Industry Research Week 2: Level Designer Roles

20/09/21

A level designer is responsible for creating and developing various scenarios that players will encounter as they progress through a game. They must design the level's layout, determine the required gameplay, and script the level's logic or what the player may accomplish in the level. To create a level, it entails collaborating with a variety of departments that include, for example, art, animation, programming and writers, to identify and produce all of the content that is required to deliver the desired experience. The level designer's job then is to take that content and fit it into the level structure, in such a way that players can still figure out what they need to do and how to navigate the area. Jonathon Wilson also works within the AAA industry. In an interview with IntoGames he states, “If you want to be a level designer, you need to have good problem-solving and communication skills. You also need to be quite analytical about how things work and interact with one another. In addition, scripting knowledge and basic 3D modelling skills are the technical skills that every level designer needs to successfully block out level layouts and add functionality.”

By researching studios locally, I found Hypixel based in the UK who is interested in recruiting level designers.

-Passion

It is important to have the passion for creating evocative, diverse encounters and maps that immerse and challenge players across a broad range of experiences. The video game industry is in need of level designers who can create the immersive environments that characterise current game releases. However, because the industry is very competitive and requires specialist abilities, I must have up-to-date knowledge of the current status of games and work out how I can use that to my benefit. An example of this is to discover certain trends in level design and to use them to create fresh experiences that players have never seen before. The impact of doing something like this can be significant in determining the game’s overall potential success from both a critical and commercial standpoint.

-Communication

The key also is being an excellent communicator, where I enjoy providing feedback, sharing knowledge and mentoring other fellow team members. Within large teams, there are many members who require information, but there is a danger that members may repeat the designs that have worked for them in the past, if there is no goal that is communicated clearly to them. I must exchange and share ideas in order to innovate. As a level designer, the more effective you are at communicating, the more powerful you are in terms of convincing a team to go in a certain direction. Team members must understand what you mean and be enthusiastic about your ideas. Being able to communicate effectively is, in fact, just as crucial as any other design skill.