posted 04-19-2002 01:55 PM               

1) It has to be compelling, able to draw the player into the scenerio.

2) It has to surprise the player, no one likes to see the same things over and over.

3) The gameplay needs to be only just difficult enough so the player always succeeds, but in the same token it can't be too easy or the player will go and do something else instead; like fall asleep

4) The scenerio can be a real place or a fictional place but if it is a real place, it has to look the part. If it's a fictional place, then it should be as outrageous and original as possible (Psiko's level is a good example of this)

5) Lara has to be given something interesting to do, just flicking umpteen switches does nothing for anybody.

So, can anybody think of any more?

posted 04-20-2002 07:44 AM               

Cameras and Audios: try to use flyby cameras the less as possible. At least I try this. For many reasons. The use of the FB cams is often to show you the location exactly when you came into it... It is "normal" as the level designer sometimes likes what he did build, so he wants to give you a landscape view of that location with a flybycam sequence. Well, I find this can be differently used. First of all, sometimes the location could be not that "wonderful", and sometimes the audio is NOT timed with the lenght of the sequence! and sometimes neither aimed to the "mood"...
My solution (and my own opinion) is to search for audios on the internet or create them by yourself, or, use the ones provided with the TRLE which are a "little bit longer" than the flybycam sequence... after the audio is finished, if the cams still fly, it gives the player a sort of "anguish" for the silence and the fact you cannot use Lara... I used a "silent" flyby cam sequence in the COTW, but that is exactly to solve the puzzle! Infact, if you don't press the "look button" to stop it, you won't have time enough to finish the timed run... Another use for the flyby cam is to help players to find their way with a sort of "path" which is showed by the sequence itself...

Enemies and objects: it is normal that enemies must fit the story... finding a new enemy just around the corner or behind a column makes me to ask "what is he doing here?"... so I will suggest to put your enemies to protect an artefact like if it is on guard, or, if you want to fight at any cost with many enemies, try to find or invent a new way to face them... example: in one of my levels I put an enemy while monkeyswinging, but that was a "face to face" fighting even if lara and the enemy were to far one each other... that was because Lara was up above a column, so completely "naked" to him... but if she crawled repeatedly just to distract the enemy, she could fire without being fired and without losing health... Searching for things like this are even "psiko"logically (LOL) interesting to tell the story to the players...

Textures and lights: it is sure that "repeating" is not that beautiful, and I had several discussions about the "customizations". If you don't want to "customize" make a nice use of what you have... (those are always MY OWN suggestions). For example, I like coloured lights, but I often use this kind of method: two lights completely different and a shodow in the middle... this gives the locations a "3D" look which I love. Then I try to find different ways for the illuminations. It could be normal to make clear ambients for the outsides and dark ambients for the insides. Instead, I did build until now dark places (not black, I like light and illumination) for the outsides, but very illuminated places for the insides!!... in this way you have the "pychological" sensation to go inside "something already explored" like if someone is near to you and is going to fire you...

posted 04-20-2002 06:33 PM               

A good level has great architecture, and minimum stretched or skewed textures. It doesn't have to have the best textures, but a good variety. The architecture is more important to me.

Puzzles should be original, but I never mind puzzles from TR1, so long as they are replicated well or with something unique (something I'm horrable at )

I, like many, don't like repetitive switches, but I do love puzzles involving them. As for puzzle items, I could care less if they are custom or from TR1-5, it all depends on how they are used, and how many of them are used.

Just with basic objects, you don't need custom objects to make a great level, look at "Ceremony" from Recon Labs III