v0.1.1 : First dev log of this project

hi, it's the first launch of this... experience. It's not really a game, it's a level design demonstration. Ok, it's not beautifull, and it's not our goal. The objective is "how to design a good level" and teach how to do it !

Our goal is to design a relatively simple game to understand and implement, in order to focus on our subject, which is Level Design. We want to concentrate essentially on the notion of Level Design, as it is the heart of our proposal. To do this, we will not be interested in the entirety of the game, but rather in a specific stage where the player has particular resources and abilities, while having a specific mission to accomplish in a defined place. Although it would have been interesting to explore how gameplay and level design evolve over time, we hope that this vertical approach provides you with the necessary tools and advice to create your own levels.

Presentation of the game and its gameplay "Monsters & Plants" is a game in which the player must collect a certain number of plants in a level, while avoiding being caught by monsters. In this, we are very close to the gameplay of a Pac-Man game. The main strategy is "Stealth & Flee," as the player has no weapons against the monsters (at least at this level). Monsters can detect the player directly if he is close to them, but can also see him from a distance with their eyes. The player can hide behind obstacles, some of which are low, forcing him to crouch. When he is crouched, he moves slower. If a monster detects the player (vigilance zone), it will try to see him. If it sees him, it will charge him; otherwise, it will wait a few moments before resuming its patrol. If it catches the player, the game is over. There are two categories of monsters in the game: large monsters (GM), which are rather solitary and guard an extended territory while moving slowly, and small monsters (PM), which are faster but unable to get around obstacles. When a PM detects the player, the entire group rushes the player. The peculiarity of GM is that they are associated with a door. When a GM detects the player and sees him, the door closes (with a certain delay) and will only open again when the GM resumes its patrol. The peculiarity of PM is that if the player is in their vigilance zone (narrower), even if they don't see him, they will try to reach him but cannot get around obstacles. To help him hide or establish strategies, the player has certain bells placed on the terrain. When he activates one of them, the sound it emits will attract all the monsters within a given radius. They will rush over, and if they don't find anything, will leave after a certain time to resume their usual patrol. There are also certain crates that the player can push to hide behind without arousing the suspicions of the creatures. Finally, he can also consume the plants he collects to temporarily gain speed, but he will have to replace them if he wants to finish the level. Thus, the player has 6 abilities: moving, crouching, pushing crates, activating a bell, picking up plants, and consuming them. There are 2 types of enemies and 3 interactive objects (plants, bell, crate). We have stated a number of rules, and all of this is enough to create a gameplay that can be exciting. But all of this depends on how the Level Design exploits it. Our game is in first-person perspective. The game takes place in an area of forests, streams, and mountains, with trees, cabins, and rocks providing the player with places to hide. To stay within the scope of this case study, we will limit our GDD to these explanations.

Our level will take place at night, which will allow us to play with lighting, which is a very useful tool in Level Design. We will also limit the presence of monsters to illuminated areas, in order to manage a certain rhythm and allow the player to relax their attention while traversing these areas.

Objectives of the level in terms of LD The first step in designing a level is to determine what we want the players to accomplish in the level. Objectives can include reaching a specific point, solving puzzles, fighting enemies, collecting objects (to progress through the level), or completing a task within a limited time. It is important to choose clear and relevant objectives for the level in order to offer a coherent and satisfying gameplay experience to the players.

Pedagogical progression In an FPS game, oriented towards "core gamers", the player already has a strong background and it is unnecessary to teach them certain strategies. However, the target audience of our game is more of a casual level, meaning the general public. This means that we should consider that they have everything or almost everything to learn.

In addition, this is the first level of the game! Therefore, LD is there to give the player the opportunity to learn. This allows us to introduce the concept of "Protected First Exposure" (PEP). Pedagogical progression is a Level Design strategy aimed at gradually and clearly introducing game elements to new players. The objective is to guide them through an initial phase where they learn the basic mechanics of the game, without overwhelming them with too much information or difficult challenges. This phase may include integrated tutorials, clear feedback, and simple challenges to help players engage in the game. The goal is to give players a positive and encouraging experience from the start so that they continue playing, rather than being discouraged by too difficult or complex challenges from the beginning. The PEP is part of this progression, in the sense that it allows the player to understand an element without needing to end the game, while ensuring later that they will not necessarily have the same chance.