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Toolset to Becoming an Environment Artist and Game Level Designer
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TOP READ ARTICLES

Level Design Workflow Tutorial
UDK Basics Getting Started in 11 Steps
L4D2/1: Visual Reference to Campaign Design
100 Level Design Ideas and Locations
Call of Juarez 2 Level Design Series
11 Day Mapping Challenge: Start to End
How to Get a Job with Epic Games
GDC 2010 Level Design Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

Left 4 Dead 2 Mapping Tutorials Series
Left 4 Dead Mapping Tutorials Series
Modeling Interior Environments in Maya Part 2/3
Level Designer Chris Kay Interivew
How to Become a Level Designer Part 1 & 2
L4D2 Level Design Tips Part 1 & 2
Level Design Challenges Series
11 Day Level Design Process Overview

3D Environment Design.com

WoLD March Game Env. Challenge:

Free Downloads of Ready-to-Use Game Environments and Models
Jump Over to 3DED

6 Steps to Basics of Silhouette Environment Design

6 Steps to Silhouette Environment Design. Basics of using silhouette to design environments. In the following 2 videos, totaling 20+ min, we go in-depth, step-by-step process of how to design environments.

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August 28, 2010
Category: Game Environment Design, Design/Art Tutorials

 

Silhouette Design Game Environments

How to Create Unique, Appealing and Memorable Environments with Strong Silhouette.

Silhouette is a drawing of the outline of an object; filled in with some uniform color, usually black.

Silhouette design is very powerful way of designing characters, props, and environments. It is great way to make your designs to have strong shape, memorable visual appeal and to stand out from the rest.

Designing your environments in silhouette makes you focus on shapes, form, and visual appeal. You don't need to worry about perspective, details, color or line quality. It's about letting your creativity and imagination flow.

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August 26, 2010
Category: Game Environment Design, Design/Art Tutorials

 

11 Day Level Design Challenge 2 - Rural Summer - Work in Progress

11 Day Level Design Challenge 2 - Summer

We are near the final cut off point of 11 Day Level Design Challenge - Rural Summer.

August 21, 2010 - Saturday is the last day to enter in this challenge. Don't let summer pass you by. Enter and create a playable map in 11 days.

Experiment and explore. We want you to have fun.

As of Aug 20, 2010 we have 19 entries.

They range from L4D1, L4D2, Unreal3, HL2 and UDK.

Here are some highlights. The screenshots are in no specific order and what is being shown does not reflect any favor to the entires. This is only to showcase some of the hard work WoLD members have been doing, to inspire you to enter and to those entered, to finish.

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August 20, 2010
Category: Level Design Challenges

 

L4D2/1: Visual Reference Guide to Campaign Design

61 ways to better design your campaigns in L4D2 or L4D1. Grab a coffee and a notepad to take notes. The following article is long. 2800+ words and over 150 images. It contains 61 ways you can better design your L4D2/L4D1 campaigns. It includes all Valve's released campaign maps from L4D2. Although, same tips apply for L4D1.

Use this guide to help you plan your campaigns. Each of the following techniques were used in the game.

Lets begin.

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August 14, 2010
Category: Left 4 Dead 2 Mapping, Left 4 Dead Mapping

 

11 Day Level Design Challenge 2 - Rural Summer

11 Day Level Design Challenge 2 - Summer

I hope you've had a great summer of 2010 so far. It is not over yet. We can't end this summer without an 11 Day Level Design Challenge.

Many of you will be going back to school, starting school or getting back to work. Lets finish this summer of 2010 with a bang.

It has been 7 months since the first official 11 Day Level Design Challenge. How have you done so far? Have you improved since January? Remember, constantly re-evaluate yourself and your skill. Always aim high, think big. Work hard, play hard. Lets do another sprint and push through your plateau. Participate in 11 Day Level Design Challenge Summer and come out after 11 days with a playable map.

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August 01, 2010
Category: Level Design Challenges

 

Game World Creation with Inception

As a game environment artist and level designer "You have a chance to build cathedrals, entire cities that never existed, things that couldn't exist in the real world."

Inception is level designers dream. Throughout the film words such as architect, creating levels, worlds, creating boundaries (closed loops) for believable worlds and designing layouts are discussed in Inception.

Many things in Inception directly relate to level design and creating game worlds. Here is what I learned in Inception about creating worlds.

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July 29, 2010
Category: Game Environment Design, Level Design Tutorials / Tips

 

World of Level Design Survey: Challenges

Please let me know what are some of your level design problems, frustrations, dreams and aspirations.

The level design survey will only take you 5-10 minutes max.

It is completely anonymous and it will help me create level design and game environment articles and videos based on what you want to learn.

I appreciate it.

 

What is your biggest level design challenge. Let me know here...

July 20, 2010
Category: News

 

World of Level Design Newsletter Updates #1

World of Level Design Newsletter #1. Latest updates on World of Level Design.

In this edition we'll talk about few updates and announcements, upcoming challenges, upcoming tutorials, and members work.

