GDC Vault is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC
This is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.
Level Design Workshop: A Narrative Approach to Level Design
Levels are the spaces in which the player experiences the events of a game's narrative. In games where narrative is a primary focus, it becomes necessary to shape these spaces in such a way that the story's setting and pace are taken into account. Story creates the backbone of a level, and often the entire game. As levels are developed and tuned, storytelling is prioritized alongside gameplay "feel" to create a cohesive narrative experience. An understanding of narrative gives a level designer a guide for everything from the pace of their level to an understanding for which assets should be placed where. Familiarizing oneself with storytelling techniques and how they can be utilized to evoke a desired feeling from the player is an indispensable aspect of level design. As in other media such as movies, evoking feeling from a player successfully is what makes a game a memorable experience.
Did you know free users get access to 30% of content from the last 2 years?