track with the rest of the team and the game as a whole.
Step 3. Base Architecture/Block Out..................
Once you are happy with your sketch, the actual construction of the level can begin.
This construction stage varies in time and scope depending on the complexity of the
level being created. For instance, a 2D, tile-based engine will allow for much quicker
construction of a level than a 3D engine. Similarly, the complexity of the 3D engine
being used will radically alter how much time is required to build out the level. An
excellent map made with theDoomengine can be pounded out in a day or two. A level of
similar quality made with the much more sophisticatedQuake IIIengine can easily take
weeks of hard work.
At this point, keep in mind that you are just creating the base layout for your level.
You are not adding niceties such as lighting or texturing, nor are you concentrating on
making the geometry as pretty as possible. On this first pass you want to get the level
to the point where players can navigate through it and all of the locations are accessible.
At this point it makes sense to use temporary textures and primitive forms of geometry.
Instead of putting a real chair in the game, just place an appropriately scaled box. This
allows you to get a sense for whether the level’s layout feels right without wasting any
more time than necessary.
Step 4. Refine Architecture Until It Is Fun...............
At this point you need to repeat step three until your level starts feeling good and navi-
gating it starts to be fun. For instance, if you are working on a first-person shooter, you
should experiment with navigating your character around the 3D world, and see if the
corners are fun to swing around, if the jumps are of just about the right difficulty, and if
the areas come out at the size you had wanted them to. Take a look at the level as a
whole and see if it makes sense and flows as you hoped it would. Once you actually
spend time looking at and navigating the level as players would, instead of just fiddling
Chapter 23: Level Design 469
As game engines
become more
sophisticated, the
amount of time required
to build a level increases
dramatically. For
example, a professional
level using theQuake III
Arenaengine will easily
take weeks to complete.