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Traveler
25-04-2006, 01:57 PM
Stage 5 has raised an interesting issue about what qualifies as a level. For my entry I was planning on making 15 levels. (Due to the fact that the game is heavily unbalanced it is not very likely that the player is able to get past level 4 though. This will be fixed.... hopefully in time for the final stage.)

Anyway, each level, or rather 'wave'. enemies get stronger. After each 5th wave a mini boss appears, and at the final wave, the end boss. The environment never changes during these 15 waves. That is how I have defined the levels in my game.
In a future version I might make a map selection mode so players can choose other maps with different settings, but thats something for after the competition.

Question for now is, does a new level requires a new map and is it a requirement for this competition?

Huehnerschaender
25-04-2006, 02:27 PM
Hmmm.... difficult question. But in my point of view a "level" should be something you "build with your level editor as requested in the first stages.

I think that a leveleditor should be something where you can place tiles, 3D objects or whatever, shortly said, change the "level/map/environment" and in addition maybe some variables like strength of the enemys etc. otherwise a level could be done with only one variable, for example the maximum time you have to run from place A to place B.

But as you mentioned before, your intention is something like space invaders, where only the amount and strenght or kind of enemys change. Hmmmm.... in older games, this is definetely defined as a level.

I think it depends on the judges, but if you can't create simple "maps", how did you got the points for the leveleditor in stage 2 then? And if you have an editor, why don't you use it?

Greetings,
Dirk

Traveler
25-04-2006, 03:13 PM
I am able to create maps. It is just that currently I use one map multiple times. That may perhaps be a lack of originality, but that is how I designed the game.

I still dont think you can measure levels in the number of maps.

In regards to older games... in World of Warcraft, your level is determined by the experience of a player, not by the map he is walking on.

aidave
25-04-2006, 09:19 PM
in World of Warcraft, your level is determined by the experience of a player, not by the map he is walking on.

Thats not what they mean by "level" in this contest.


"Level" means a few different things.
Is the plane level?
Are you on the level?
etc

But when talking about game "level design"
that means not only a map,
but placement of characters and enemies,
items, traps, doors, keys, triggers, etc.
There are entire books on this subject.
People even have job titles: "Game Level Designer".

There has to be different things, like new enemies, or different arrangement of items on the map, for levels to be different.

When you play a "new level" thats gotta be something you go
"hey, this isnt the same as the level i just played, its new. its a new level"

I cant comment on your game but if the judges thought that, maybe you should change something to catch their attention.

Traveler
25-04-2006, 10:51 PM
Thats not what they mean by "level" in this contest.

That is probably not what they meant by levels is in this contest. But then, rules don't say you need a new map with each level, too? But you do assume it needs to have a new map. (Probably because that's all to common nowadays?)
Remember that not every game has levels that are a combination of A, B and C. Every game is different. How you define levels depends on the game. In my case, levels do not include maps.

But allow me to clarify:
My game has a large number of levels. With each level, or wave, the player builds towers, earns money, builds different towers, more expensive tower, upgrades them etc. Now, if I were to replace the map after each level, this whole concept wouldn't work anymore, because I would need to remove everything the player has build as well.

It would have major consequences for gameplay. The fact that you have a new map, doesn't make the level harder. Just the opposite in fact.
I could increase hitpoints of the enemies, but that would require more money for the player to start with as well. The whole strategy of where to place towers, when to upgrade them and what type to use, would be eliminated, because you can rougly build the same towers as you did in the previous level. Building strategies that span over multiple levels just wouldn't be possible anymore. And these are only a couple of the problems I would be facing.

So you see why I asked the question, are maps a requirement of levels?

aidave
26-04-2006, 01:35 AM
Ok, makes sense given the game you are making...
Although one wonders if you just have one big level.

There could be 3 maps with the same "waves" of monsters... the terrain would require new strategies in each level.

Is there clear indication in your game, which level you are on?


in any case, good luck with your game,
looking forward to playing it!

Huehnerschaender
26-04-2006, 06:50 AM
I agree,

maybe it would be the best to build 3 maps which can be selected on startup. The game itself could be as you designed it then. You play your game on the map you decided to play on. Maybe (I don't know how map affect your gameplay) you could make one map for difflculty of the game (easy, medium, hard).

But this way you would be on the safe side with judging, if the judges declare maps as levels.

I also wish you good luck! And I also can't wait to play your game as much as all the other entrys.

Dirk

Traveler
26-04-2006, 08:36 AM
Well, each level has a clear beginning and end. Each starts with a message, 25 enemies spawn and they all walk towards the village (in the final stage). Depending whether you slay them before enough of them reach the village, a new level starts with stronger enemies.

The solution you're offering has already been planned for after the competition, but it can't be implemented before the deadline simply because I haven't got the time.

Plus, I dont really see why that would make it better for judges in terms of having levels in my game. What you're suggesting is that players choose a map where variables for an entire game are set, not per level.

Thanks a lot for your input though...
Perhaps a judge or savage/WILL would like to comment on this matter?