level design in a day skyrim fallout

7/25/2019 Level Design in a Day Skyrim Fallout

1/97

The

Iterative Level Design Processwhich helped us shipFallout 3 & Skyrim(on time)

Joel BurgessSenior Designer, Bethesda Game Studios


2/97


3/97

Iteration in Game Developme

Progressive Improvement

Widely Embraced

Proven Plan

Test


4/97

Iterative UI Design Study J. Nielsen, 93


5/97

Iteration in Game Developme

Progressive Improvement

Widely Embraced

Proven

Many Meanings


6/97


7/97


8/97


9/97


10/97


11/97

+30% Cloak on Kill-25 Max HP on user

Stealthier KillingCannot use Disguise Kit

Hats.Everybody loves Hats


12/97


13/97


14/97

STRUCTURAL ITERATION

Iteration in Level Design

FinaBuildPlan


15/97



F?BuildPlan


16/97



FPlaytestBuildPlan

QUALITATIVE

ITERATION


17/97


18/97

The Importance of Process

Make the game you Want

the way you want to make it.

Iteration is a Process Choice

Process itself can be iterated upon


19/97


20/97

The Bethesda LD Process

Begins w/Fallout 3

New Level Design Team

Existing Tools/Workflow

Iteration as Core Value


21/97

Parameters of our Situation:

Massive amount of content


22/97


23/97


Massive amount of content

Desire to Increase LD Quality

Known Scheduling Dates


24/97


25/97


26/97


Massive amount of content (150+ L

Desire to Increase LD Quality

Known Scheduling Dates

Known Inter-Dependencies Little or no staff fluctuation

Desire for Healthy Quality of Life


27/97


28/97

$$

$$

No Iteration What if?

MAKE LEVEL

HAVEGREATIDEA


29/97

$$

$$

Adding Iteration

MAKE LEVEL

HAVEGREATIDEA


30/97

VersFo

VersionThree

Breaking Workflow Down

VersionTwo

Level A

Ver.1Concept

Ver.2Layout

Ver.3Markup

Ver.4Polish


31/97

VersFo

VersionThree

Continuous Iteration

VersionTwo

VersionOne

Level A

Level A Level B Leve


32/97

January February

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON T

1 1 2 3 4 5 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 27 28 29

30 31LEVEL A LEVEL B LEV


33/97

VersFo

VersionThree

Continuous vs Spaced Iterati

VersionTwo

Level A

Ver.1Concept

Ver.2Layout

Ver.3Markup

Ver.4Polish


34/97

Continuous vs Spaced Iterati

V3 allotherlevels

V3Lv.A

V2 allotherlevels

V2Lv.A

V1 allotherlevels

V1Lv.A


35/97

January February

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON T1 1 2 3 4 5 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 27 28 29

30 31

n1

st

Passn

2nd

Passn

3rd

Passn

4th


36/97

Benefits of Spaced Iteration

Keep Fresh, Prevent Boredom Incrementally Work on Strong Foun

Time to Get, Assess, Incorporate Fe

Focused Efforts per Iteration Copes With Growth of the Project


37/97

Game Development is Chaos

Many Moving Parts Interconnected Dependencies

Timing & Context Matter


38/97

Inter-Dependency

Great Code + Great Art = Great Le Great Code & Great Art Take Time

What can Level Designers do early


39/97

Early in the dev cycle

Less to Work With

Everything is Possible

Focus can be Difficult

Little Known or Proven

Good Design is Difficult

Late in the De

Lots to Work

Possibilities

High Focus A

Ideas have bProven or Fa

Best Stuff Hap


40/97

The Bethesda Level Designer

Core Skillset Layout, Gameplay, Markup, Scripting, Perf


41/97


42/97

The Bethesda Level Designer

Core Skillset Layout, Gameplay, Markup, Scripting, Perf

Additional Responsibilities

Writing, Systems, Prototyping, Tools, mor

Split Focus Benefits:

Personal Growth as a Developer

Maximizes Productivity


43/97

Level Designer Role Split

Building LevelsOther Duties

EARLY DEV

Building LevOther Dut

LATE DE


44/97

Level Design Opportunity Tim

Best Design Happens @ the End Identifying Opportunity

Content Cram vs Opportunity Time

How do we create opportunity


45/97


46/97

Iterative Passes = Laying Found


47/97


48/97


49/97

CONCEP

Pass Zero: Planning

The Game is just out ofpre-production; almostnothing exists yet. Amaster list of levels has

been generated andassigned.


50/97

Pass Zero: Planning

One-Sheet Wiki Pitch Keep It Short

Focus on One Unique Thing

Story: Purpose, History, Current Eve Generate Asset Request List


51/97

What NOT to do on a pass

Importance of Restraint Avoid Needless Work

Whats Efficient NOW?


52/97

What not to do @ Pass Zero

No Editor Layouts No Detailed Paper Maps


53/97


54/97

What not to do @ Pass Zero

No Editor Layouts No Detailed Paper Maps

No Fluff Documentation


55/97

Time Passes


56/97


57/97

CONCEP

LAYOUT

Pass One: Layout

Full production is rampingup, but core mechanicsare still missing. LevelDesign and Art have

worked together to makeLevel kits available.


