3D Game 2

This is my new 3D jungle level. My idea going in was to create a maze, which would lead up to a boss (we aren’t making the boss). It ended up being a rather simple maze.

What Went Right?

I added clear InfoZones for important messages. Most players could figure out what to do without them, but I added them to ensure every player could complete the level. For example, at the beginning of the level, there is a switch that is needed in order to open the center-room. The InfoZone said, “A switch?,’ which caused the player to turn to their left and press the switch. This also silently explains the importance of switches.

There is no way the player can cheat this level, as far as I’ve seen. And, enemies do not go through walls.

Players this time could recognize that the door was a teleporter (leading to the ‘boss’). There is still not much of an indication that it is a teleport. All I did differently was change the sprite of the insides to be green with lines. I guess it looked high-tech and convincing of a door. All players were not confused by the door.

I added a section with a moving platform over acid and large walls that blocked part of the path. I added the walls to make the moving platform more interesting, since it takes about 10 seconds to complete the trip (and that can be a long time in games). Players seemed to really enjoy it. It was actually inspired from a Mario 64 ROM hack: Super Mario 64 Land, which came out last year.

What Went Wrong?

It was still obvious where to go. Players did not get lost. While there were many paths to take, a lot of them didn’t lead to anywhere meaningful, and the pointless paths didn’t go very far. There were not a lot of critical items to make exploring more interesting, such as new weapons. I wanted to avoid the player feeling lost, and exploration pointless.

There is a bit more of a challenge in comparison to the other level I made, but it is still probably too easy. We were told to create a challenging level, but I had a hard time adding difficulty with the given mechanics. Next time, difficulty ramping will be my primary focus.

There aren’t many equally good choices to make in the level. Mostly, despite the maze theme, there is only one right path to take. While there are a lot of different paths to take, by the time players have beaten the level, they will figure out there is only one path.

Players didn’t think that the level felt sci-fi or jungle. While I greyboxed the level, I think it should still feel like the jungle in some way. I imagined a hedge maze with a huge tropical tree in the center (which is where the end is). I guess hedges aren’t seen in jungles. I may look into different types of mazes given different themes. (Answering the question: “What kind of jungle elements can a maze have?”).

Going Forward...

I will increase the size and difficulty of the level. An example of adding difficulty is making the maze more complex. Also, I will add places with thin platforms, so that the risk of death exists.

I will add teleporting places to make the maze more interesting (and confusing).

I might try and see if there is a way to get rid of the monster noises. I’ve noticed players think it’s overly loud (and I agree-- I playtest with the audio muted personally because of it).