Is Level Design Enough?

ChrisLambert

Hello all,

My first post - hopefully not a one post wonder! 
I'm very new to this so hopefully I don't roll too many eyes haha.

A lot of what I've seen to do with Level Design on here and on ArtStation is focused around designing/texturing your own assets.
Is it enough to design levels without using any of your own custom assets? For example in an engine with assets already included?
And then making those levels playable, with A.I?

Thank you

Brian "Panda" Choi

Designing and texturing your own assets is Environment Art

To dress/construct levels with environment assets is, in general, World Art/Building

To design the player experience by modifying the playspace is Level Design.

So if you're going for level design, it's totally fine to reuse assets.  Designers want to see design first, art somewhere later.  Mind you, it is nice to see custom art if possible.

Also, check out the Polycount Wiki:
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Polycount

ChrisLambert

Thank you ever so much for the response and clearing that up!
I also have all my lovely ugly design sketches to help show things were intentional - which I hope helps.

The Polycount Wiki is excellent, been looking at it a lot. I was just starting to question what I was doing because of all the amazing artwork haha.

Thanks again.

PixelMasher

some greybox layouts that clearly show encounter spaces, or player travel paths would be a good idea to include too. most level designers work in greyblock and hand it off to the art team to make look good, which is more efficient, because you are not wasting time trying to make stuff look good right off the bat, it's more important that it plays well.

NikhilR

I wonder if this might help op.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtuHAh9yciM

ChrisLambert

PixelMasher said:

some greybox layouts that clearly show encounter spaces, or player travel paths would be a good idea to include too. most level designers work in greyblock and hand it off to the art team to make look good, which is more efficient, because you are not wasting time trying to make stuff look good right off the bat, it's more important that it plays well.

That's a great idea, thank you! 
I only just read your article yesterday about using ArtStation for your portfolio, and as you work exactly where I want to - I will definitely be taking your advice haha.

Many thanks!

ChrisLambert

NikhilR said:

I wonder if this might help op.

Awesome, thanks for sharing!