{"id":135,"date":"2015-09-03T05:40:18","date_gmt":"2015-09-03T05:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/?page_id=135"},"modified":"2015-09-18T02:26:55","modified_gmt":"2015-09-18T02:26:55","slug":"gam-341-intro-to-level-design","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/gam-341-intro-to-level-design\/","title":{"rendered":"GAM 341 – Intro to Level Design – Fall 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"
updated 09\/17\/2015<\/pre>\n
Lecturer:<\/strong>\u00a0Rob Lockhart<\/p>\n
Email:<\/strong>\u00a0rlockha2@cdm.depaul.edu<\/a><\/p>\n
When\/Where:\u00a0<\/strong>Thursday 5:45PM \u00ad- 9:00PM \/ 14E Jackson (the Daley Building) Room 212<\/p>\n
Office Hours:<\/strong>\u00a0Thursday 9:00PM – 9:30PM (in class) & Friday 5:45PM – 6:45PM \/\u00a014E Jackson (the Daley Building) Room 200B<\/p>\n
Class Overview:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
This class is about crafting artificial spaces which convey something to the player. \u00a0That may be very specific information or a general mood. \u00a0What do evolutionary psychology and architecture have to say about this challenge? \u00a0What are the methods for sending a message to the player that level designers of the past have discovered? \u00a0How do those methods work, and how can they be generalized? As a tool for exploring these concepts, students will use Unreal Engine 4 and Blueprint.\u00a0\u00a0No prior art or programming experience is required, but GAM 245 is highly recommended as a prerequisite to this course. By the end of this course, students should be comfortable with the concepts and methods of level design, as well as some supporting technical skills.<\/p>\n
Learning Outcomes:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Students will<\/p>\n
    \n
  1. apply previously acquired game design principles and methods in the creation of levels.<\/li>\n
  2. develop a foundational literacy and confidence in basic level design techniques, including blockouts, player interactions and level events, and the creation of walkthroughs and maps.<\/li>\n
  3. show fluency in building levels in a 3D environment.<\/li>\n
  4. demonstrate literacy with a visual scripting language designed to support the creation of levels in a 3D environment.<\/li>\n
  5. participate working in a team to complete a jointly authored project.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    Course Tools:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \u2022 Course Management System: We will be using D2L as the primary CMS for this course.<\/p>\n
    \u2022 Unreal Engine 4 (UE4): UE4 is now available for\u00a0free download<\/a><\/p>\n
    \u2022 Screen cast software: Rather than uploading full levels you will be asked to create short videos of your\u00a0levels, using UE4\u2019s built in tools and a screen recording software like Quickcast (http:\/\/quickcast.io\/) OBS–open broadcasting software (https:\/\/obsproject.com\/) or some other tool of your choice. All videos will be\u00a0uploaded either to YouTube or Vimeo, NOT to the D2L Dropbox. That way you can preview your video to\u00a0make sure that it is working and will save time when reviewing each other\u2019s work, since you won\u2019t have to\u00a0download big video files.<\/p>\n
    Recommended Reading and Viewing:\u00a0Selected readings and videos will be accessible via D2L and the web. Access to these resources is free. \u00a0Information on assigned reading and viewing is provided in the GAM 341 Course Guide posted on D2L, as\u00a0well as in class.<\/p>\n
    Assignments:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    For most assignments you will be asked to:<\/p>\n
    1. Build a level in UE4 and Blueprint (and iterate on it as much as is possible\/necessary).<\/p>\n
    2. Record a video of someone OTHER THAN YOURSELF playing through the level (see tools above). \u00a0I want to hear someone else’s voice talking about why they’re doing what they’re doing while they’re doing it.<\/p>\n
    3. Upload this video to Vimeo or Youtube.<\/p>\n
    4. Go to the class discussion thread whose title is the name of the assignment. \u00a0Post a link to your video there.<\/p>\n
    5. This link must be posted before midnight on the night before the class on which the assignment is due. \u00a0For example, your first level is due September 21st, so you should post no later than September 21st at 12AM.<\/p>\n
    I am willing to grant extensions in some cases. \u00a0If you need an extension on an assignment, send an email to\u00a0rlockha2@cdm.depaul.edu<\/a>\u00a01-2 days before the assignment is due. \u00a0If you ask for an extension after the assignment is due it will not be granted.<\/p>\n
    Assignment List:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    1. Floor Plan & Rudimentary Level:<\/p>\n
    Sketch out the floor plan of a video game level which you have played. \u00a0Indicate on the map 5 locations where the designer(s) communicated some kind of information to you, the player. \u00a0Upload to Imgur.<\/p>\n
    Open Unreal and choose the third-person template level. \u00a0Switch the camera to 1st person. \u00a0Upload a video of yourself (no need for external playtesting) running around in the level.<\/p>\n
