Leveldesign at The Game Assembly

The Game Assembly has applied to start up a program in Leveldesign next year. The Yh-myndigheten that grants these things will give us an answer in the middle of January. We are waiting impatiently since this will give The Game Assembly an even more complete game developing force.

It´s not just because we at The Game Assembly want to have this course (we do but), it´s because the game industry really need this type of specialists in their company. There is no Level design education in Sweden now only Game design. And since there is no big market for game designers we can´t and won´t start up a program in it. And the likelyness that a a freshly educated game designer will get a job as an game designer in the game industry is low we don´t wan´t to fool people.

But there is a lack of Leveldesigners.

What does a Leveldesigner do?

Well, when the game designer has set the game play of the game and the Art Director has set the art style of the game it is the leveldesigners task to make up an idea for the level/the map, the spatial course of the game. This is made digital.

This digital level model, together with the moodpaintings, will be an important foundation of the discussion when it comes to secure the story in the game, the gameplay, the graphical style and characters. It is important that all these parts correspond with each other.

From the result of this discussion the leveldesigner can go on working with the look of the actual game space, the feelings of the materials, the expressions of the constructions, details on buildings, the arcitectural expression in the fasads in cooperation with the Art director and the other artists.

To apply for Leveldesign you need to have a good eye for environment but you also need to have a good sense of logical thinking. The eye for environment beacause the leveldesigner will make the look of levels. The game artists will do the final touch and the art for the levels but the levelartist need to set the over all feeling. A good sense of logical thinking is necessary since the leveldesigner must make the map of the level interesting. Some of the leveldesigners also need to script.

Lately the work category Leveldesign has been devided in to two areas; environment artists and mission scripters. What the environment artist do is somewhat clear but the mission scripter is the person who makes the missions in the game. Scripting is a easier level of programming and the missionscripter make the action balanced and fun.

At the moment we hope Yh-myndigheten listens to teh game industry and their need for leveldesigners. Stay tuned! In January we know more.