Level Design Work

Below are a few examples of levels I worked on for various projects! Not every level I worked on is covered, but I chose a few from each game that I wanted to highlight some key design moments of. If you have any additional questions don't be afraid to reach out to me!

Levels - SG3D

Level 4 - "Sundown Duel"

First "boss fight" of the game, the first full grinding level.

Level 4 is the first level in Skator Gator 3D to be entirely on rails from start to finish. It's meant to be the first "skill check" level, testing the player's knowledge of the grinding mechanics and ability to time actions correctly. This level also introduces the game's antagonist as a gameplay obstacle, firing projectiles at the player as they grind and forcing the player to either switch lanes or jump over them.

Teaching Boss Attacks

The first time that the player encounters the boss' projectile attack, they are also presented with a group of collectables on the rails to their right.

This timing incentivizes the player to switch lanes at the same time as the threat is introduced, and teaches the player that they can switch lanes to avoid the incoming attack.

Agency in Risk / Reward

Throughout the level, the player may feel encouraged to follow the boss' pathing, as it reveals a route that successfully continues onward (even though there are attacks in the path).

In this part of the level the player has a choice to grab one of the key optional collectables, but deal with the boss AND an another enemy, or take the right side path to avoid dealing with the boss at the cost of missing out on the collectable.

Flow State Pathing

Thus far in the level, the player has had to make decisions on where to path, and has had to deal with constant attacks from the boss. To end the level, I decided to put the player into a bit of a flow state for a satisfying finish. The pathing of the boss revealing the route, the trail of collectables, and the evenly spaced boss attacks give the player an opportunity to make rhythmic inputs for a less stressful end to the level.

Level 6 - "A Shocking Ally"

Introducing "power-ups" to the player, teaching them about the Eel and Exhaust Pipes.

Level 6 is where the player is first introduced to the concept of "power-ups" for the first time, which is the second level after the first boss level. They'll be taught the mechanic, and run through a course of situations that will teach them how the Eel power-up is used, both while walking and while grinding. This is also the first level to use Exhaust Pipes that spit fire, teaching the player to be patient in their approach and wait for the right opportunity to move forward. The name "A Shocking Ally" comes from the fact that I like puns :)

Power-Ups

For introducing the player to the Eel power-up, I put a line of dialogue next to where the player spawns that hints at how the mechanic works. After, the player hardly has an option but to grab the power-up. To cross the gap in front of them the player will have to dash, which triggers the power-up. This distance not only shows that the Eel activates with dashing, but there is also an enemy right at the edge of the platform, demonstrating that the Eel is used to kill enemies using Dash.

Grinding vs Walking Eel

Since the Eel activates when you Dash while walking, it's only natural that the player would assume it activates when you Dash while grinding too. To teach the secondary mechanic of shooting a projectile while grinding, I give the player an Eel on a single lane, and force them to switch lanes which showcases the mechanic. I then put an enemy in the player's path with no other distractions so the player can experiment with damaging and killing an enemy using the Eel's projectiles.

Timed Platforming Challenges

After using the Eel a few times, the player will realize the Eel disappears 8 seconds after picking it up. This can be used with enemies holding collectables to create fun time challenges.

In this instance, the player must grab the Eel and platform to the top of the log before the Eel expires to kill the enemy at the top. They're rewarded with the collectable it holds, and a vista of the level, allowing the player to plan ahead and make goals.

Level 10 - "Midnight Mire"

Introducing the Wings power-up and the Oil Slick rails.

With Level 10 I introduce a new rail hazard (the oil slick) and the second power-up to the player, the Wings. This level primarily focuses on teaching the player how to use the Wings while walking and grinding, and then challenges them to use them in creative ways towards the end of the level to get all of the key collectables. This level almost acts as a design playground for different ways to use the wings, and plays into stacking wings from previous sections to get to new places, rather than punishing the player.

Oil Slicks // High Pressure Learning

To introduce the new rail hazard, oil slicks, I put the player in a slightly tense situation were there's an enemy shooting at them, forcing them to quickly jump on the rails and ride right through the oil. The player will notice that they cannot switch lanes to the collectables next to them that should be easy to grab. Replaying the situation, the player will realize there is a second, less obvious rail to start the grind section from which would allow them to grab the missed collectables.

Wings Power-Up

The gap that the player has to cross to continue with the level is too far for jumping + dashing. To get past this gap, the player will have to grab the Wings on the platform nearby and learn how they work, which is by jumping an extra time in the air.

I put another line of dialogue near this power-up to help hint to the player how they work. However, unlike the Eel, the Wings require the player to figure them out in order to continue.

Wings on Rails // Low Pressure Learning

When the player arrives on this grind section they once again can't continue forward without the Wings since the shroom on the rails is too tall to jump over. The player has as many tries as they need to get the wings and double-jump over the shroom since they can infinitely bounce against it without punishment. The only thing this costs them is the chance to get a fast time on the level. The player will then notice the collectables on a nearby rail, and learn about double jumping across lanes.