    2. A Pattern Realized:<\/p>\n
    Make a level which uses one level design pattern.\u00a0 Use simple shapes to build up the level blockout. Upload a video of someone else playing through it.<\/p>\n
    Go back to the Discussion thread from last weeks Homework.\u00a0 Think of something interesting to say about the work of one of your classmates and post it on the forum.<\/p>\n
    3. An Interesting Maze:<\/p>\n
    Build a level which takes 1 minute or more to get through and forces the player to backtrack 3+ times.<\/p>\n
    4. Use Your Power for Evil<\/p>\n
    Build a level with (at least) one door. \u00a0Try to prevent the player from attempting to use the door for three minutes or more. \u00a0Make as many areas as you need. \u00a0You may not block the player physically from entering the door — only psychologically.<\/p>\n
    5. What Happened Here?<\/p>\n
    Entirely through environment design, tell a simple story of an event which happened in the past. \u00a0The event must have happened between two characters. \u00a0One character must have received (or taken) something from the other. \u00a0The player must be able to tell what kind of real-world environment this level is emulating. \u00a0The player should be able to discover, indirectly, what the relationship was between the two characters and what changed possession.<\/p>\n
    6. A True Puzzle<\/p>\n
    Using the building blocks provided, build a puzzle which requires the player to form and execute a plan 3 steps long (or longer).<\/p>\n
    7. A Secret Room<\/p>\n
    Build a level with both a hidden object and a hidden doorway. \u00a0Tell the player to find the object and see if they find the doorway. \u00a0You must record 5 playtesters navigating the level. \u00a0You MUST PREDICT on October 22nd how many of those people (1-4) you aim to find the secret door. \u00a0Design your level to get as close as possible to your prediction.<\/p>\n
    8. Alternative Locomotion:<\/p>\n
    Choose JETPACK, WALK ON WALLS or JUMP REALLY HIGH. \u00a0Redo one of the earlier assignments (#2 – #7) to accommodate the affordances of this new locomotion.<\/p>\n
    9. Final Project:<\/p>\n
    Choose any of your previous levels and build upon it to make a portfolio level you can share with potential employers.<\/p>\n
    Class Schedule:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    <\/strong>This schedule may be updated as needed to reflect unanticipated circumstances that arise during the\u00a0quarter. Below is a general overview of topics and assignments.<\/p>\n
    Week 1: Sept. 10<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Evolutionary Psychology of Spaces – How does our species’ history shape the way we feel about the spaces we experience?<\/p>\n
    Week 2: Sept. 17<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Basic Level Design Patterns (and Anti-Patterns) – Linear, Trees, Hub-and-Spoke, etc.\u00a0Assignments Due:<\/strong>\u00a0Floor Plan & Rudimentary Level<\/p>\n
    September 22<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Last Day to Drop with No Penalty<\/p>\n
    Week 3: Sept. 24<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Mazes – What makes a maze difficult? What makes it interesting? \u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/V3-a58Wt2tk?t=41s<\/a>\u00a0Assignment Due:\u00a0<\/strong>A Pattern Realized.<\/p>\n
    Week 4: Oct. 1<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Player Behavior Manipulation. \u00a0Giving the player a subtle sense of purpose with Carrots, Beacons and Lines.\u00a0Assignment Due:\u00a0<\/strong>An Interesting Maze.<\/p>\n
    Week 5: Oct. 8<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Environmental Storytelling – Telling a story with physical evidence.\u00a0Assignment Due:<\/strong>\u00a0Use Your Power for Evil<\/p>\n
    Week 6: Oct 15<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Honest Puzzle Design – \u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0zVjdEhHmGo<\/a>\u00a0Assignment Due:<\/strong>\u00a0What happened here?<\/p>\n
    Week 7: Oct 22<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Secret Rooms – Giving a player a surprise and a sense of accomplishment at the same time.\u00a0Assignment Due:<\/strong>\u00a0A true puzzle.<\/p>\n
    October 27<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Last Day to Withdraw from Class with Penalty<\/p>\n
    Week 8: Oct 29<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Effects of Traversal Allowances on Level Design – How does level design change for rolling (in a vehicle) vs. walking vs. flying, etc.? Even simple allowances like side-to-side motion and contextual vs. free jumping.\u00a0Assignment Due:<\/strong>\u00a0A secret room.<\/p>\n
    Week 9: Nov. 5<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Non-Euclidean Spaces – Building levels in alternate geometries.\u00a0Assignment Due:<\/strong>\u00a0Alternative Locomotion<\/p>\n
    Week 10: Nov. 12<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0Levels which are not spaces.\u00a0 When designing levels for a text-adventure, an audio-only game, etc.\u00a0 How can we apply what we have learned about building virtual spaces to other domains?\u00a0Assignment Due:<\/strong>\u00a0A first draft of your final project. \u00a0For a final project, students will choose one of the levels from earlier assignments to elaborate upon.<\/p>\n
