So, what do you look for in a level?

Blanche Hodapp · Oct 17, 2009

I was going to post this in E/RE as "legitimate research" for something, but then I decided that, further to Dude's basic level design intro, and although the question's been approached a thousand times in terms of "I love this level 'cos of this", I thought I'd expand it beyond bog-standard "I'm making something and need ideas" research and ask what makes a level playable and, more importantly, awesome, for you, the players?

For instance, I'm very much a product of a 90s upbringing, when games were fast, etc. and so my attention span is short and I have a low boredom threshold. So I'm very much a fan of levels like Flying Battery, where you can actually get up some decent speed on certain sections (like the uppermost path in Act 2, where all you need to do is curl up into a ball and let momentum take control), yet I also dislike the areas of that level where you're forced to wait on corkscrew lifts and those giant spiked platforms that get yanked around by electromagnets. Ideally, the level for me, though it's short enough already, would contain less of that so that I could enjoy the level without thinking "oh God, I'm going to have to go through that section."

Similarly, the moving platforms at the end of Metropolis Acts 1 and 3. You know the ones, they take you to the signpost and the boss arena, respectively. Looking at the level maps, they don't actually appear to be that long, but it's still quite a boring wait once you're actually travelling on them.

Now, this may be a point of contention among certain people, but I'm also rather fond of platforming. Not to the extreme of hanging over a bottomless pit and if you make one wrong move you're spiny pizza, but certainly there're those sections of Scrap Brain Act 1 where you're leaping from crumbling or disappearing platforms to the next, lest you find yourself potentially on the receiving end of a nasty electric shock. (However those sections with the giant groping crushers poking out of the walls annoys me to no end.)

Anyway, lest I shambolically stumble even further away from the point, for me a good level combines areas of good speed (though not so out of control that it becomes like Sonic Advance 3), interspersed with fast-paced, quick-footed platforming. Something to keep me moving all the time, instead of standing still for those precious seconds. What makes it for you?

Solid SOAP · Oct 17, 2009

Fun set-pieces and gimmicks, nice looking visuals, good music.

phoenixwright7 · Oct 17, 2009

Areas where you can get going pretty fast
Fun platforming
Decent length

And... That's about it... Oh, and loops... Gotta have loops (interestingly enough, my favorite zone in the series is probably Sky Sanctuary Zone, which doesn't have any loops )

MikeTH · Oct 18, 2009

Appealing art is the first one, admit it or not it plays a factor on what you think of a level. Exploration comes next, I mean what's a level if you can only enjoy it thoroughly once? Gimmicks are a factor too, and can make or break a level in some cases. Last but certainly not least would be Platforming, which is probably the biggest factor in level design, with Sonic it's about the balance between platforming and speed.

Azookara · Oct 18, 2009

Lots of exploration, lots of platforming, multiple routes everywhere, curves/slopes/hills/loops/etc that allow you to take advantage of speed yourself (rather than being forced to), colorful cartoony visuals, level-specific gimmicks (including ones that take advantage of Sonic's speed), level-specific badniks, clever level layout, great music.

Endgame · Oct 18, 2009

Azukara said:

Lots of exploration, lots of platforming, multiple routes everywhere, curves/slopes/hills/loops/etc that allow you to take advantage of speed yourself (rather than being forced to), colorful cartoony visuals, level-specific gimmicks (including ones that take advantage of Sonic's speed), level-specific badniks, clever level layout, great music.
Click to expand...

I think Azukara has basically nailed it for me here, definitely.

One more thing: Make Robotnik the end-of-act boss! Ie. him in a machine, or some contraption he made (eg. the Metal Sonics'). Of course, not *always* him, but most of the time; also with that, make it interesting.

If that counts as 'in-level' gameplay, of course.

PC2 · Oct 18, 2009

Assuming we're talking about the 2D games here:

For most stages, flow, flow, flow. Not overly linear, but flows well enough that you're not constantly coming to abrupt stops or randomly-placed precision platforming over a bottomless pit. I don't like being forced to come to a complete halt or sudden death because of something stupid and unpredictable - this seemed to be a big problem for me in Sonic Advance 3. Sonic 1, 2, 3/K, Advance, and even Megamix have something in common in that the stages all have a good flow to them. Honestly, I would rather have a slow stage altogether than have to keep coming to a complete stop in a fast stage - at least that way it's consistent. Nice art and music is just icing on the cake.

Creative use of gimmicks, stage props, and physics can also be nice to see, as long as it's not overused to the point where it's stale. It's always cool to see how certain objects can be placed in a way that gives you a completely different experience, or to see how they can be used in different ways. Branching paths always makes stages more interesting, but that's pretty much obvious. =P

Malpass · Oct 18, 2009

The goal.

On a more serious note, I look for decent music, challenging gameplay and good graphics. Oh, and a boss that is different each level.

randomselect · Oct 18, 2009

I like level design in and of itself.
Multiple routes, speedy sections leading to trap filled ones.
Some gimmicks that are only seen in one level wouldn't hurt.

Different bosses are pretty much a given.

Malgra · Oct 19, 2009

randomselect said:

I like level design in and of itself.
Multiple routes, speedy sections leading to trap filled ones.
Some gimmicks that are only seen in one level wouldn't hurt.

Different bosses are pretty much a given.
Click to expand...

This. On top of catchy, fitting music, colourful and varied themes and decent pace.

So, what do you look for in a level?

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