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LEVEL DESIGN ASSIGNMENT 1

Brief

You will create a Level Design Document (LDD) for a 3D videogame map of your own design. The map must be for a first-person game but can be either a single player or multiplayer. If you choose to do a single player map then you should aim for something that would be experienced in around 30 minutes of gameplay (a single level, an RPG town) rather than trying to design an entire world. For multiplayer you would design a single map for a mode like deathmatch, CTF, etc.
How to plan & design maps and write LDDs is covered within the first few LDF lectures. Your LDD should contain reference images, top-down layout(s), and detailed descriptions of how the map should play, including any gameplay considerations specific to both the map itself and the mode of play it is intended for. You should explain and justify your design choices with respect to level design theory and best practice.
Limited to 600 words +/- 10%, maximum 10 pages.
This assignment is worth 30% of your overall unit grade.
Detailed Brief
  1. You should include a comprehensive set of reference images. These can include (but are not limited to) photographs, digital art, screenshots, and concept sketches. Images can be created by yourself or sourced from other media (screenshots from games/TV/film). Your images should convey:
    1. Environment – the broad area in which your map is located (city, caves, the arctic, etc)
    2. Location - If environment (a) is “city” then location could be office block, subway, streets, etc.
    3. Theme(s) – Unifying ideas that tie everything together such as horror, sci-fi, abandoned, war, winter, cyberpunk, the 1980s, etc.
    4. Lighting references. Images that give an overall feel as to how the map would be lit. As examples, if your map is set at dawn then you would include photographs of theme appropriate locations under dawn lighting, or a map set in a space-station undergoing an emergency may have bright red “siren” lights and other warning lights.
  2. You should include top-down layouts of your map. These can either be created by hand and scanned in or created entirely digitally. You should make sure these are presented effectively and are legible, blurry phone photos of pencil sketches tend not to be!
    1. For a map like a shipping yard you may only need one overall layout, but for a map set in an office block you would need to create the layout of every floor the player(s) can traverse. A map set inside a building would have rooms & corridors delineated whereas a map in a cave system would be more freeform looking.
    2. Your layouts should be appropriately annotated with details (depending on the game mode) like spawn points, pickups, enemies, cutscene triggers, boss encounters, capture points and so on.
  3. The text of your LDD (600 words +/- 10%, maximum 10 pages):
    1. Should describe and discuss the environment/location/theme of your map.
    2. Should introduce the intended mode of play (single / multiplayer) and discuss how your map supports this mode of play via its design. Discussion for a campaign map will include campaign specific concepts like player objectives and enemy encounters, whereas a deathmatch LDD would discuss spawn locations, cover, lines of sight, etc. The two examples given are not exhaustive lists of things to discuss, and the concepts you will need to cover will vary from mode to mode.
    3. Should identify and explain level design theory relevant to your map. Throughout your work, you should explain and justify the design decisions you have made in terms of level design theory and best practice. Ideally, you should compare multiple level design theories/patterns, explaining which work for you and which don’t.
    4. A references section, listing any referenced sources (academic literature, games, books) in BU Harvard format. References are not included in the word count.

Submission:

Results Summary:

On this assignment I received a mark of 77/100, which I am very pleased with, as it was my first time designing a level. If I were to redo this assignment, I would try to focus on the area surrounding the level a bit more - as long as I am able to fit within the word count.

Lecturer Feedback:

Riley, you have successfully submitted your interface design assignment. The submission is to specification. Below is detailed feedback based on the marking scheme:

Knowledge & Understanding of Level Design Principles (31/40)
An excellent submission. Theory is effectively integrated to support reference images, which are clear and convey the design intent with precision. The well-structured approach ensures that theoretical knowledge underpins design decisions, enhancing credibility and professionalism.
Application of Level Design Theory (37/50)
The layouts are exceptionally clear, and design decisions are explored in depth. The inclusion of citations further strengthens the credibility of the work. The exploration of play experience through movement and intensity maps, as well as considerations of cover and sightlines, significantly enhances the quality and professionalism of the assignment. This is a highly polished and well-developed submission. Well done!
Transferable Skills (9/10 marks)
All references are correctly formatted, and the assignment demonstrates clear, well-informed discussion. Images are effectively supported by text and citations, ensuring a highly professional standard throughout. Overall, this is an outstanding piece of work.

Feed Forward Suggestions:
(i) The integration of theory and reference images is excellent - continue to apply this approach in future projects.
(ii) Maintain the high standard of exploration into play experience through movement and intensity maps.
(iii) Keep refining your professional presentation and citation practices, as they are already at an excellent level. mprove document structure and formatting to enhance clarity and professional presentation.