Level Parti

also known as:

Classification

• #method
• #medium/visual #medium/diagram
• #roles/designer #roles/artists
• #used-by/designer #used-by/artist
• #tools/digital #tools/non-digital

Intent

• Rapid idea generation.
• Early determination of map designs and flows.

Problem

General

• Need to develop the spatial layout of a building or space.
• No need for precise measurements; a quick sketch is enough.

Specific

• Need to design the spatial layout for a level.
• Want to define key milestones or objects within the level before creating a detailed map.

Solution Approach

General

• Sketch an architectural parti.

Specific

• Sketch your gameplay ideas as spatial diagrams, referred to as level design partis.

Application

Input

• A clear idea of the elements or appearance you want in your level.

Application

• Quickly create multiple sketches of the object or space.
• Draw from various perspectives, explore different variations, and experiment with different lighting conditions until you find a version you like (or multiple versions).
• Do not concern yourself with precise measurements.

Output

• One or several level partis depicting the object or level you intended to sketch.
• Sketch or Drawing.

When to use it

• Prior to mapping.
• At the start of the design process when you are beginning to refine your ideas.

Relevant Roles using this model

• #roles/designer Designer #used-by/designer
• #roles/artists Artist #used-by/artist (if they have creative freedom to design the world).

Relevancy in the following processes

• Game Development in the Design and early Development phase.
• Combat Design for cover and spatial design.
• Used before Iterative Map Design to get an initial idea of the map.
• Useful in Gamespace Prototyping when you want to explore and brainstorm about what to create.

Applicability

• Ideal for stimulating idea generation and getting started.
• Can be useful when you’re feeling stuck.
• Not suitable for later development stages where designs must adhere to specific measurements and guidelines.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Quick creation of multiple partis.
• Helps find your creative flow when generating many ideas.
• Effective for exploring alternative designs.

Cons:

• Lack of precise measurements.
• Limited to sketches; the final design still needs to be constructed.
• Not a substitute for creating a full map, but rather a preliminary step.

Relation with other Methods

• Drawing a Map serves as an initial step and a solid foundation for drawing a map.
• Nintendo Power Method can provide a basis.
• Axonometric can apply measurements and scale to the drawn objects.
• Real-world references collected in the Reference Collection can help depicting objects close to reality.

Examples

• Sketches of electric fence traps in SWARM!

  (Source: Totten 2019 - An Architectural Approach of Level Design, p.82)

Relevant Tools

• Non-digital Design Tools like pen and paper for drawing
• Digital Art Tools - Drawing application like Photoshop
• Digital Collection Tools to store the drawings

Relevant Literature

Totten 2019 - An Architectural Approach of Level Design

...