the iterative level design process for bioware’s mass effect 2
DESCRIPTION
The Iterative Level Design Process for BioWare’s MASS EFFECT 2. Game Developer Conference 2009. Corey Andruko – Project Manager, Mass Effect 2 Dusty Everman – Lead Level Designer, Mass Effect 2. MASS EFFECT 2: Level Design. Do only the work that answers the right questions in the right order. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Iterative Level Design Process for BioWare’s
MASS EFFECT 2
Game Developer Conference 2009
Corey Andruko – Project Manager, Mass Effect 2Dusty Everman – Lead Level Designer, Mass Effect 2
MASS EFFECT2: Level Design
Do only the work that answers the right questions in the right order
AgendaI. Level Design on MASS EFFECT (ME)
• Review process, assess problems, identify source
II. Theory – MASS EFFECT 2 Level Design• Examine the phases & the questions they answer
III. Application – How is it going?• How are we implementing it (Agile, Lean)• What’s working well (and what’s not)
IV. ConclusionV. Q&A
ME2 Level Design
ME2 Iterative Design Process • Evolution from lessons learned during ME1
ME1: Level Creation Teams• Writers
• plots, characters, dialog, journals
• Level Artists• layout, modeling, texturing, lighting
• Cinematic Animators• animator cutscenes
• Cinematic Designers• cinematic dialogs, designer cutscenes
• Technical Designers• scripting, integration of level content
ME1: Level CreationPlots
(Writer)
2D Map(Writer/
Level Artist) Block Level(Level Artist)
LevelArt
(Level Artist)
Combats,Plots
(Tech Design)
Performance Optimized(Everyone)
Dialogs(Writers/
Cine Design)Cutscenes (Cine Anim)
ME1: Level Creation Problems
• “Silo Mentality”: Focus on disciplines, not levels• Assumes pieces will just fit together• Deliverables not always judged in game
• Iterations within one silo have hidden costs in other silos• Narrative changes affect geometry• Geometry changes affect scripting• Scripting changes affect cinematics• Etc.
• A rippling “rework” effect occurs.
ME1: Level Creation Problems
• Impact of Silo Mentality• Costly and unplanned iterations• Cross department communication isn’t encouraged• Intractable performance issues• Levels rarely playable
o Difficult to evaluate new game mechanics or creatures
o QA testing hinderedo Late review of content
• Cut content (e.g. Caleston)
ME2: The Phased Level Creation Approach
• Purpose: Get answers to critical questions early, and only do the work that is required to get those answers
Basic Premise: o Always playableo Always a foundationo Always at performance
ME2: Level Creation Phases
• Phase 0: Narrative Overview• Phase 1: Narrative Playable• Phase 2: White Box• Phase 3: Orange Box• Phase 4: Hardening• Phase 5: Finaling
ME2: Level Creation Phases• Phase 0: Narrative Overview
• What is the story?• Deliverable: Documentation
o Narrativeo Characterso 2-D Layouto Art Themeso Cutscene Descriptions
ME2: Level Creation Phases• Phase 1: Narrative Playable
• Is the pacing and spacing good?• Deliverable: First Playable
o Box Level Geometryo Concept Arto Placeholder Set Pieceso “Box Level” Dialogso Pop-up Cutsceneso Prototyped Level
Mechanics
• “Level Blasting Site”
ME2: Level Creation Phases• Phase 2: White Box
• Can you see the fun?• Deliverable: Representative Collision
o Box Level Geometry -> First Pass Static Mesh
o First Pass Dialog
o Bronze Combats, (basic cover placement)
o Animatic Cutscenes
o Placeholder Music
ME2: Level Creation Phases• Phase 3: Orange Box
• Is it fun?• Deliverable: Actual Collision
o Untextured Static Mesho Dialog Ready for VOo Dialogs Cinematically
Blocked Outo Silver Combats
(full cover placement)o Basic MoCap Cutscenes
ME2: Level Creation Phases• Phase 4: Hardening
• Could this be shipped?• Deliverable: “Finished” Level
o Textured and Lit Level Arto VO’d Dialogo Cinematic Dialogo Gold Combats
(fully scripted)o Smooth Motion Cutsceneso Actual Music and Audio
ME2: Level Creation Phases• Phase 5: Finaling
• Can you feel the awesome?• Deliverable: Final Level
o Everything tweaked, balanced, and polished.
ME2: Level Creation Phases
Example VideosCombat
ME2: Level Creation Phases
Example VideosDialog and Cutscenes
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
What we borrow from Lean Manufacturing
• Focus on the elimination of waste
oMuda: “waste” from non-value added work• Only do the work we are willing to iterate upon
oMuri: “overburden”• Time boxes & load balancing
oMura: “variation”• Established deliverables at each phase
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
What we borrow from Lean (cont’d)
• Kaizen (wisdom through learning)
oContinuous improvement plan
• Level Reviews … at each phase (can “raise the bar”)
• Peer Reviews … 1 time events
• Level Design “Mindshare” meetings … weekly
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
Agile & Scrum - Terminology• Backlog:
o List of prioritized functionality you want added to your game
• Sprint:o Fixed period of time in which a team’s goals do
not change
• Sprint Review:o Formal review of a team’s Sprint goals
• Time Box:o Time value for how much you are willing to
invest in a specific amount of content
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
Agile & Scrum• ME2 Project overall uses Scrum
o Sprint planning initially worked well for Level Design
• Established Time Boxes, called out technical complexity
o Level Design has shifted away from Scrum
• Retained principles - playable levels, communication
• We don’t always live in the ideal worldo Hitting Time Boxes over completing specific levels
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
Agile & Scrum (cont’d)
• Team Size & Compositiono “Dogpiles”oStick to the core
• Product Owner & ReviewsoAt-desk previewsoCreative signoffoAre the next steps clear?
What Works• Pairing Level Art & Level Design• Co-locating Teams
• Time-boxing• Going deep with some levels
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
What Works (cont’d)
• Proving out content and systems in-game
• Evaluating levels in sections (as necessary)
• Being agile with your Agile process
• Stopping to assess the big picture
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
ME2 Level Creation: Our Production Process
What Doesn’t Work (Pitfalls)
• Missing a step can hurt (e.g. Concept Art, Writing)
• “Special Snowflakes” - every level wants to be one
• Level teams getting too big
• Creatures need to be “representative” early
ME2 Level Creation: Conclusion
Reflection• Would this have worked on ME1?
oYES … the “questions” may have been different
oCaleston would have been reviewed earlier
oLess integration work (Level Art & Level Design)
oCaught performance issues earlier
• Hitching or long load elevators on the Citadel
ME2 Level Creation: Conclusion
Do only the work that answers the right questions in the right order