    Week 11: Nov. 19<\/strong>\u00a0– Final critiques\u00a0Assignment Due:<\/strong>\u00a0Final Project<\/p>\n
    Grading Scale:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    A indicates excellence. B indicates good work. C indicates satisfactory work. D work is unsatisfactory in some respect. F is substantially unsatisfactory work.<\/p>\n
    A = 100-93<\/p>\n
    A- = 92-90<\/p>\n
    B+ = 89-88<\/p>\n
    B = 87-83<\/p>\n
    B- = 82-80<\/p>\n
    C+ = 79-78<\/p>\n
    C = 77-73<\/p>\n
    C- = 72-70<\/p>\n
    D+ = 69-68<\/p>\n
    D = 67-63<\/p>\n
    D- = 62-60<\/p>\n
    F = 59-0<\/p>\n
    Time Budget for Coursework:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    Students should plan to spend a minimum of 12-14 hours a week on work for this course, which includes\u00a0time spent on level design, reading and viewing support resources, documenting and uploading\u00a0assignments, and participating in online discussions, check ins, and reviews. The hardest part of this\u00a0course for most students will be learning Blueprint, so please be prepared to spend the time necessary\u00a0to feel comfortable in that scripting environment by the end of the course. You will feel amazing if you\u00a0do, as you will then be able to create levels without relying on programmers to build them for you.<\/p>\n
    School Policies:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    Changes to Syllabus:\u00a0<\/strong>This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter.\u00a0 If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly\u00a0addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.<\/p>\n
    Online Course Evaluations:\u00a0<\/strong>Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course.\u00a0Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content\u00a0to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement\u00a0of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations\u00a0are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is\u00a0used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from\u00a0the student\u2019s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over\u00a0three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete\u00a0the evaluation online in\u00a0CampusConnect.<\/p>\n
    Incomplete Policy:\u00a0<\/strong>An incomplete grade is given only for an exceptional reason such as a death in the immediate family, a\u00a0serious illness, hospitalization, etc. Any such reason must be documented. Any incomplete request must\u00a0be made at least two weeks before the final and approved by the Dean of the College of Computing and\u00a0Digital Media. Any consequences resulting from a poor grade for the course will not be considered as valid\u00a0reasons for such a requests.<\/p>\n
    Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:\u00a0<\/strong>This course will be subject to the university’s academic integrity policy. More information can be found\u00a0at\u00a0http:\/\/academicintegrity.depaul.edu\/. If you have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.<\/p>\n
    Academic Policies:\u00a0<\/strong>All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for\u00a0enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the\u00a0University Academic Calendar.\u00a0\u00a0Information on enrollment,\u00a0withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at: cdm.depaul.edu\/enrollment.<\/p>\n
    Students with Disabilities:\u00a0<\/strong>Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact\u00a0the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.\u00a0To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the\u00a0instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that\u00a0you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at: csd@depaul.edu.<\/p>\n
    Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.<\/p>\n
    Phone number: (312)362-8002 | Fax: (312)362-6544 | TTY: (773)325.7296<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
    updated 09\/17\/2015 Lecturer:\u00a0Rob Lockhart Email:\u00a0rlockha2@cdm.depaul.edu When\/Where:\u00a0Thursday 5:45PM \u00ad- 9:00PM \/ 14E Jackson (the Daley Building) Room 212 Office Hours:\u00a0Thursday 9:00PM – 9:30PM (in class) & Friday 5:45PM – 6:45PM \/\u00a014E Jackson (the Daley Building) Room 200B Class Overview: This class is about crafting artificial spaces which convey something to the player. \u00a0That may be very […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"GAM 341 - Intro to Level Design - Fall 2015 - Bobby Lockhart","description":"updated 09\/17\/2015 Lecturer: \u00a0Rob Lockhart Email: \u00a0 rlockha2@cdm.depaul.edu When\/Where:\u00a0 Thursday 5:45PM \u00ad- 9:00PM \/ 14E Jackson (the Daley Building) Room 212 O"},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-135","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/135\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bobbylox.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}