Archive: 23 posts

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There are so many discussions in the Help and Tutorial threads on logic because there is a common language for the pieces. To offer someone logic help or in a tutorial I can say "hook an AND gate into the selector" and it translates to others easily. There are also several threads that address making a level look good, again, using a common language "Try to pick three (3) materials and build with these" I have been trying to grasp the ideas behind great level design and it's really difficult to find information on HOW to make a stage. A lot of it has to do with the 'feel' of a stage and can therefore be quite abstract. This thread's intention is to extend some common terms into the more abstract world of making a stage 'flow'. The following paper and associated resources seem to be the most relevant and give an excellent language toolkit to talk about how to make a stage better. By using the following ideas I plan to break down elements of great stages to see if there is anything to be learned about a better thought process for other budding creators. I should also stress that the stages I have chosen to critique are by no means bad, nor am I suggesting that I could do better, what I want to do is build an understanding of creator's choices (conscious or subconscious) behind building a stage and hopefully help myself get to a point where I can build my own platformer that has a natural enjoyable flow. A Framework for Analysis of 2D Platformer Levels (http://games.soe.ucsc.edu/sites/default/files/smith-sandbox-08.pdf) Platforms Obstacles Movement aids Collectible items Triggers Rhythm Groups Cells and Portals The Art and Science of Level Design (http://www.cliffyb.com/art-sci-ld.html) - Cliff Bleszinski Specifically Controlled Freedom Pacing Risk Incentive On Revisiting (doubling back) Supply And Demand (pickups) Scene Composition and Contrast A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php) - Daniel Boutros Quite a long article but Specifically Location of First Power-Up - p22 (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php?page=22) Power-Ups Per Level - p23 (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php?page=23) Ending (Game Completion) Rewards - p23 (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php?page=23) Hazards - p25 (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php?page=25) Score and Pick-Up Bonuses - p25 (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php?page=25) Task Types Present in First Five to Ten Minutes - Optional and Mandatory - p28 (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1851/a_detailed_crossexamination_of_.php?page=28) Terminology Break down Platforms Any object that the player runs across on jumps on as they move through the level Non lethal Materials and objects from your Goodies Bag (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=Goodies Bag) Platforms can have different properties like friction, slope or could be grabable. Different Material choices and the Material Tweaker (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=Material Tweaker) will give you these options. Platforms can also be moving or temporary, by using objects like piston (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=piston), emitter (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=emitter) and Destroyer (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=Destroyer) Obstacles An object that will kill or hurt the player lethal objects from you Goodies Bag (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=Goodies Bag), like the knife, throwing star etc. Lethal Function tweaks like the Flame Tool (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=Flame Tool) Things from the Gameplay Kits (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=Gameplay Kits) like Explosives and spikes Projectiles (except for water) Custom Creatures A platformer’s challenge comes from moving between two platforms while avoiding the obstacle or danger. An obstacle could also be a pit that doesn’t necessarily hurt the character but does set the player back. A door blocking your path isn’t an obstacle in this language, its actually a Trigger element. Obstacles can be static or have a emitter location or movement path, like custom creatures. Movement Aids Objects that help the player get through the level Powerups and Bounce Pads Custom Objects Movement aids change the normal motion of the player in a level. So a Bounce Pad that gets you to a higher point than jumping would, a Jet Pack or the Grapple Hook are examples of these Movement aids could be incorporated into platforms and made moveable, like a Bounce Pad on wheels. Collectable Items Score bubbles Prize bubbles Powerups Custom items could also be made as a collectable in-game item to track secrets found. Satisfying rewards in Little Big Planet come in two different types In-Game and Out-of-Game Rewards; or points in a level to get the high score, collectable items or points that unlock Prize Bubbles packaging something that the player may want to try and win, a custom object to look at in Create Mode perhaps Prize Bubbles may be used to hold stickers to be used with a Trigger to change the stage. To be considered rewarding they should be subject to supply and demand, as well as placed in areas that convey a risk/reward. This means a long line of Points or mediocre Prizes in a line will never ‘feel’ rewarding. Triggers Objects that change the levels state Global Controls (http://wiki.lbpcentral.com/index.php?title=Global Controls) Custom Logic The player walks past a player sensor and the level fills with water, or maybe a switch turns on more Obstacles (electrified floor) when the player makes a mistake. A great example of this in story mode (and in the Toy Story Level Kit) is the Global Gravity settings cycling. Rhythm Groups This is how a platform stage is broken down into elements, so when people say ‘make chunks’ of your stage and then put it together a better phrase may be ‘build your rhythm groups separately, by building and testing a group at a time to fine tune the elements. Cells & Portals A cell is a section of the stage that is liner in nature, but has an option choosing a different path at it’s boundary. The portal would be that choice. Maybe this is a bounce pad to a higher path, or two level links in a stage. For the sake of LBP design each ‘chunk’ of your stage would consist of some Rhythm Group elements with thought put into the Risk Incentive of Collectable Items. Each chunk could then be considered a Cell that can then be linked together, Checkpoints would then be natural Portals between Cells, usually taking you back to the start or end of a Rhythm Group and potentially the start of a new Cell.

