Responses to Chapter Questions
1. Imagine that you are a level designer working in the 1980s. Knowing the
limitations associated with this era, what type of game would you develop?
With the limitations during the 1980s era,making a simple yet challenging game would allow the audience to
still connect with the game even though the technology of that time was limited. Creating a basic top down space shooter would be able to associate the 1980s era were space shooters were really starting to emerge like Space Invaders, also maybe not as challenging but can still be playable without the player really beating each level with ease.
2. Play three games—one from the 1980s, one from the 1990s, and one
released after 2004. Compare and contrast how levels and environments are
designed in all three games.
1.Space Invaders - 1980s
2.Pokemon Silver - 1990s
3. Batman Arkham Asylum - 2009
Space Invaders was a benchmark for arcade games in the 1980s, it provided players with challenging features.
The game was 2D based and was designed simple. A simple black screen with white colored alien ships and green barricades as well as the player's ship. This design is pretty simple to distinguish the different between enemies and the players. Definitely Pokemon Silver and Batman Arkham Asylum have more better levels and environments because of the Technology of those different eras, but still to this day Space Invaders is still classified as a great game of its time.
Out of the Pokemon franchise, Pokemon Silver has been one of the best selling Pokemon games, selling into the millions. Pokemon Silver is a top down perspective/ third person. The game per say wasn't based on levels but by going and defeating each gym leader in each of there respective towns. The design was different in how the game representation was presented, the visual design is what probably drew players in and the pokemon fighting system. Players were able to interact with the environment allowing a little bit of freedom but not so much to give the players to much control. Comparing to Space Invaders it is a jump from the basic 2d top down shooter but comparing it to Batman Arkham Asylum it is still a big leap in how levels and environments were designed.
Batman Arkham Asylum was a gaming breakthrough for the superhero game genre. It brought all the great aspects of Batman and put it in a game. This game allowed players to roam around Arkham Asylum, giving the player complete control, making the player immersed in playing the role as Batman. The levels are designed in a way that puts players to challenging puzzles and challenging enemies at the right points in the game. The environments is a another great perspective that shows the impressive design of the levels. Being able to interact with the suroundings provides more depth and realism to the character. Comparing each of these games, they all have great level and environment, one might be better than the other because of the technology at the time.
3. How does a game’s genre affect the way its levels and environments are
designed? Choose one level from three different games—each from a distinct
primary genre—and compare how these levels are designed with regard to
setting, goals, puzzles, and risk–reward system
1. NBA 2k13
2. Crysis
3. League Of Legends
Taking three game titles like 2k13 NBA which is a sports game, Crysis a first person shooter and League of Legends a online multiplayer, comparing these three different genres shows different aspects of different designs.
2k13 is a basketball sport genre game that is not designed by levels but by different games played. Playing against one team in the game requires you the player to control your team and lead them to victory the goal is to simple score more points then the other team, although might sound simple you have opponents trying to accomplish the same thing. there is a few of risk and reward in the play here. Players might need to play more smarter to get more points in instead of always rushing to get points in.
Crysis is a first person shooter, it has a simple level based system get an objective, and reach it, and along the path that objective can change altering the mission. Players are allowed to roam around look through the environment and are able to pick up items. Different missions will pop up depending on how the story goes.
League of Legends(LoL) has been a recent hit in the online multiplayer genre, with its rising numbers in players, LoL is continuing to progress to higher better gameplay. The goal of the game is to destroy the opposing teams turrets and base therefore winning the match. The risk and reward system comes into play by how each player communicates with its members and are able to outplay the opposition, but if no communication is giving then the opposition can have an advantage and can possibly win.
These different genres show different aspects of how level design can be displayed.
