Best Practices for Re-Traversal using Gating Techniques to Increase Player Engagement
Jonathan MURRAY
Level Design
Best Practices for Re-Traversal using Gating Techniques to Increase Player Engagement
The goal of my Thesis was to identify best practices for using gating techniques to encourage re-traversal and increase player engagement. I selected this topic to examine how designers can maximize the use of gameplay spaces while sustaining player interest over time. I was inspired by games that employ gate-and-key systems to fully utilize environments and promote meaningful re-traversal, like the Metroid Prime and Resident Evil series.
frequently players entered and re-entered each hub, and whether they collected gatherables associated with optional quests. After each playtest, I administered a survey to assess player comprehension and motivation, including questions about character recall, the sequencing of acquired abilities and items, the areas players wished they had spent more time exploring, and the factors that most strongly motivated their re-traversal.
My level,“ Signal,” is a custom level mod for Dying Light 2. I researched established gating techniques and applied them to control player progression. The level was structured around five distinct hubs. I also incorporated gatherables as an impetus for re-traversal with optional objectives triggered alongside the main quest.
This project strengthened my ability to design re-traversable levels that maximize gameplay space while maintaining player engagement throughout extended playthroughs. This research provides practical value to the video game industry by offering tested strategies for creating engaging and re-traversable levels.
To evaluate player engagement, I quantified player behavior by tracking how
52 LEVEL DESIGN