Level Design Ideas

[Xboxless]

Okay, well guys, I am in college and one of my classes is Level Design. We work in hammer editor, and for our end project we need to make a whole level in Half-Life2: Deathmatch(actually any Valve game is ok, but Deathmatch is simple). I have some ideas, but I have a huge mental block.

 

So, I was thinking that if I have a few fresh ideas maybe it can help me. So if you guys can just throw out ideas, it would be much appreciated. You don't have to give me a drawing or a huge descriptive paragraph just throw me an idea. It can't be too big cause I have not made a level before.

 

As I said before, it would be much appreciated if you guys can help me. Thanks!

 

In hindsight, this would probably be better in either the gaming discussion or even the Tech and Pc place.

Edited November 1, 2010 by Xboxless

[mikabrown85]

 

Spamming up massive forums with SEO link spam? That's a paddlin'. - Andy (Post Removed)

Edited November 3, 2010 by Andy

[Tsuroki]

Okay, well guys, I am in college and one of my classes is Level Design. We work in hammer editor, and for our end project we need to make a whole level in Half-Life2: Deathmatch(actually any Valve game is ok, but Deathmatch is simple). I have some ideas, but I have a huge mental block.

 

So, I was thinking that if I have a few fresh ideas maybe it can help me. So if you guys can just throw out ideas, it would be much appreciated. You don't have to give me a drawing or a huge descriptive paragraph just throw me an idea. It can't be too big cause I have not made a level before.

 

As I said before, it would be much appreciated if you guys can help me. Thanks!

 

In hindsight, this would probably be better in either the gaming discussion or even the Tech and Pc place.

Indeed. Moving to Gaming Chat.

[coin-god]

What are you studying?

[cold fusion 33]

Look onto the Polycount forum, here:

http://www.polycount.com/forum/

 

This would probably be a much better place to look for references, advice and, most importantly, inspiration to help your project come alive. If I were you, I'd look at pictures related to what you want to make, is the environment going to be industrial? Urban? Medieval? Whatever it is, get a lot reference pictures, and I mean a LOT of reference pictures, they are vital to making a good environment. Make a mood board with them, play with ideas, imagine the level. Move on, drawing a simple mock up of the environment, on paper or on a computer, you choose, although I always prefer paper to drawing a level design on PC, but whatever works for you. Draw in key points that will make the level what it is, lights, where enemies will come from, an ammo stash, a place to hide, things that make the level unique, interactive and, most importantly, fun to play. Once that's done, and you've refined it, run through the level through in your head, make sure you like it and you're happy with it. I don't know a whole lot about Hammer, but from here on, make your level! Your work will be helped by the fact that you've spent time, and you've cared for the design of your level.

Edited November 3, 2010 by cold fusion 33

[coin-god]

^This. Good advice.

 

But if this is for a class, copy the idea from some game you like and start from there.The possibilities are endless.

[OysterBarron]

I love level desighn i used to do a bit of it for counter-strike back in the day!

 

nowdays i only use ingame editors like far crys / far cry 2 one. But when looking for inspiration for level design when im out and about i will look at the places i go and imagine what a game would be like with that certain layout of buildings and vantage points and recreate a section of it or as much as i can within the limits of the editor.

 

Like for example:

 

it suddenly dawned on me that part of my town center would be perfect for a map! in the center was a church nice vantage point for snipering, at one end was an above ground shoping precinct perfect for a spawn point and the opposite end of the church at the bottom of a market hill was a bank another perfect spawn point. from each spawn point it was a 45 sec run to the church so each team had an equal chance of getting to the vantage point. pretty much everyone out of the 500 people that downloaded it had a good time on it.

 

if your going for a deathmatch level once you have found inspiration i would stick to one main vantage point with spawn points an equal distance from the vantage point! Make sure that you balance out where the weapons are placed dont be putting a rpg infront of one spawn and a pistol infront of the other!

 

as your doing a course you probably know half the stuff ive said allready!

 

When i saw a mapper for modernwarfare doing an interview he said the balancing of the map is more important than the map itself! well i took his infomation and a place of my choosing and managed to merge them together and i made probabaly the best map i have ever was very pleased with the results?

 

Well i hope i help in someway will keep my eye on this topic to see how you get on!

 

 

[Blizzard14]

Wait, you HAVE to make a level for HL2:DM? Or did you choose to? Because I thought that you need to buy a game from steam to be allowed to download the Source SDK.

Meaning, you have to buy a videogame for school. I uhh...wow.

[coin-god]

School is not College.

[Xboxless]

 

Wait, you HAVE to make a level for HL2:DM? Or did you choose to? Because I thought that you need to buy a game from steam to be allowed to download the Source SDK.

Meaning, you have to buy a videogame for school. I uhh...wow.

No, he gave us steam accounts. We only have them for as long as we are in this class.

I chose to do DM, but, I can do TF2, L4D, L4D2. Really any valve game, but, DM is the simplest to make.

 

Also, to everybody else. Thanks a lot for the info, some of it we cover in class, but generally this was all helpful. Especially after I thought this thread was pretty much dead. haha.

[cold fusion 33]

It would be nice to see your work if you're happy with it, I always love seeing other peoples art .