58/97

Pass One: Layout

Build up a Complete Layout Basic Rhythm and Flow

Learning & Stress Testing the Kits

Incidental Writing Connectivity & World Data


59/97

What not to do @ Pass One

No Optimization No Navmesh or Encounters

No Lighting or Cluttering

No Kitbashing & Arthacks


60/97


61/97


62/97


63/97

Kitbashing & Arthacks

Dont Do This On Early Passes Expose Problems Dont Cover Up

Putting Lipstick on the Pig

Last Resort? Different Story.


64/97

l


65/97

CONCEP

LAYOUT

GAMEPLA

Pass Two: Gameplay

Core Mechanics are takingshape, and the game is

playable - even fun, underthe correct circumstances.

Primary enemy types andweapons are available,although unpolished.

G l


66/97

Pass Two: Gameplay

Enemies, Patrols, Loot, Scenes Navmesh: AI Pathing Support

First Pass Revisions (if Applicable)

Non-Combat Beats (Placeholder Oka Early Optimization Bounds


67/97

Why Optimize Now?

Wh t t t d @ P T


68/97

What not to do @ Pass Two


69/97

Wh t t t d @ P T


70/97

What not to do @ Pass Two

Dont Blow it all up and start over Tempting! New art, new ideas, sick of

Different, Not Better.

No In-depth scripting or handling

Proof-of-Concept functionality

Minimize pain of later changes

G th i F db k


71/97

Gathering Feedback

Anecdotal feedback Group Critiques, Peer Review

Artist & Lead Notes

Compile, Collate, Look for Trends Reserve Reactions for Later


72/97

Pass Three: Content Complet


73/97

CONCEP

LAYOUT

GAMEPLA

COMPLET


Almost all gameplaysystems are functional.The majority of non-unique art is complete.

The Home Stretch is justwithin sight.



74/97


Nothing Temp, Missing or Unaccoun Detail & Refine Gameplay

Reconcile w/Systems Design Goals

Work in Feedback Pairs


75/97

What not to do @ Pass Three


76/97

What not to do @ Pass Three

No Detailed optimization Wait for final lighting/clutter

Dont Neglect Non-Golden Path


77/97

Okay, so a minor confession

We dont really call it that.

The Ship With Shame Pass


78/97

The Ship With Shame Pass

Complete doesnt mean Quality Cementing Confidence in the Level

Confidence it will get done

Confidence it will be good

Onward To Opportunity Time

When It Just Isnt Working


79/97

When It Just Isn t Working

Re-Design Not Taken Lightly Repurposing, Down-Scoping

Mulligan Pass

Cuts

Strike Teams

Short Push vs Death March


80/97

Short Push vs Death March

Short, Self-Assigned Crunch

When It Just Isnt Working


81/97

When It Just Isn t Working

Re-Design Not Taken Lightly Repurposing, Down-Scoping

Mulligan Pass

Cuts

Strike Teams

Crunch


82/97

Bonus Pass: Lighting FX Clu


83/97

CONCEP

LAYOUT

GAMEPLA

COMPLET

Bonus Pass: Lighting, FX, Clu

The project focus isshifting to polish andoptimization, and artistsnow have bandwidth to

pitch in to help visuallypolish the levels wevecreated.

Beauty Passes


84/97

Beauty Passes

Lighting, Clutter, Effects, Sound Artists Do this Better & Faster

Level Designer is MostlyHands-Off

Communicate Needs and Intent

What not to do @ Beauty Pas


85/97

What not to do @ Beauty Pas

Dont Disengage


86/97


87/97


88/97

Final Pass: Polish, Polish, Pol


89/97

CONCEP

LAYOUT

GAMEPLA

COMPLET

POLISH

Final Pass: Polish, Polish, Pol

The Game is feature-complete and nearly done.Things will be finalizedsoon, and this is the time

we have to polish andmake sure everything istop quality by ship.

Final Pass: Polish


90/97

Final Pass: Polish

Identify Opportunities and Improve Respond to Accumulated Feedback

React to Late-Dev Realizations

Low-Hanging Fruit

Incorporate Final Assets Test on Target Platforms

Final Navmesh & Optimization


91/97

Another Confession

Fourth Pass is NotAlways Final Pass


92/97

POLISH

POLISH


93/97

Structural Iteration

Qualitative Iteration

CONCEP

LAYOUT

GAMEPLA

COMPLET

POLISH

POLISH

POLISH

POLISH

POLISH

POLISH


94/97

Structural Iteration

OPPORTUNITY TIME

CONCEP

LAYOUT

GAMEPLA

COMPLET

POLISH

POLISH

POLISH

POLISH


95/97

Keep the Big Picture In Sight


96/97

p g g

Polish Parity

No Game Gets Finished

Do the Best You Can While You Can

Work Healthy, Be Healthy

Make Great Things - For A Long Tim


97/97

[email protected]@JoelBurgess

Nielsen Group Iterative Design Study:http://www.nngroup.com/articles/iterative-design/

Gunpoint Development Blog & Overviewhttp://www.pentadact.com/2013-10-15-gunpoint-developmen

This Slide Deck will be made available onlinehttp://blog.joelburgess.com/p/design-talks.html

level design in a day skyrim fallout

Documents