Summary of "Ten Principles for Good Level Design"

Summary of "Ten Principles for Good Level Design" by Dan Taylor

This presentation by Dan Taylor, a senior level designer with over 15 years in the video game industry (Square Enix, Ubisoft, Rockstar, EA, Sony), outlines ten guiding principles for effective level design. Drawing inspiration from Dieter Rams’ famous ten principles of good product design, Taylor adapts and expands these ideas specifically for game and level design. He emphasizes that level design is interdisciplinary, involving mission, narrative, and mechanic design, and that these principles are flexible guidelines rather than strict rules.

Main Ideas and Lessons:

Good Level Design is Fun to Navigate
- Players should always know where to go via a consistent visual language using lighting, geometry, color, and animation.
- Navigation should be intuitive but can include elements of exploration and occasional confusion to enhance drama and replayability.
- Examples: Mirror’s Edge (clear paths), Modern Warfare 2 Favela (chaotic but fun).
Good Level Design Does Not Rely on Words to Tell the Story
- Use implicit and emergent narrative rather than explicit storytelling.
- Implicit narrative (mise-en-scène/environmental storytelling) lets players piece together the story through environmental clues.
- Emergent narrative arises from player choice and freedom.
- Examples: Bioshock (environmental storytelling), Hitman (player-driven emergent narrative).
Good Level Design Tells the Player What to Do, But Never How to Do It
- Provide clear objectives and guidance but allow multiple paths and playstyles.
- Encourage player improvisation and do not punish unexpected approaches.
- Examples: Skyrim’s Dark Brotherhood missions, Ratchet and Clank’s open planet progression.
Good Level Design Constantly Teaches the Player Something New
- Keep players engaged by introducing, showcasing, or subverting mechanics throughout the game.
- Pacing of teaching, play, challenge, and surprise is crucial.
- Examples: Zelda dungeons (new equipment and mastery), Bethesda games’ mechanic loops.
Good Level Design is Surprising
- Avoid predictable pacing and routines; use uncertainty and subversion to keep players engaged.
- Take risks with pacing, aesthetics, and design elements.
- Example: Dead Space 2’s “issue mirror” level subverts expectations by delaying enemy encounters.
Good Level Design Empowers the Player
- Create levels that make players feel impactful and powerful within the game world.
- Avoid mundane or frustrating tasks that break immersion.
- Examples: Red Faction Guerrilla (destructible environments), Infamous (karma system showing consequences).
Good Level Design is Easy, Medium, and Hard
- Instead of fixed difficulty settings, use risk/reward pathways that let players dynamically choose challenge levels.
- Design clear visual cues for risky shortcuts or easier routes.
- Examples: Burnout (shortcuts with visual markers), Dishonored (multiple paths for different playstyles).
Good Level Design is Efficient
- Make maximal use of limited resources (technical and production).
- Use modular design and bi-directional gameplay to reuse assets and encounters effectively.
- Encourage non-linearity and implicit objectives to extend gameplay without extra production cost.
- Examples: Halo (bi-directional levels), Astro Boy (replaying levels with new abilities).
Good Level Design Creates Emotion
- Design levels to evoke specific emotional responses by working backward from the desired feeling.
- Use spatial design, narrative, mechanics, and pacing to provoke emotions like tension, exhilaration, or desperation.
- Examples: Company of Heroes (intense last-stand mission), Tomb Raider (contrasting tight caves and open jungle).
Good Level Design is Driven by the Game’s Mechanics
- Levels should showcase and reinforce core gameplay mechanics.
- The level is the medium through which gameplay is delivered.
- Interdisciplinary communication between designers, engineers, and artists is crucial.
- Examples: Deus Ex: Human Revolution (multiple paths showcasing stealth, combat, augments), Batman: Arkham City (creative use of gadgets and puzzles).