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Tips for designing FPS levels?

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Hot_Dog:
I've played Doom before, and that's been my inspiration for placing enemies and weapons into levels for Elimination.  However, I have never designed FPS levels before, and so I don't have any ideas for how to keep a level from being too easy or too hard--or too boring.  I have no problem with walls, but I have difficulty deciding how to place enemies and ammunition to create a fun level.

So let's say that I know the power of each enemy and the power of each weapon.  I want to place ammunition, enemies and health/armor just right so that a level is challenging yet fun.  Can you guys offer me tips for how to design a decent level right off the bat so that I won't have to test it much?  If I have to I'll run some computations, but I don't think that ID software did that when they created DOOM :)

And sorry if this is confusing.  Please feel free to ask me to clarify.

LincolnB:
A big thing Doom and also Quake both had were very simple design on the outside, but tons and tons of stuff available through hidden doors and secret combinations and other stuff like that. So you could go through a level in like 30 seconds if you wanted to, to just get to the exit, but you could spend like ten minutes finding all the secret stuff and figuring it out and whatnot.

Hot_Dog:

--- Quote from: buttsfredkin on September 15, 2011, 09:54:23 pm ---A big thing Doom and also Quake both had were very simple design on the outside, but tons and tons of stuff available through hidden doors and secret combinations and other stuff like that. So you could go through a level in like 30 seconds if you wanted to, to just get to the exit, but you could spend like ten minutes finding all the secret stuff and figuring it out and whatnot.

--- End quote ---

True.  Actually, what I had in mind was tips for making a rough estimation that a player won't have so much ammo that enemies are pushovers or so little ammo that enemies are impossible to beat.  Again, I might have to experiment, but I was hoping that someone could give a few pointers for general design.

Eeems:
This is basically the only tip I can give for design help :P

boot2490:
I always hate what people love in FPS's. I hate it when enemies startle you. Make forks in the path, then have the enemy follow you from the other direction. Corners help. Secret doors might add some to the experience. Also, make large hordes of small enemies as common as large powerful enemies, and  at the end of a level, make bosses. (All taken from watching my friend Erik play doom)

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