Can anyone suggest any good reading material on the subject? I’m developing my first original game with Corona and am struggling with how to pace out the level difficulty, addition of powerups/obstacles, etc. as the levels advance.
How do you hit the sweet spot – not too easy so that players blow through 30 levels in an hour, not too hard so that players simply give up.
Maybe it’s like riding a bike. Get on and start pedaling! [import]uid: 58455 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 334113[/import]
Would love those links too. It would be a great addition to the resources section of the site - tutorials on how to think about level design etc [import]uid: 8271 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135645[/import]
+1 here too [import]uid: 7911 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135657[/import]
I’m certainly no expert but I have spent a good amount of time looking at what the successful titles are doing (i.e. Cut the Rope, Angry Birds, Where’s my Water, etc).
These games make it relatively easy to clear the stage but very difficult to get a perfect score. In Where’s my Water, it’s pretty easy to understand how to get the water to Swampy. But trying to do that plus get all the rubber duckies, and bonus items, AND under the time limit to get a perfect score? That’s a different story.
When you design your levels this way you make your game enjoyable to a very broad audience. Casual (less skilled) players can generally succeed at the basic objective and progress through your game. At the same time, the “hardcore” players who are looking for a challenge will have additional, more difficult objectives to meet.
This is just my 2 cents. Hope it helps generate ideas and I’d love to keep the discussion going 
[import]uid: 136211 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135668[/import]
Not sure if this is really what you are looking for, but a great book on this subject is:
“Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design” by Scott Rodgers
You can find it, and other options on the subject, at Amazon.com. [import]uid: 198234 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135669[/import]
+1 for ‘Level Up’ it’s a great book
[import]uid: 118333 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135670[/import]
But in terms of difficulty progression (just re-read your post and realized I didn’t fully answer), I’ve found it helpful to have friends and family play my game and watch how they do. I’ve often re-arranged stages (spacing out my current levels and inserting easier ones in between) if I noticed they were having a particularly tough time.
I think this subject is a little more trial-and-error than having an objective formula. [import]uid: 136211 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135671[/import]
+1 for level up
there’s 16 hits on amazon.com when you search for level design. This one I’ve also read and thought it was pretty good:
The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses by Jesse Scell
[import]uid: 9035 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135673[/import]
Those are good books. I especially like a Book of Lenses.
If you’re looking for a quick read, scroll to the end of this article that I wrote (hadn’t read it in a long time - just looked at it today for a post on this forum no less!)
There is a section on Level Progression.
You might also be able to cull some other useful elements if you’re working on a simple physics based game.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130053/breaking_down_breakout_system_and_.php?print=1 [import]uid: 182425 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135693[/import]
Thanks for all the replies. I just bought the Book of Lenses as an early Christmas present to myself.
I’ll also check out your article. It is a simple physics based game.
Glass on rocks, flick ice cubes with a spoon into them. X amount of cubes, Y amount of glasses, and you must get one in each to advance to the next level. Knock a glass off and it falls and shatters and you start the same level again. [import]uid: 58455 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135695[/import]
Would love those links too. It would be a great addition to the resources section of the site - tutorials on how to think about level design etc [import]uid: 8271 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135645[/import]
+1 here too [import]uid: 7911 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135657[/import]
I’m certainly no expert but I have spent a good amount of time looking at what the successful titles are doing (i.e. Cut the Rope, Angry Birds, Where’s my Water, etc).
These games make it relatively easy to clear the stage but very difficult to get a perfect score. In Where’s my Water, it’s pretty easy to understand how to get the water to Swampy. But trying to do that plus get all the rubber duckies, and bonus items, AND under the time limit to get a perfect score? That’s a different story.
When you design your levels this way you make your game enjoyable to a very broad audience. Casual (less skilled) players can generally succeed at the basic objective and progress through your game. At the same time, the “hardcore” players who are looking for a challenge will have additional, more difficult objectives to meet.
This is just my 2 cents. Hope it helps generate ideas and I’d love to keep the discussion going [import]uid: 136211 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135668[/import]
Not sure if this is really what you are looking for, but a great book on this subject is:
“Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design” by Scott Rodgers
You can find it, and other options on the subject, at Amazon.com. [import]uid: 198234 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135669[/import]
+1 for ‘Level Up’ it’s a great book
[import]uid: 118333 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135670[/import]
But in terms of difficulty progression (just re-read your post and realized I didn’t fully answer), I’ve found it helpful to have friends and family play my game and watch how they do. I’ve often re-arranged stages (spacing out my current levels and inserting easier ones in between) if I noticed they were having a particularly tough time.
I think this subject is a little more trial-and-error than having an objective formula. [import]uid: 136211 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135671[/import]
+1 for level up
there’s 16 hits on amazon.com when you search for level design. This one I’ve also read and thought it was pretty good:
The Art of Game Design: A book of lenses by Jesse Scell
[import]uid: 9035 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135673[/import]
Those are good books. I especially like a Book of Lenses.
If you’re looking for a quick read, scroll to the end of this article that I wrote (hadn’t read it in a long time - just looked at it today for a post on this forum no less!)
There is a section on Level Progression.
You might also be able to cull some other useful elements if you’re working on a simple physics based game.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130053/breaking_down_breakout_system_and_.php?print=1 [import]uid: 182425 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135693[/import]
Thanks for all the replies. I just bought the Book of Lenses as an early Christmas present to myself.
I’ll also check out your article. It is a simple physics based game.
Glass on rocks, flick ice cubes with a spoon into them. X amount of cubes, Y amount of glasses, and you must get one in each to advance to the next level. Knock a glass off and it falls and shatters and you start the same level again. [import]uid: 58455 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 135695[/import]
here’s an interesting platform game specific article…
http://devmag.org.za/2011/07/04/how-to-design-levels-for-a-platformer/
this site has many cool articles
http://devmag.org.za/category/development/game-design/
[import]uid: 118333 topic_id: 34113 reply_id: 136050[/import]