TecnoCampus Foundation
eCampus
University Business
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General information

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Juan José Pons López

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 4

Teaching staff: 

Juan José Pons López

Teaching languages

  • Catalan
  • English

All materials written during classes and activities are in English.

Skills

Specific skills

  • E1. Demonstrate knowledge of the history of video games and analyze the reference video games with arguments based on evaluation criteria contextualized in the historical and cultural framework.

  • E2. Design the mechanics, rules, structure and narrative of video games following the criteria of gameplay and balance to provide the best possible gaming experience.

  • E3. Identify the type of player and design the game experience according to its psychological characteristics.

  • E4. Design a game and its monetization, taking into account the different parameters and variables that govern the business model of the product.

  • E5. Write the specifications of a game and communicate them effectively to the team of artists and developers and other members involved in the creation and development of the game.

General competencies

  • G1. Demonstrate having and understanding advanced knowledge of their area of ​​study that includes the theoretical, practical and methodological aspects, with a level of depth that reaches the forefront of knowledge.

  • G2. Solve complex problems in their field of work, by applying their knowledge, developing arguments and procedures, and using creative and innovative ideas.

  • G3. Gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of ​​study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant social, scientific, or ethical issues.

  • G4. Communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to a specialized and non-specialized audience.

Transversal competences

  • T1. Communicate in a third language, preferably English, with an appropriate level of oral and written communication and in accordance with the needs of graduates.

  • T2. Work as a member of an interdisciplinary team either as an additional member or performing management tasks in order to contribute to developing projects with pragmatism and a sense of responsibility, making commitments and taking into account available resources.

Description

Level Design prepares students for one of the most common and important professions in the video game development industry.

They will learn to generate quality playable content by meeting requirements previously designed in design documents.

Some specific faculties to highlight that will develop during the subject are:

  • Properly design each playable or aesthetic element that will shape a level or area of ​​a video game to be produced, taking it from the paper to the working editor.
  • Analyze and generate different game rhythms according to the genre or specific requirement of each level or area of ​​the project to be developed.
  • Understanding, analysis, design and implementation of techniquesscripting which allow to give more life and feedback to the player throughout a game level.
  • Ability and judgment to guide the player using basic visual resources such as lighting, differential aesthetic elements, etc., placing them within the artistic style required by the project.

Contents

  1. Introduction to level design basics

  2. LDD (Preproduction Blueprint)

  3. 2D platform level design framework (CCST)

  4. 3D Combat-multiplayer LD

  5. Player guidance

  6. boss design

  7. Levels tutorial

  8. Puzzles

  9. Prototyping

  10. Balancing & Game feel (UX)

  11. Playtesting

  12. Structure, Pacing & Flow

  13. rewarding

  14. Architectural and theme park

  15. Secret places

  16. Procedural narrative 

Evaluation system

The grade of each student will be calculated according to the following percentages:

  • A1. Lab Practice - Couples: Designing a "One Page Dungeon" Level 20%
  • A2. Lab Practice - Couples: Designing a Level "Movie Scene" 20%
  • A3. Individual work: Designing an "Unreal Iteration" level 30% 
  • A4. Final exam 30%

Final grade = A1 0,2 + A2 0,2 + A3 0,3 + A4 0,3

Considerations:

  • It is necessary to obtain a mark higher than 5 in the final exam to pass the subject.
  • An activity not delivered or delivered late and without justification (court summons or medical matter) counts as a 0.
  • In the case of detecting plagiarism, copying or fraud in any evaluable activity or test, this will automatically obtain a final grade of 0. Additionally, in cases of copying or fraud, both the person who copies and the person who allows copying are responsible for their conduct, and the consequences of the conduct affect all students involved in the irregular action. Regardless of the suspension caused by plagiarism, copying or fraud, the professor will notify the Department Management of the situation so that the applicable measures can be taken in terms of disciplinary regime and the initiation of the relevant disciplinary file.
  • Misspellings, writing errors and formal and technical problems specific to the subject will be penalized with 0,10 points, up to a maximum of 2 points, in all assessable activities and tests.
  • Delivery of activities in English will add points. However, if it is a level of English full of errors it will not.

Recovery:

  • It is necessary to obtain a mark superior to 5 in the final exam of recovery to pass the asignatura.
  • The mark of the resit exam will be applied only to the mark of the A4 activity.
  • In case of passing the recovery, the maximum final mark of the subject will be 5.

REFERENCES

Basic

Scott Rogers, Level Up !: The Guide to Great Video Game Design, Wiley; 2nd edition (April 28, 2014)

Tracy Fullerton, Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Third Edition, AK Peters / CRC Press; 3rd edition (March 5, 2014).

Level Design for Games: Creating Compelling Game Experiences; ADDISON WESLEY LONGMAN INC DIV PEARSON SUITE 300; 1st edition (February 16th, 2006)

Brenda Brathwaite and Ian Schreiber, Challenges for Game Designers, Cengage Learning; 1 edition (August 21, 2008)

Totten, C. (2019) An Architectural Approach to Level Design. AK Peters/CRC Press.

Galuzin, A. (2016) Preproduction Blueprint: How to Plan Game Environments and Level Designs. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Salmond, M. (2021) Video Game Level Design: How to Create Video Games with Emotion, Interaction, and Engagement. Bloomsbury Academic