MM style, geosautus and jackofcourse style purposeful asymetry / Voltiare & candyk's rigid solidarity and abstraction / Jaeyden & Mother Misty style eye candy with no rules, and total flow), but there's no real guide to good or bad, and don't let people tell you that you have to slap thousands of decorations and LED's all over everything to make it look good when everything from Portal to Mirror's Edge are proof enough that there are many ways to provide sleek, clean looks through hand crafted design, and uncompromising architecture... but at the same time, don't limit yourself to never color outside the lines, and get a little hamfisted when it feels right. I never recommend mimicking anybody else's style, but there are constants of quality and fun that we all must share at some point, and I say to just look at your favorite levels and try to meet or beat them at whatever your favorite elements are. Try to make something you'd be like 'omg that was so awesome' if you found it in the community at random, be your own worst critic, don't be in a rush to publish and if one part of your level is sooo much better than the rest, bring the rest up to that level of quality. Don't go 'oh well, nobody will notice' - somebody will. Really, just let it flow, build what you like to see and play, until you're 100% happy with it.

2011-01-02 04:11:00 Author: Unknown User

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The best advice I would give is to read "jackofcourses guide to creating.". It helped me improve my skills a lot when I was just starting out in lbp. Search the site or even on google to find it.

2011-01-02 04:53:00 Author: Lockstitch Posts: 415

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My favourite inspiration is other games. Play things like Ratchet and Clank, Super Mario Galaxy, Tomb Raider, God of War etc, and try to find cool ways to do what they do in a 2.5D environment. And the first thing I do when creating a level is build an area, perhaps 20x10 big grid (on average) and put together a single obstacle or centrepiece surrounded by the type of scenery and decoration that I hope to use for the rest of the level. Working in such a small area makes it easier to change things and get the look just right before continuing onto the full level. If you have to, make 2 or 3 of these areas to map out "zones" for your level, and maybe even slot them into your finished level somewhere. If you have a theme in mind, bung it into a Google Image search; for example: jungle (http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=jungle&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1053&bih=467), cave diving (http://www.google.co.uk/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&&sa=X&ei=Fg0gTf69HpSxhQeByuC4Dg&ved=0CDMQvwUoAQ&q=cave+diving&spell=1&biw=1053&bih=467), industrial (http://www.google.co.uk/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&&sa=X&ei=Fg0gTf69HpSxhQeByuC4Dg&ved=0CDMQvwUoAQ&q=cave+diving&spell=1&biw=1053&bih=467), and try to emulate the "feel" of those areas in your level, paying close attention to colour and shape. I'd also suggest starting a "gameplay vault", where you build little pieces of gameplay out of simple things, such as dark matter. You don't have to come up with a The-Bunker-style level where every obstacle is different - you could reuse three or four obstacles and increase the difficulty each time. Also, if you're stuck for ideas, the grid is your friend. It lets you easily join together any snippets you may have already come up with. Finally, don't give up! Work small first until you're happy with the style then take it away. Once you get into the rhythm you'll be surprised how fast a level springs up from nothing.

2011-01-02 05:33:00 Author: Holguin86 Posts: 875

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To add on to what everyone has already said (that I do aswell) :blush: just play other levels and find elements you love/find fun. At the end of the day, your level is a representation of your: -personality -creativity -play style -determination/persistence When I first think of a cool idea, I am usually with friends and I usually leave to my pod, or go to create mode. Mostly all of my friends love to create and also want to see what I am gonna make. Unless I have a solid idea for an object or an obstacle in my head I get paper and pen and draw it out. It doesn't even matter if you can't draw a squigle with a smiley face and a moustache, because it is your thoughts on paper, and you know what they mean. This is how I have got many of my level concepts and I recommend this technique. Also watch films, play games, tv and real life observation for cool stuff such as mechanical, natural and practical stuff that could be recreated in lbp but have something awesome to it. For example, a rubber ducky with a heatseeking machine guns that fires banana skins! So just let your imagination work, because everyone has an imagination you just need to use it. Hope that helps!

2011-01-02 06:57:00 Author: AssassinatorRFC Posts: 715

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this blog has a lot of tutorials: http://www.lbpcentral.com/forums/entry.php?1197-Links-to-levels-and-tutorials

2011-01-04 23:57:00 Author: Luos_83 Posts: 2136

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I completely agree with drawing out your ideas. i have a sketch pad full of doodles and abreviations, and symbols to stand for the different switches, and throughout the day i will randomly think of something and jot it down. even if i dont use the ideas in the levels im working on i can use them later for other levels. Im forgetful so this really helps me out. lol

2011-03-14 02:09:00 Author: PurpleIris88 Posts: 108

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Definitely use really basic materials until you are happy with how it plays. If it isn't fun then 10 hours of decoration won't help. Once you've got everything fun and playable, insert your theme into all the scenery. It's best to have an idea of what your theme is from the start as the platforming etc will most likely reflect that. E.g. A spaceship level is more likely to have zero G than a Japan one. SO have an idea about it from the start but don't spend much time decorating until it plays well.

2011-03-21 12:37:00 Author: faulky Posts: 80

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The way i worked my first level was as follows. a) create overall flow based on sections on a notepad (I created several sections which were joined with lifts), with concepts for traps/obstacles/puzzles on another page. b) translate the flow from notepad to your level. c) stitch together the flow so that you can travel between sections (for example lifts) d) Transfer the flow to all 3 main layers for depth, then consistantly modify it to look the same (stalagmites and stalactites for example) e) once you can get from your start to the end it was time to start adding the traps/obstacles and/or puzzles. f) Add lighting, consistently. g) Add decorations, consistently - i.e. take something you've built and place it in several places, and then take a flower and place it in several places, then grab a pipe, place that several places - etc etc etc, what im trying to say is, keep the theme consistent, don't just decorate on place one day, another the next day - this leads to inconsistencies with theme (potentially) h) then add your music so that its consistant. Moving forwards the traps/obstacles and/or puzzles will ALL be emitted (and blow up), allowing me the flexibility to create much longer/larger levels. The above is selflearnt im afraid, so hopefully this will help you in some shape or form.

2011-03-21 13:15:00 Author: Unknown User

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