Layout Techniques


Straight Hallways Are Best, "K, got it, then what?"

Whoa, hold on there! That's not all there is buddy. Sure, you're right; straight corridors or open spaces do make it easy for a player to run around freely, but come on, that's just plain BORING!

Here are some neat things you could do to make those spaces more exciting and indeed interesting.

Curves

Curves you say? Yes, curves. The Source engine may not like them, but there are ways to make them spot-on using brush-work and not give the engine undue stress. The way to go constructing them is beyond the scope of this tutorial. For those references, you can check out some of the other great tutorials and articles right here on SnarkPit. See the following:

• Perfect 90 Degree Curves (for HL1, but still valid in Source)
  
• Curved Architecture
  
• Arch Tool

Now, using curves to design and layout your level, you have the opportunity not only to have continuous flowing smooth surfaces to allow your player 'blocks' to move along, but also gives interest to the perimeter of the space. If you'd like to play for yourself some interesting maps that utilize curves (A LOT of them), then I suggest you try any of the HL2DM maps made by one SnarkPit member: Juim. He not only uses curves, but he puts them in spirals and spheres as well.


Open Z-axis

In level design, we call anything that goes up, the Z-axis. This nomenclature of course comes from the x-y Euclidean grid we all learned about in geometry class (Z is 'up' in the Source engine). By building or designing what might be called an 'open z-axis' you are focusing on a fairly large space that has different player-accessible levels of height. Think of this as a large stadium, where the height is constantly varied along the edges, but it is very 'open.' Or, on a smaller note, imagine a tall room with many catwalks intersecting across it at different heights. This would be considered an 'open space' with different player-accessible levels represented as catwalks.

By designing spaces with this 'feature' you add alternative paths that would otherwise go undetected. Any time a user would like to change levels, they could simply jump down to the level below them. Also, by allowing players to get above other players, you add a new dimension to the game. No longer are players limited to searching for enemies left and right, but now, must look up to attack or be attacked. Also forcing the player to look up gives you, the level designer, a chance to show off more of your detailing skill by making whatever they're looking up at more interesting; it really does add a new element to the game, like revealing hidden spaces.


Chutes & Ladders

Sometimes in creatively designed levels (those that kind of make up their own theme, or a theme of that old-style Quake type gameplay) will employ some game specific mechanics you won't ever find in real life or any other medium (except science fiction I imagine) that help to make a level more fun. These mechanics are often-time devices that shoot the player across the map, or perhaps even teleport them. These can be things from elevators, to moving platforms, or even something as simple as waiting for some kind of gate to open that could smash you if you take too long getting through it. These little devices, I'll call them 'interest zones', can help create areas of your levels that are just that. When you begin to do this, you are fluctuating the popular zones within a map. These popular zones will affect where the kill/death ratio occurs in your map and will therefore create 'hot spots' of activity. Likewise, spawn points can have a great adverse affect on determining possible hot spots. Placing too many of them in a location would obviously cause instant kills and spawn camping. But placing them relatively close but with some air of protection, then players may be inclined to take their time seeking their next victim after respawning. For multiplayer levels, you always want to give the impression that you're giving the player a head start when they spawn. The spawn point should always be advantageous to the player, never degenerative and ill-placed. It's how they're first going to see your world, so give them something to look at as well!




So, as you can see, different themes can present different styles of design and offer different styles of gameplay simply by placing them differently relative to one another.

So, what did we learn here? Read on to the last page to catch my conclusion!