2011-08-22 09:47:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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Roller Inc 2 (http://lbp.me/v/4e6x4t) by Comphermc Comphermc has actually been quite generous with the stage this and has given out prizes of some of his Rhythm Groups within the game. http://i0.lbp.me/img/ft/8b05a0bc8d059b7a7a625eea3152dddc4e63f221.jpg The Prize Bubble is called Roller Inc - Prototype A and actually is two separate rhythm groups together, followed by a Revisiting of these groups, mirrored. So it has 4 Mandatory Rhythm groups and an Optional Rhythm Group that is tied into offering Collectable Pickups based on Risk Incentive. It starts with a Static Platform that has you time a jump past a spawning Obstacle (the plasmafied roller) toward a grabable platform (Movement Aid) and you have to shimmy over a static obstacle (the pit) to another Static Platform. This is the first Rhythm Group as the player can pause here and prepare the timing to jump onto two platforms, one that behave as a Triggered Temporary Platform as the moving Obstacle approaches. http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8659/rhythmgroup.jpg Image 1 - Rhythm Group The black boxes show the two groups. http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5209/platforms2.jpg Image 2 - Paltforms Highlighted in Green http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/3698/obstacles.jpg Image 3 - Obstacles Highlighted in Red Successfully completing these has the player landing at a Checkpoint and being confronted by the reverse of what they have just completed. There is an element or Risk Incentive here as the player could time their jump on the Triggered Temporary Platform and turn it into a Movement Aid to shoot up to collect a selection of score bubbles, the better they time it (meaning a more likely chance of death) the higher they will shoot and they then have the opportunity to collect a prize bubble. http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/1062/riskincentive.jpg Image 4 - Risk Incentive Outlined in Purple The actual risk isn’t that great as the spawn point is infinite, so a player could bypass trying to get the points the first time, trigger the spawn gate and try again. The groups are nonlinear in nature so there are no cells, but its collectable items can not all be collected in a single go. It’s up to the player if they want to continue right away or try for more reward. It is Optional Rhythm Group. This section is the first in the stage and it shows very quickly the two different task types expect of the player for this level, the Mandatory Task is correct timing and looking at the environment for safe areas and danger and the Optional Task of reward collecting based on the players assessment of the Risk/Reward ratio. When looking at this section in the published stage it isn’t considered a Cell because it leads directly into another Rhythm Group (Roller Inc - Prototype B) but I’d personally consider this as a Cell - as in the LBP design phase and what is considered best practice of making levels in ‘separate chunks’ it is a complete section of clear Rhythm groups, and has the potential to allow branching into other Cells at the end even though there is no Portal. Comphermc chose to attach another non-linear set of rhythm groups and the stage progresses in this nature, in fact the stage is very linear, the player can make choices to collect Prizes and some do require using Movement Aids to get to Hard To Reach Areas as Risk Incentive but the path never branches so they are considered Optional Rhythm Gropus.

2011-08-22 09:50:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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Clockwork Ruins (http://lbp.me/v/0-4yk5) By Holguin86 This is another stage I?ll use as an example, but this time I am focusing on something that I am sure Holguin86 tested, but for the sake of the exercise I will discuss. http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6127/colckworkruins.jpg The Green is Platforms The Red is Obstacles and the Purple is a Risk Incentive In this Rhythm Group the player approaches from the left and gets a glimpse of a secret Pick Up Bonus which is part of a Game Ending Reward so it is placed in a way to get an observant players attention. Being one of the first they will see is just above the head of the player as they walk along a fairly long platform. This platform?s length actually helps the player see the gem as there are no immediate Obstacles they can look at the scenery. To get past the first Obstacle (the pit of spikes) they need to jump onto platform A and then onto Moving Platform 1, jumping over the fire Obstacles, From here they need to time a jump onto Moving Platform 2, missing this jump results in the player landing back on the platforms below. If they ride the platform around the can get go for the Risk Incentive, by choosing to do this they have to navigate the first Rhythm Section again. I regards to handling failure the length of Platform A can cause some annoyance, because if the player misses the jump from 1 to 2 the may end up on the lower platform, causing them to first jump back up onto Platform A, if can seem like an unnecessary jump, if the platform slightly longer this could be counteracted, as the fall would always result in landing on Platform A The danger of having to pass the Obstacles of section 1 are still a punishment, but by removing a simple extra jump ,it make the section flow more smoothly. If the player chooses to collect the Gem than the rhythm sections entire flow is interrupted as they need to get back to Platform A to start again. This doesn?t ruin the stage and by no means suggests that I am a better designer, but as I mentioned it is something to think about and look for in your own designs if you feel a section doesn?t seem ?right?. http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2220/pointsp.jpg This is a great example of intelligent placement of Collectable Items (the point bubbles) and Risk Incentive, as each set of points is a small reward for making a dangerous jump. If timed correctly this section could be potentially rewarding to a dexterous player, but does not impact people that would rather play it safe. Jumping from the moving platform at the right time means the player will drop through the points to the Movement Aid, building a multiplier that should last until they reach the Moving Platform, it could then be possible to jump to the next Moving Platform (that is rotating on the wheel in conjunction to the first), then out of the rhythm group to safe ground, maintaining the multiplier the whole way through. In the stage it doesn?t work too well , as the bounce from the Bounce Pad has a short float at the top and the multiplier is likely lost between the jumps. However two more bubbles could help with this if Holguin86 wanted this to be more achievable as well as making it a clear challenge to the Points driven players. http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/6696/pointplacement.jpg Think Tower Of Whoop chaining, but also a bit redundant at the moment as there is no score uploading.

