Computer game level design

Module title:

Computer game level design

Module overview:

The aim of this module is to teach students how to design levels in computer games of different genres. Students will learn different aspects of level design, from fully functional to fully artistic aspects. Also, students will learn the basic principles of good design and stages in the process of designing computer game levels. Computer game levels will be viewed from the perspective of function, goals, and player orientation. Students will analyze levels in existing computer game games through defined parameters in order to be able to critically judge the quality of level design.
This module is important because level design is an integral part of any computer game design. A computer game developer needs to be familiar with the level design process in order to be able to adequately implement levels in computer game development facilities. In this module, a computer game developer will learn the basic terminology related to creating levels in order to be able to adequately communicate with computer game designers and to know all the technical aspects related to the implementation of levels in computer games.
Students will learn:
- what is the level of the computer game
- what is computer game level design
- the difference between functional design and artistic level design
- principles of good computer game level design
- stages of designing and developing computer game levels
- types of levels in computer games
- what are the constraints, what is the flow of the game, and what are the goals of the computer game level
- the importance of players: motivation, psychology, behavior
- creation process: preparation, struggle, sketch, prototype, scripting, styling
- analyze the design of existing computer game levels
- design levels for one or more players

Literature:

Required readings:
1. Salmond, M. (2021) Video Game Level Design: How to Create Video Games with Emotion, Interaction, and Engagement. Bloomsbury Academic
2. Kramers, R. (2009) Level Design: Concept, Theory, and Practice. A K Peters/CRC Press.
Additional reading (at the moment of submitting the Study Programme Report)
1. The Level Design Book. Dostupno na: https://book.leveldesignbook.com/ (Pristup: 2. lipnja 2022.)
2. Principles of Level Design. Dostupno na: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.techvalleygamespace.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Principles-of-Level-Design.pdf

Supplementary readings: