Common practice for modular dungeon level design? (top down games)
polycounter lvl 7
Yo all,
I'm working on a top down, action adventure game.
We're prototyping, and I'm trying to find the best way to create a workflow that allows quick iterations on levels.
For this question I'll focus on dungeons specifically, because that's where I'm facing most of the trouble.
Right now I'm starting, for example, with a flat/modified terrain. On it I'll place models of a big cliff with a collider on it, which together form roads and rooms. I'll populate an entire level like this - using objects with a certain loose footprint, until I get the design I'm aiming for.
The thing is, very quickly levels become filled with hundreds and hundreds of objects, and are very hard to manage. In addition light baking is quickly becoming a nightmare, each bake taking hours and hours to complete, making it impossible for me to test my lighting on the fly. I was thinking of many ways to change it, but didn't want to chase my own tail or reinvent the wheel in the process, so here I am.
I was wondering what are some common practices in games like these, in terms of asset creation and work methodologies? Also if you guys know of good reading material on this, I'd be happy to know.
I'm referring to any top down, 3D dungeon crawler games like Diablo 3, Gauntlet, Helldivers, etc.
I'm working on a top down, action adventure game.
We're prototyping, and I'm trying to find the best way to create a workflow that allows quick iterations on levels.
For this question I'll focus on dungeons specifically, because that's where I'm facing most of the trouble.
Right now I'm starting, for example, with a flat/modified terrain. On it I'll place models of a big cliff with a collider on it, which together form roads and rooms. I'll populate an entire level like this - using objects with a certain loose footprint, until I get the design I'm aiming for.
The thing is, very quickly levels become filled with hundreds and hundreds of objects, and are very hard to manage. In addition light baking is quickly becoming a nightmare, each bake taking hours and hours to complete, making it impossible for me to test my lighting on the fly. I was thinking of many ways to change it, but didn't want to chase my own tail or reinvent the wheel in the process, so here I am.
I was wondering what are some common practices in games like these, in terms of asset creation and work methodologies? Also if you guys know of good reading material on this, I'd be happy to know.
I'm referring to any top down, 3D dungeon crawler games like Diablo 3, Gauntlet, Helldivers, etc.