ED Bryne - Building a simple level - Week 14 (31/1/14)

basic elements of level
concept
environment to exist in
beginning
ending
goal
challenge to overcome
reward
way of handling failure

tetris
concept: find a place for the blocks or lose the level
environment: active play area to left of game data
beginning: player starts with empty screen and score 0
ending: over when either creates correct number of vertical lines or blocks pile up
goal: correct number of vertical lines
challenge: speed of descent, types of block, number of lines needed
reward: next level/brief animation
failure: the game ends and must restart

story?
not fundamental requirement to a level. enhances level with new info about expected to do, avoid, seek -
e.g. chess - can be played even with coloured stones

putting all together 
concept
making a game for phone - called Clownhunt, player controls Cripsy, a clown escaping maniacal ringmaster. puzzle game, each level = one screen. level = challenge to overcome for next level, each level harder.

controls: move left+right, jump. no fall dmg, simple game.

environment
set in circus: colourful backdrops, cartoony graphics. elephant house - background = dark cages, concrete wall, single light hanging.

beginning
player starts on left, needing to move to right where exit is.

ending
exit far enough away player must overcome challenge to reach it.

goal
reach the exit. this is made clear by having an enemy pursue the player to keep him moving. final level is showdown with the ringmaster (dante)

challenge
circus environment = see saw good challenge to get to exit placed top right.
seesaw good because: need player a way to reach exit, immediately recognisable, how it works is apparently - explanation unnecessary

determining the challenge mechanics
mechanic = functionality behind each puzzle or game element.
best gameplay mechanics are those that need no explanation, allowing player to work out from observation. makes player feel clever.

for this game - weight on one side of seesaw - weight can be suspended above seesaw and dropped via being shot at/cut

player jump onto seesaw to propel the weight, as it lands player gets propelled.

implement rules for ingame objects to follow to react to player, e.g. multiply the distance the weight goes up by the number of feet the player falls before landing on seesaw.

what will player jump from? low platform for player to jump from - low enough for player to jump to, high enough to impact the weight on seesaw

elephant snacks = relevant to level design

SIMPLE RULES TO FOLLOW
- the more players can complete a challenge in a level by simply interacting with it and observing the results, the better they will feel about overcoming it. if you need to resort to prompts or special mechanics to allow players to complete your puzzle, you risk removing them from immersion.

- sometimes simply finishing a level can be a reward - doesn't need to be fireworks or exit guardian to defeat to feel accomplishment.

- try not to let player be in a position to blame you for his failure. if you give players all tools they need and don't impede their abilities to learn from mistakes, they will be much less frustrated with failure. even better, eliminate the need for failure at all when you can.