An Architectural Approach to Level Design

"The book appears to have been written with a great care and I was pleased to see a fresh description and illustration in the contents of the chapters, which drew my attention to read through in detail. I found the presentation clear and lucid and it also summarised some new points that are not found in related books on this subject." -Sekhar Muddu, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Christopher Totten is an assistant professor of game design at George Mason University with a master's degree in architecture from the Catholic University of America. He recently founded an indie game studio, Pie for Breakfast Studios, and has previously worked on several indie mobile and serious game projects as an artist, art director, animator, level designer, and producer. He has written articles for Gamasutra, VideoGameWriters, and GameCareerGuide as well as the book Game Character Creation with Blender and Unity. He is a steering committee member for the IGDA Washington, D.C. chapter and has been featured at GDC China, East Coast Game Conference, DiGRA, and other industry events.

A Brief History of Architecture and Level Design Breaking the Rules of Level Design An Experiential History of Architecture The History of Gamespaces Ways of Seeing for Level Design Tools and Techniques for Level Design Level Design Goals for Creating Game Experiences Non-Digital Level Design Tools Digital Level Design Tools Level Design Workflows Engine-Specific Methodologies Basic Gamespaces Architectural Spatial Arrangements Historic Gamespace Structures Spatial Size Types Molecule Level Spaces Form Follows Gameplay with Proximity Diagrams Hub Spaces Sandbox Gamespaces Considerations of Camera Enemies as Alternative Architecture Teaching in Levels through Visual Communication Teaching Theories for Game Levels Symbols and Visual Design in Games Architectural Forms and Types Teaching Gameplay through Advertising Methods Controlling Information in Memory Palaces Introducing Emotional Level Design through Survival Instincts Survival Instincts and Player Avatars Prospect and Refuge Spatial Design Shade, Shadow, and Survival Loving and Hating Height Conclusion Enticing Players with Reward Spaces The Purpose of Rewards The Types of Rewards in Gamespaces Making Rewards Exciting through Denial Goals and Reward Schedules Storytelling in Gamespace Expressive Design Mechanics vs. Motif Narrative Spaces Environment Art Storytelling Materiality and the Hero's Journey Pacing and Narrative Rewards Possibility Spaces and Worldbuilding Understanding Immersion and Player Individuality Architectural Phenomenology and Play Emergent Spaces Miniature Garden Aesthetic Japanese Garden Design and Worldbuilding Offering Experiential Choice Degenerative Design Influencing Social Interaction with Level Design Emergence and Social Interaction Learning from Urban Emergence The Importance of Spawn Points and Quest Hubs Houses, Homes, and Hometowns in Games Enhancing Level Design with Music and Sounds The Role of Rhythm in Games and Buildings Complementing Level Design with Ambient Sound Enhancing Gameplay Experiences with Sound Design Real-World Adaptive Level Design When Magic Circles Collide Adaptive Game Reuse Goals Analysis for Adaptive Core Mechanics A Summary and Endnotes appear at the end of each chapter.