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Jack Lopoo
Level Design
Best Practices in Conveying Affordances Using Player-Based Metrics
The goal of my thesis was to create a list of best practices that designers could use when conveying affordances to players using metrics based on the player ’ s size . To demonstrate this , I created a parkour level within Dying Light as my artifact , which is titled “ Leap of Faith .” I chose this project because it is integral to the level design process and something many designers may skip over .
This topic was incredibly beneficial to me as a level designer . By creating a metric ruleset , I could impact game feel based purely on the size and shape of the level . For single-player games focused on movement abilities , this is significantly valuable .
This project is highly useful for designers within the industry . Metrics are already a factor to consider when crafting in-depth level designs . Finding ways to convey direction and purpose to the player using these metrics is cheaper for the art department and results in a more satisfying player experience . These best practices could help designers convey direction to players with little to no immersionbreaking gameplay elements , such as colored paint or harsh lighting .
58 LEVEL DESIGN