Egotistic Level Design

There seems to be some egotistical desire for some level designers to want to kill or punish the Player. Sometimes it just feels like, to them, level design is the thousand and one ways I can kill the Player. I wonder: will the level designer himself gain anything by doing so?

Would the level designer, by doing so:

• Prove himself to be superior?
• Show that he is smarter?
• Satisfy him… somehow?

Killing / punishing the Player and providing a challenge for the Player are 2 different things. The primary goal of a game level is to let the Player experience the game, guide him along the story, put him in interesting situation and let him overcome them… not just to kill or punish.

There is nothing to be gained by doing so. No one would think that the Level Designer is clever or godly or whatever by doing so. No one would say,”Wow! I’ve just been killed in this area in this way! Thats a clever level design!”

Its even worse if the Level Designer himself already knows and identified the problematic areas and decides that if the Player does something that gets him punished, its the Player’s fault, for not being able to read the Level Designer’s mind and do what the Level Designer wants him to do. Not only is it egotistical and lack of respect for the Player, it is also plain laziness and sloppy work.

If there is problem, fix it. Don’t assume players know that there is something wrong in the area, and would avoid the areas. Its the first time that the Player are going through the area, and always keep that in mind when creating the levels. Doesn’t matter if the designer already knows every inch of the whole level.

Put yourself in the shoe of the Player when creating your level.

Tags: Game Level Designs