Platformer Level Design

Hello! 

My name is Kristen Holcombe and I have been lucky enough to help with the concept art and programming for this game and I can't wait to tell you about our platformer level!

In our game, the player must traverse three different levels inspired by classic abandonware games in order to defeat the glitch and free the inhabitants of those levels. These inhabitants will then join the player's central hub transforming it from a solitary place to a lively center of the game.

Over the last few weeks, I have focused primarily on designing and coding the gameplay of this level inspired by classic platformers.

In this level, the player traverses an alien world filled with strange life that has been corrupted. The space theme was one of three original ideas for this level that I suggested and quickly sketched on paper, the others being an abandoned amusement park or a lost at sea theme. I suggested these three themes based on the idea of "loneliness", a core theme of the game, as the player starts in an abandoned hub, but gives their former enemies a home there when they complete levels.

The abandoned amusement park idea featured the player traversing through abandoned street carts, rickety ferris wheels, and riding on abandoned carts, while the lost at sea theme saw the player riding rafts, jumping between pieces of wreckage, avoiding diving sea gulls, hungry sharks, and collecting life preservers, and water bottles.

The theme we went with was lost in space.

Here is the original pencil sketch concept art:

And here is a later concept sketch I created digitally to show the idea more fully:

In this level, the player dodges comets and enemies. Over time, we refined this concept to add more detail to the environment, enemies, and pickups.

MECHANICS:

Like any good platformer, the player moves left or right only. The player also is able to jump, shoot, and interact. One of the things I did this week was begin to add in the shooting mechanic:

UI:

This UI layout using the top left and top right corners of the screen was created based on traditional platformer styles and features the player's name, score, coins and a timer. The player can increase their score by collecting planet coins or defeating enemies. 

ENVIRONMENT:

Enemies also have houses visible in the background that keep with the antigrav theme by having entrances at multiple angles. Here is some of the early concept art for the houses.

ENEMIES

There are four types of enemies: Little aliens, Psychic aliens, Electric ships, and Targeting ships. I included the concept image along with a short description of each enemy below:

Little alien: 

This adorable enemy is coded to move between points without using a nav mesh, allowing it to patrol along walls and on the underside of platforms. 

Psychic alien: 

These aliens move up and down and side to side as aerial obstacles in the level!

Electric Ship alien: 

The electric ship enemy swoops at the player in a sweeping arc with an electric force field around it before it flies off. The player cannot defeat this enemy and can only dodge its quick fearsome attack! 

Targeting Ship: 

This ship appears in the top right corner of the screen, moves down to be level with the player and then moves forward in a line. Unlike the electric ship, the targeting ship does not have a force field protecting it from attacks, but it does has a fun secret! If you defeat the targeting ship, the player can steal it and fly, unlocking new aerial regions of the map! Be sure to look out for this special enemy and seize your chance! 

Enemies can be defeated by shooting or by jumping on them. 

Even if you avoid all of these enemies, beware of other obstacles in this level, such as the rainstorm of comets that you must dodge to survive! 

Are you up for the challenge?