An Architectural Approach to Level Design

Christopher Totten is an assistant professor of game design at George Mason University with a master’s degree in architecture from the Catholic University of America. He recently founded an indie game studio, Pie for Breakfast Studios, and has previously worked on several indie mobile and serious game projects as an artist, art director, animator, level designer, and producer. He has written articles for Gamasutra, VideoGameWriters, and GameCareerGuide as well as the book Game Character Creation with Blender and Unity. He is a steering committee member for the IGDA Washington, D.C. chapter and has been featured at GDC China, East Coast Game Conference, DiGRA, and other industry events.

A Brief History of Architecture and Level Design
Breaking the Rules of Level Design
An Experiential History of Architecture
The History of Gamespaces
Ways of Seeing for Level Design





Tools and Techniques for Level Design
Level Design Goals for Creating Game Experiences
Non-Digital Level Design Tools
Digital Level Design Tools
Level Design Workflows
Engine-Specific Methodologies





Basic Gamespaces
Architectural Spatial Arrangements
Historic Gamespace Structures
Spatial Size Types
Molecule Level Spaces
Form Follows Gameplay with Proximity Diagrams
Hub Spaces
Sandbox Gamespaces
Considerations of Camera
Enemies as Alternative Architecture





Teaching in Levels through Visual Communication
Teaching Theories for Game Levels
Symbols and Visual Design in Games
Architectural Forms and Types
Teaching Gameplay through Advertising Methods
Controlling Information in Memory Palaces





Introducing Emotional Level Design through Survival Instincts
Survival Instincts and Player Avatars
Prospect and Refuge Spatial Design
Shade, Shadow, and Survival
Loving and Hating Height
Conclusion





Enticing Players with Reward Spaces
The Purpose of Rewards
The Types of Rewards in Gamespaces
Making Rewards Exciting through Denial
Goals and Reward Schedules





Storytelling in Gamespace
Expressive Design
Mechanics vs. Motif
Narrative Spaces
Environment Art Storytelling
Materiality and the Hero’s Journey
Pacing and Narrative Rewards





Possibility Spaces and Worldbuilding
Understanding Immersion and Player Individuality
Architectural Phenomenology and Play
Emergent Spaces
Miniature Garden Aesthetic
Japanese Garden Design and Worldbuilding
Offering Experiential Choice
Degenerative Design





Influencing Social Interaction with Level Design
Emergence and Social Interaction
Learning from Urban Emergence
The Importance of Spawn Points and Quest Hubs
Houses, Homes, and Hometowns in Games





Enhancing Level Design with Music and Sounds
The Role of Rhythm in Games and Buildings
Complementing Level Design with Ambient Sound
Enhancing Gameplay Experiences with Sound Design





Real-World Adaptive Level Design
When Magic Circles Collide
Adaptive Game Reuse Goals
Analysis for Adaptive Core Mechanics





A Summary and Endnotes appear at the end of each chapter.