Level Design Portfolio Requirements?

Greg DAlessandro

I plan on becoming a level designer, but I am not sure what should be/ doesn’t need to be in my portfolio. I have several questions:

1. Does anyone know what my portfolio needs/should be included?

   1. Is there a list of things that I must show?

2. How far into the level design process do I need to showcase?

   1. Do I need to create and show a level/game design document?

   2. Do I need to show blockouts?

   3. Do I need to show the post-blockout phase (actual art assets in the scene)

   4. Do I need to show a playable level?

3. Do I need to show post-playtest changes?

4. For scripting AI or events: Should I just show screenshots of the code itself/ blueprints?

   1. Is there a better way to show technical knowledge for level design?

5. Do I need to show that I know how to work with different engines? (Unity, Unreal Engine 4, Skyrim Creation Kit?)

   1. How do I showcase this?

   2. Do I need more than these 3? (Are there better options to showcase?)

6. Does anyone know of any good examples of level design portfiolios that I should strive for? The only ones that I have seen are ones that have industry experience showcasing fully released games, so I don’t know what I can show without showcasing fully complete levels.

Thank you. I really appreciate the help.

Eric Chadwick

These are great questions. Many of them have been answered before, and fairly recently.

Did you do a forum search?
http://polycount.com/search?Search=level+design+portfolio

Did you see these resources?
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Level_Design

Lastly, what do you have so far? Showing what you have allows for targeted feedback. A portfolio link in your signature is a good thing to have, at the very least, even if WIP.

beefaroni

As Eric has said this question has been answered a few times recently. The short version of my response would be.

https://www.mapcore.org/

MephistonX

check out some example portfolios here 

http://level-design.org/portfolios_list/

lots of other useful info on there too 

Shrike

Yourname942 said:

I plan on becoming a level designer, but I am not sure what should be/ doesn’t need to be in my portfolio. I have several questions:

1. Does anyone know what my portfolio needs/should be included?

   1. Is there a list of things that I must show? No
      

2. How far into the level design process do I need to showcase?

   1. Do I need to create and show a level/game design document? - Recommended, show at least some overview maps with thoughts and paths, heatmaps maybe, be creative
      

   2. Do I need to show blockouts? - Definitely
      

   3. Do I need to show the post-blockout phase (actual art assets in the scene) - Else you'd only had blockouts, so yes. Many games offer asset databases to use for their mapmaking
      

   4. Do I need to show a playable level? - Yes, else how do you know your leveldesign works ?
      

3. Do I need to show post-playtest changes? - Recommended, leveldesign or anything in gamedev is about iteration
   

4. For scripting AI or events: Should I just show screenshots of the code itself/ blueprints? - Not needed but can be nice or superfluous
   

   1. Is there a better way to show technical knowledge for level design? - Its more about design than tech, show design skills, tech is bonus
      

5. Do I need to show that I know how to work with different engines? (Unity, Unreal Engine 4, Skyrim Creation Kit?) - Pretty much yes
   

   1. How do I showcase this? - Just Make things in unity & unreal, maaybe source and or cryengine, but many will have proprietary engines
      

   2. Do I need more than these 3? (Are there better options to showcase?) - Likely not but it can make a good impression. Good Design is universal, engines are just tools
      

Thank you. I really appreciate the help.

Pretty much all good level designers come from modding, make maps for unreal tournament, CSGO or Team fortress per example, stuff that is playable where you have assets for your disposal and you don't require anything else to playtest it. Thats what I always recommend. Playable levels in real games are just so much more valuable, and they offer tons of assets so you can even make it look nice. Its win/win.

Steppenwolf

Yourname942 said:

I don’t know what I can show without showcasing fully complete levels.

This is pretty important tho. I see a bunch of "speed level design" stuff or whatever on youtube nowadays but it's kinda missing the point. Ther's two routes you can go with level design. Either you want to be the guy who scripts the gameplay or the guy who dresses up the levels with art and takes care that everything runs smooth while looking good. In both cases i would highly recommend to demonstrate knowledge of and patience for the whole process, not just little pieces here and there. If you go the scripting route you can get away with placeholder art tho.