3D Level 1 v2 Feedback

  The people that playtested my level were Bryan Hodoyan, Fernando Uribe-Hernandez, Heath Brough, Jonathan Villaloboz, Mia Anderson, and Selena Benavides. The main changes that I had made about the level between now and the previous rendition were that I made it difficult to escape the level bounds, and I added some additional maze-like obstacles. I lastly moved the position of one of the monsters.

I think that the addition of textures was not a major addition, but it served its purpose in creating a more finished look for the level. In the middle portion of the level, I added a pseudo-maze to the level with the goal of trying to decrease the amount of open space in the level while simultaneously adding a more exploratory element to the level. I believe that it had achieved its intended purpose.

One of the pieces of advice that I was given that I want to change about any levels I make in the future is that the very first monster was much too close to the player’s spawn. As soon as the player spawns in, they are greeted with a monster rushing towards them. Keep in mind that the level is intended to be a tutorial type level for a player who has no experience with the game. Instead of putting a monster so close, I may move it back or remove it entirely in order to give the player room to breathe and learn the mechanics of the game.

One of the things that I wished I had improved upon is the size of the level. I believe that my level is fairly condensed, which in and of itself is not necessarily a negative trait. However, I think that some of the sections could have been made longer in order to further develop the player’s understanding of the in-game mechanics. 

There are three main sections of the level. The first section is dedicated to fighting the very first monster and then unlocking a door using a switch. The second section involves traversing a maze in search for one of two keys to a door, and the third section has the player crossing an acid pit using a moving platform. What I want to do in the future using these three basic interactions is mix them up, expand them, and use each interaction more than once. For example, I would like to include another maze portion after the acid pit, leading into a platforming area which ends with the player finding a switch to open a door. I can merge two concepts and make a maze in which the player will need to parkour across in order to reach each section of the maze. There are many many options and all of them would serve to teach the player how to interact with each level, as long as I showcase the most basic mechanics first before messing around with them.

I felt that the intended path for the players to follow was very obvious, and that the challenges presented to the player were not too much nor too simple. Though the level was a tutorial level, some players may feel as if their hand is being held if there is too much direct instruction or the challenges are not very difficult. This leads to boredom. Although hand holding in certain game tutorials makes sense, such as in games like Dark Souls or Mordhau, the game we are building off of does not have extremely difficult mechanics. As such, the instruction should take a step back to allow the player to experiment within the bounds of the game.