Level 12 - "The Factory"

Final level of the game (besides the last boss fight). Challenges the player on everything they know.

The Factory is the final walking level in the game (the last level is a full-grinding boss fight) and challenges the player on everything they have learned so far. The inside of the factory tests the player's knowledge and mastery of jump height, jump and dash distance, use of power-ups, knowledge of level elements, and more. Despite all of this though, we decided to introduce two new obstacles to the player during this level to give it some unique identity and leave an impression as the final true level of the game.

Introducing the Beetle

At the start of the level the player walks up a set of steps towards the factory entrance and is met with the a new unique enemy to this level, the "Beetle." Its attack triggers by player proximity, so as the player walks up they will be forced to interact and dodge the attack. Whether the player chooses the left or the right path, they will have to cross infront of the Beetle a second time, cementing it as a platforming obstacle.

Dynamically Creating Platforms

The Garbage Truck is another obstacle unique to the final level. As the player progresses they will realize they have no choice but to enter the narrow chokepoint with the truck and enemies. This will trigger the truck to move forward and kill the enemies in the hallway, teaching the player that this truck is a threat and will hurt anything in its path. After the truck crashes though, it acts a new platform for the player, dynamically creating new opportunities for player pathing.

Puzzle Platforming

One of the few "puzzle moments" in the game happens here in the final level using the Wings powerup. As the player gets close, two bounce shrooms launch the player up and reveal a key collectable in the air, just out of reach of a double-jump.

The player has to figure out that the first pair of Wings are used to get the second pair of Wings on the nearby tower, allowing them to stack two of them and reach the collectable in the air.

Level 1 - "Get That Deed Back!"

Tutorial, teaching the player basic gameplay metrics and mechanics.

The first level of Skator Gator 3D is designed to introduce the primary mechanics of the game to new players, as is the case with most introduction levels. The level starts with a grinding section to familiarize the player with the game's unique grinding mechanics, teaching them to switch lanes, jump, and dash to navigate the pipelines. The remainder of the level is setup to teach the player metrics while walking, such as jump height, jump distance, dash speed / distance, and the fact that there's no fall damage as demonstrated with the end of the level.

Learning Through Actions

For the tutorial in Skator Gator 3D, we start by teaching the player the unique mechanics of grinding. To teach these controls, we popup small tutorials to the side of the screen that slow down the game so that the player can read them.

These tutorials can be progressed by pressing continue, OR the player can do the action being described in the tutorial, giving the opportunity to keep playing without breaking the flow.

Guiding the Player's Path

When the player begins walking for the first time, after seeing the movement and camera control tutorials, they will be guided down into the level by a trail of collectables.

These collectables offer a path for the player to follow that will get them used to the movement, jump heights, and enemy movement / damage. There are even two key collectables that require the player to turn the camera to find and collect.

Testing Jump Distances

Once the player has gotten used to basic movement and camera controls, they are presented with a small area of logs with collectables on them. This area is designed to help the player get even more comfortable with jump heights and jump distances without much punishment, as there is only solid ground below them with no enemies to be afraid of. To get the final key collectable at the top, the player will have to use their max jump distances as well as the dashing mechanic.

Back to Levels

Levels - Headmaster

Forklift Fiasco

Sequencing events and giving the player a cascading set of goals.

Forklift Fiasco is the first DLC level for Headmaster: The Lost Lessons. With being the first level, I decided to not introduce any brand new mechanics to the player, but instead focused on using tools and gameplay elements that the player would already be familiar with having played the base game. This level is all about sequencing, and rewarding the player for hitting successful shots by slowly revealing more and more opportunities for points. At first the player may not see how they could possibly get enough points to 3-Star the level, but as they play the cascading multipliers using Golden Balls will reveal themselves and offer a way for the player to rack up a high score.

Miniature Improvement

A fun bite-sized level with a lot of chances for big rewards.

One of the few levels in the game to use Ping-Pong balls instead of the traditional ball, Miniature Improvement challenges the player to use a new type of collider and physics object to hit the targets on the table. If the player is able to hit the right targets, the level will reveal a pinata inside a hoop that offers lots of points. The player will find that the pinata won't quite break until a stronger ball is used, leading to the goal of getting the baseballs for such a task. This level has lots of short-term goal setting on the player's side, and even has an opportunity to score big with the fun +500 bucket riding along on rails around the table.

Double Trouble

A level focusing on high score multipliers and strategic planning.

Double Trouble is one of my favorite levels I worked on in Headmaster, and is one with another really high 3-Star rating to achieve. The "Score x2" targets that are presented early on in the level will double the player's current score. This may seem like an enticing goal to hit right away, however the player will want to actually get as many points as they can BEFORE hitting these multiplier targets. This becomes especially hard to do when the player gets the Beach Ball which may accidentally hit the multipliers too early on in the level. This level seems pretty simple if you're not trying to optimize your score, but a skilled player will have to think carefully about the order to hit the targets in, and aim well to not accidentally hit the score multipliers too early.

Daimen Paquin-Nault

Game Designer & Engineer