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Alexander ‘ Alex ’ Crovella
Level Design
Using Visual Composition to Lead the Player
In this project , I set out to create an effective “ showcase ” of best practices in utilizing visual composition techniques to attract the attention of the player and guiding them along the designer ’ s desired path . I wanted to show how designers might be able to encourage players to make the right navigational decisions without having to resort to the usage of obtuse , non-diegetic hints like objective markers and on-screen directions ( or at least , using these as a last resort ).
This project took me two semesters and roughly 250 hours of work to complete . Much of that time at the beginning was spent on researching visual composition in games , learning the toolset provided by CryEngine and Crysis 2 , and practicing simple compositions to learn how I could best implement my thesis . I used this project as an exercise to continue developing my visual design skills and as an attempt to blend my undergraduate cinema experience with my graduate
game design experience . I became more comfortable in creating spaces that were not only aesthetically interesting but also informative , even at a subconscious level , as players recognize important visual information within the compositions .
This project could be used as an example of ways a designer might use common visual composition techniques ( framing , lighting , negative space , etc .) to enhance their level designs and affect how players approach them . I believe it also serves as an effective jumping-off point for further research , such as using these techniques in more “ open world ” settings or using visual composition to affect other elements of video games , such as combat or storytelling . It was exciting to build and to realize that my design decisions ultimately proved successful , as playtesters made the right navigational choices I wanted them to make both consciously and subconsciously .
38 LEVEL DESIGN