<![CDATA[Changes to level design]]>New Design

Parts of the level design simply just needed re-thinking. The second cave (Cave 2, as I have named it) took up a lot less space than it could have done, so I drew out an outline and tried filled in the gaps by hand, thinking about the level from a visual perspective more than a play perspective. This did mean I had to make changes to the design, marked by scribbles and notes, but this way I got thinking more about the aesthetics of the level. It gets very dull using black squares!

I also started thinking about hazards whilst jotting down ideas, and have come up with three types of basic “enemy”.
1. Sits motionless on the ground
2. Swings from a ledge
3. Moves along the ground/through the air.
Details to follow!

Test-Based Adjustments
Where the level only needed adjusting rather than redesigning, it was easier to make changes in Game Maker’s room editor, where blocks could easily be moved and tested and quick succession! I used this technique at the end of the level to test jump distances and spread platforms apart:

Game Maker Test

Adjustments added to Level Mockup

New Level Design
The overall size of the level hasn’t changed, but I’ve managed to use more of the available space to create a more playable level:


What I can do now is add the structure to a Game Maker project to create a playable level made of placeholder objects (in a similar way to before!) Only this time, I intend to use all the assets I have currently created, including tiles, characters and lights. More graphics can be added as I make them, so by the end of the week I’ll have something visually more finalised as well as in terms of gameplay. Today I started to block in the ryokan tiles and create platforms around them, making sure that all dimensions were perfect! I’ll be adding the character and some lighting tomorrow.

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