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July 18, 2010
Category: News

 

How to Create a Playable Level in 11 Days

Main reason most level designers fail to finish a level, is because they lack the knowledge and the exact steps of what to do from start to finish. Few common problems many beginner level designers face are finishing a level, not knowing what to do, which steps to take and it what order. Most people begin, but not all finish.

There are various level design workflows. Following specific steps during the production pretty much guarantee you finishing your designs. One of the workflow processes is working in passes. You would do gameplay pass, geometry pass, texture pass, lighting pass etc.

Another way is to work in sections. Split your level into chunks and workable sections and then work each section to completion. There is a better way. Working in both, passes and sections.

Knowing what to do as you work through your level designs step by step you'll avoid most common pitfalls such as improper planning, working on irrelevant areas, not knowing what to do next and in what order. You will be able to focus on the most important aspects of level design from start to finish and get the level finished.

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July 01, 2010
Category: Level Design Tutorials / Tips, UDK, Level Design Challenges

 

11 Day Level Design Process Overview

Basic process overview video shows level design workflow day by day focus. How to create a map in 11 Days. This video will help you to structure your own level design workflow.

Watch the Video...

June 29, 2010
Category: Level Design Tutorials / Tips, UDK, Level Design Challenges

 

UDK Basics Getting Started in 11 Steps Series: Part 1-3

UDK Basics

UDK Basics covers the most essential tools and functions you need to know to get started with UDK. You'll be able to quickly jump into UDK and begin feeling comfortable using the most commonly used functions.

UDK Basics Part 1

In UDK Basics Part 1/3 you'll learn:

  • UDK Download and Installation
  • Folder Structures, Launching the Editor and Creating Editor Shortcuts
  • Auto-Save Function
  • How to Use the Content Browser

UDK Basics Part 2

In UDK Basics Part 2/3 you'll learn:

  • Navigating around UDK. 3 most common ways to navigate, including WASD key navigation.
  • Basics of Static Mesh usage and BSP Brushes.
  • Additive vs Subtractive. Which one to use and what is the difference.

UDK Basics Part 3

In UDK Basics Part 1/3 you'll learn:

  • UDK Scale and Proportions
  • Grid Snaps
  • Various Viewport Options

Continue Reading ...

June 22, 2010
Category: UDK, Unreal 3

 

L4D1-2 Campaign Design; Why Less is More


Following article was written and contributed by Andy 'Nexusdog' Purnell

What better way to make the Left 4 Dead experience last than to have bigger, longer maps and campaigns? It seems reasonable, we want more maps and more campaigns, so let's create something, which will keep us playing longer. However, there are problems with this concept, both from a player and mappers perspective.

Continue Reading ...

May 31, 2010
Category: WoLD Contributors, Left 4 Dead 2 Mapping, Left 4 Dead 1 Mapping

 

Level Design Gameplay and Flow Challenge - Results and Winner


GAMEPLAY AND FLOW LEVEL DESIGN CHALLENGE RESULTS/WINNER

We are happy to announce a winner of the challenge.

Thank you to all who participated in the challenge. It was a huge success. The quality of work that was produced is astounding.

The focus of the challenge was to create a playable level using Hammer Source based game, with a given template and to create something fun to play.

Each submitted entry below receives notes to help out the designers improve their work.

The Winner and Runner Up receive more detailed notes. Winner receives the beta key to Starcraft II and our congratulations.

Continue Reading ...

May 26, 2010
Category: Level Design Challenges

 

Level Design Gameplay and Flow Challenge - Update


GAMEPLAY AND FLOW LEVEL DESIGN CHALLENGE UPDATE

  • Deadline has been extended to May 21, 2010 - Friday.
  • Prize has been added
  • Criteria updated
  • WIP by WoLD members added

Take look at the WIP by WoLD members and read all the details about the prize.

Continue Reading ...

May 3, 2010
Category: Level Design Challenges

 

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MOST READ ARTICLES

NEW ARTICLES

Level Design Workflow Tutorial

L4D Mapping Tutorials

L4D2 Mapping Tutorials

How To Plan Your Next Map

100 Level Design Ideas
and Locations

Photoshop Illustrator Paths to Maya Environments

60-60-30 of Level Design Productivity

Call of Juarez 2
Level Design Series

UDK Basics Getting
Started in 11 Steps

Modeling Interior Environments in Maya Part 2/3

Crytek's Level Designer
Chris Kay Interivew

How to get a job with
Epic Games

L4D2/1: Visual Reference to Campaign Design

6 Steps to Basics of Silhouette
Environment Design

Silhouette Design
Game Environments

11 Day Level Design Challenge - Work in Progress

L4D2/1: Visual Reference Guide to Campaign Design

11 Day Level Design Challenge - Rural Summer

Game World Creation
with Inception

WoLD Survey: Challenges

WoLD Updates #1

How to Create a Playable Level in 11 Days

11 Day Level Design
Process Overview

UDK 11 Day Level Design

UDK Basics Part 1/3

UDK Basics Part 2/3

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