Exploration-based level design

[D1Hazel]

I'm working on a Sonic fangame that doesn't star Sonic. My idea is an exploration-based game. Essentially, you start with 2 jumps (you can jump at any time you have a jump left on your meter. walking off a cliff doesn't take away a jump, so you could get some rings below a platform and then double-jump back up onto the platform). There's a Chaos Emerald that grants you another jump. Lives and the time over are gone. Lava puts your rings at zero but can't kill you (explained ingame). There's another Chaos Emerald that gives you the Flame Shield's ability. I'm thinking of going somewhat Metroid-style rather than level-style.

My problem is this: I can't exactly approach level design from the standard Sonic angle. I don't want to make it play like Metroid, either. As far as exploring, yeah, but I want it to feel like a Sonic game. Does anyone have any design tips?

[Serephim]

This is a problem for me too. I think the absolute first thing to do is the hardest for me -- plan out all the upgrades and abilities BEFORE you begin level design. It seems simple, but its difficult for me since an idea for a neat ability can come from ANYWHERE.

As far as movement based abilities and stuff, yeah you'll definitely need to plan them all out before you begin working on the levels to make things easier on you. Since you know you'll have two jumps to begin with, make sure unreachable platforms are that many jump lengths away from reach of the player. But you have to make sure other movement techniques dont get in the way of that, like oh say a Dash or a Wall kick. The same concept goes with pretty much everything else, like fire/water/lightning shields giving access to paths that were otherwise lethal or unreachable, gaining abilities to go over or under things, ect ect.

After you have everything in mind, when you design the level you can have a list of abilities and restrictions, and maybe check them off as you design the level. Then you can make them branch or arc however you want them too.

A good example of this kind of thing is the Megaman ZX series, if you've ever played them.

[D1Hazel]

I'll check out ZX. Thanks for the help!

[Death_Daniel]

Exploration Level design is quite hard for me to attempt. I dont have much of a creative mind unfortunatly.

[Nemox]

One major thing I think about in level design is context and frame-of-reference. Yes, Sonic can run really fast across any arbitrary surface, and Mario can jump over random blocks and stuff. But it doesn't mean a thing to a player if there's no context.

This is where I think Mario Sunshine succeeded so well. The game was a true platformer to the very end, but now rather than random blocks and oddly-shaped ground, you're actually making use of Mario's abilities in a real place. He stands out among all the people for his skills. All the other people are stuck selling fruit and can't put out fire to save their lives. It makes you feel like a super-hero.

Likewise, that's one place that Shadow the Hedgehog succeeded. In that game, you actually have monsters and people fighting each other, and you see their strengths and weaknesses. By comparison, Shadow seems that much more amazing.

Given, it's still a silly game. But it has a lot of great gameplay aspects to it.

This is also partly where Sonic 4 was iffy, though it wasn't level design. It was the same concept though.

People thought Sonic felt slower in 4 because of his odd animation speed, when in reality he's actually moving faster than in the ones compared.

It's all about making a character seem like it's more in a real world that makes the gameplay stand out.

Even if you can't think of many creative puzzles or whatnot, create some nice scenery in the least.

[DimensionWarped]

Unfortunately what you are talking about has nothing to do with this old topic... which is mostly looking at creating a metroid type of large single world exploration map.

[Nemox]

Unfortunately what you are talking about has nothing to do with this old topic... which is mostly looking at creating a metroid type of large single world exploration map.

Woah, I thought it was just under a month ago. Didn't look at the year. ^^;

I suppose it is a bit tangential rather than direct...

[DimensionWarped]

It's fine, just pay more attention next time. This subforum isn't especially busy these days.