[Question] Level Designer Portfolio
This is what I’ve been told by my level design teacher:
Level Design is about 2 things:
Can you create believable spaces – This is doesn’t mean realistic, as not all games are realistic, but it means that you need to be able to create spaces that have history and have realistic structure. Your levels should tell a story about what has happened before the player was there. A room or space has purpose. This means understanding the architectural principles that guide design so that the spaces seem believable, as if it has been used for other things, not just created for the sake of a game.
The level must facilitate the gameplay – This means understanding how the player will interact with the world. If it is a first person shooter, how will the player move through the world? How will they get the drop on their opponent? Understand what the player wants and allow them to do that. RPG? Exploration, Interaction, Discovery. FPS? Aggression, Speed, Evasion. All of these guide the shape and structure of the level. It’s also important to understand human desires, like to be in elevated and well lit positions.
What to put into my portfolio:
Once you master these two things, it is about diversity. Can you create a variety of levels in different styles and game types? Get very good with an engine and then experiment with different ones. Try the Elderscrolls construction set to show your ability to work in different engines. Create an RPG level in a realistic style, and an FPS level in a cartoony style, etc.
When you upload your work make sure you include all of the pre visual stuff that you have done, like level concept statements, top down and 3D sketches, etc. Also, upload the video but give it a voice over of you explaining your work as you guide the person through it.
Definitely do not create the art yourself. That is not what level design is about. When you find assets, if they look sharp that never hurts but people won't be too concerned about the quality of they know you didn't make them.
I would look into modding and creating levels for existing games. Get active on the forums and publish those levels. If you can get a solid player base for one of your maps, that will carry a lot of weight.
But I have several questions:
- I'm following along the Preproduction Blueprint pdf from http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/
- Should I make stand-alone environments, or just game environments? [referring to Step 0]
- I was told not to create my own art assets, but wouldn’t that limit what I can design and show off? (meaning that I can’t make my own new or drastically different ideas for environments/settings/themes) [referring to Step 2]
- If I only mod games with existing assets, then how would I create and showcase new ideas for environments/settings/theme that might not be available with current assets?
- I feel that it’s good to show that I can work within restrictions, but isn’t it also worth doing/necessary to show that I can design my own environment/setting/themes? (Let’s say for example, that I want to make an industrial coal plant with volcanic destruction, or an isolated weather-beaten lighthouse/shanty on a rainy rocky coast environment, or an Asylum that’s abandoned, dark, partially flooded, weather damaged, it’s raining and there’s a full moon) but there are no existing assets in the game level editor that would showcase my ideas, do I then scrap these Ideas and not pursue them, or do I spend the time to concept/model, uv, texture assets/etc? (Would that be wasting time?) (I was told to showcase everything from concept to completion)
- I’m trying to use my time wisely as I am working full time. I am not against putting in work if it is necessary, but I want to make sure that whatever I am working on is putting me in the right direction for my level design portfolio. Thank you.
Replies
- mastery of substance designer
- in engine
- zbrush hi res (the in engine showcase obviously would show lows, textures, bake quality, and proof of familiarity with game pipeline)
I'm looking to become a level designer, or do you mean that level design and environment artists are one in the same? (I thought that depends on the size of the studio)
If you're going more for design....I'd use an existing game editor preferrably from a popular game.
Good luck
If I were you I'd decide which one I want to be. If its an Enviro artist, then by all means make art, otherwise just focus on nailing the principles of good level design. Get into UE4 and Cryengine and start pumping out levels using their existing assets, from MP maps to single player scenarios.