Video Game Level Design

Level designers build worlds, set missions, and lay irresistible paths to make sure we keep playing their games late into the night. It's a hugely competitive field, requiring both technical and artistic skill. Bringing together interaction, usability and experience design, this book shows how design principles can be used to plan maps, encourage narrative interaction and build worlds. 22 illustrated interviews and case studies show how these principles translate to real-world best practices for triple-A games through to low-budget indies. Throughout the book you will be guided through two level designs: one for the traditional 2D space and one for the 3D space. Each chapter will build on the prototype, until by the end of the book you'll be able to devise, plan and build your own engaging and entertaining level design.