2011-08-22 09:55:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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Been waiting a long time for a post/tutorial like this. Very thorough and informative. Thank you for sharing.

2011-08-22 17:23:00 Author: jblalock78 Posts: 24

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A great tutorial for Advanced and New platform creators. IGN rated it 5/5 "A great tutorial, start to finish" lol, sorry. Seriously good tutorial though. Although it is important that you make any prizes with items optional to get. Like in a place you have to work at to get to. Nobody wants to get stuff they wouldnt have picked up anyway.

2011-08-22 18:08:00 Author: craigmond Posts: 2426

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Nice tutorial! I'll be sure to read through all of it when I get more time.

2011-08-22 19:59:00 Author: tanrockstan34 Posts: 1076

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Hmmmmm VERY interesting. I never thought you could add gameplay to a lvl through bubble placement...hmm. I like this very much. Keep it going!!

2011-08-23 00:17:00 Author: Amigps Posts: 564

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It all comes down to the expected motion of the player through the level, what rhythm do they jump/move/swing in. Which is why walking too far is 'boring' its a single rhythm, but is also why stairs are annoying too much of the same rhythm for no 'reward'. Collecting an insane amount of bubbles is the same, it isn't rewarding... but placing the bubbles in a way that suggest you could get a multiplier if you perform the correct rhythm adds a layer of 'challenge'

2011-08-23 03:33:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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@Mr_Fusion's last post: like bubbles like this: - _ - _ - etc?

2011-08-23 04:41:00 Author: Unknown User

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yeah, think like music... jump-jump, Big Jump, Jump. Its a rhythm, and it makes it more interesting than jump, jump, jump, jump... Think of a line of 8 point bubbles... or rather 3 bubbles, a gap, 2 slightly higher up, a gap, then 3 more bubbles... If you run through the first example the multiplier is expected and not rewarding, but the second example requires a timed jump to get the multiplier. http://i6.lbp.me/img/ft/6d64e0bace7132c7613e648262fdf0f5eb2185ce.jpg Example 1 - Wow, that looks fun! A guaranteed multiplier unless the player intentionally breaks it by stopping, thus interrupting the rhythm. http://id.lbp.me/img/ft/32d2650bf6d994f8451e212553320aa9b99ae29f.jpg Example 2 - If they jump too soon or too late they may miss a bubble The type of jump required to get the multiplier and maintain it upon landing is a 'half button press' jump just as the third bubble is collected... A full pressed jump will result in the player missing the first point bubble in the 3rd set. Meaning that the multiplier could run out before they land. So very rewarding subconsciously if it is achieved.

2011-08-23 06:04:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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Really interesting stuff Mr Fusion - it's great to see these elements of design discussed so clearly. I'm sure I'll find this of great use should I ever consider making anothe rplatformer. Please keep them coming - I'm sure no one here will mind their level being dissected in such a way

2011-08-23 10:01:00 Author: rialrees Posts: 1015

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Cool stuff bro. I was considering doing something similar but yours reads great so far. Pictures/examples are a must imo, so keep those up too. If the whole community learns the basic gameplay dynamics like risk/reward behaviour, and the superior(/correct!) way to place score bubbles, I'll have a lot more fun playing through levels. Thanks for those links too, I have been looking for similar documents with no such luck. Here's (http://mrbossdesign.blogspot.com/2008/10/platformer-primer.html) a good one I found a while ago, which has some great diagrams/images.

2011-08-25 05:59:00 Author: midnight_heist Posts: 2513

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Here's (http://mrbossdesign.blogspot.com/2008/10/platformer-primer.html) a good one I found a while ago, which has some great diagrams/images. What you have done with your 101 stage is super useful also! I remember seeing it ages ago, but it was in PSN downtime I think. I'll queue it up. Awesome document, only had a quick read, will have to delve in a bit deeper but little tips like making 'unobtainable' heights clearly unobtainable by making sure it's a body length higher than a full jump is really good! The other one I liked was the 'hot' spot, and it reminded me of this (http://devmag.org.za/2011/01/18/11-tips-for-making-a-fun-platformer/) article about hit boxes. The interesting thing is making a 'friendly' hit box slightly larger than the friendly character or pickup, and enemies hit box slightly smaller than the enemy. Why this is good is because you don't want the player not to pick up something if they miss it slightly, but if an enemy brushes close to them they can still get away. So it actually subtly rewards dexterity and reaction times in a way that make the player feel that they were *this* close to death but their own skill saved them. On the other side, I think we have all yelled 'I PICKED THAT UP!' at some stage. So making the pickup radius slightly larger means that a player won't feel punished for a pixel of inaccuracy. http://ib.lbp.me/img/ft/b6b491163b36b955e7ee2d7d3e4c3dbcd6be27cf.jpg The Clam with the pearl is good, the shark is bad...

2011-08-25 07:40:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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Really awesome post, interesting stuff. One more question though...in those first couple of pictures, what is the name of that greyish material? I think it's from Avalonia, and I've seen it and wanted to use it in a couple of levels.

2011-08-27 16:48:00 Author: Unknown User

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It's actually just white anti matter the flattened camera gives it a shadow in these pictures.

2011-08-27 23:35:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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It's actually just white anti matter the flattened camera gives it a shadow in these pictures. Oh, lol. I think what I'm thinking of is the White Plastic - No Bevel Material.

2011-08-29 03:09:00 Author: Unknown User

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This is very helpful, thanks!!!

2011-08-30 00:08:00 Author: zzmorg82 Posts: 948

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Thank you for posting this thread, In the past I've thought to myself we need a book on platforming basics. You did a great job in putting tons of info and where to find more. thanks for posting cheers

2011-09-01 00:56:00 Author: pete007d Posts: 58

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Very helpful tutorial. Thanks a lot!

2014-10-19 12:48:00 Author: Verschleppen Posts: 15

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Thanks for the tutorial! very helpful

2014-10-21 13:07:00 Author: bohater8001 Posts: 4

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Relly helpful, thanks! I'd have like to use bubbles the way you said in my level, the only problem being that bubbles are visible in the dark :V I have a question though: how much rythm groups should I have in order to have a level reasonably long, though not boring? Do you think there is a "ideal number"?

2014-10-24 13:35:00 Author: Pierre-de-Lune Posts: 8

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Relly helpful, thanks! I'd have like to use bubbles the way you said in my level, the only problem being that bubbles are visible in the dark :V I have a question though: how much rythm groups should I have in order to have a level reasonably long, though not boring? Do you think there is a "ideal number"? Thanks for the feedback, this thread is a little old now, but the stuff still seems relevant, especially with LBP3 looming and new players turning up... As for you question about the amount of rhythm groups... errr.... it's a piece of string of question. If you were to pull apart a few of your favourite levels maybe there is a magic number or range or something. It's more about when the rhythm groups get too far apart between portals, or checkpoints. If you get worried about repeating a section before dying too easily, then the group is too long. You also shouldn't really find yourself repeating the same rhythms over an over, present it once or twice and then move on. Like you have an idea for a nice group, and you repeat it once or twice, then expand on the rhythm with a new element, maybe make it tad harder or something. But don't try to jam too many different concepts into the same level, it's better having people wanting to re-play the level rather then getting tired of having to do the same group over and over. As an example like; you run-and-jump along a few sections, then you need to switch up the direction you are heading in with a bounce pad section, then you go into a section where you slide down for a bit. If you then revisit the first rhythm of run-and-jump, with a little more difficult sections, and then end it would feel fairly balanced. Going back into another bounce pad section AND another sliding section may result in that feeling of too many sections... *shrugs*

2014-10-26 02:38:00 Author: Mr_Fusion Posts: 1799

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Just wanted to add a comment on the length of a level, since it was mentioned. I've been timing some of my favorite platformers recently, and when I am skilled at the level it comes in right around 5 minutes. "Remnant:Ignotus" by Lockstitch and "Obscure" by Halonova are just 2 examples. Most of RikiRikiIta's levels are in the vicinity of 5 minutes and his fast platforming gameplay is second to none. For what it's worth...

2014-10-27 16:39:00 Author: Treppemanss Posts: 26

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