CAGD 270 - Level Design

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3d Game Level 2, V1: Valley of the Chonker King

Tuesday, May 5, 2020


What went right?
Well this was an interesting experiment. I tried out a new design process, slightly by accident. By that, I mean I completely skipped a paper map in favor of a 3d concept model. This process was really nice for getting a sense of the 3d space while using broad, gestural strokes. It was also great because I could use my drawing tablet to draw and write notes directly on the surfaces.



On my feedback surveys for each level, I ask the player to tell me about any moments that stood out to them. One player mentioned feeling a shift in perspective when they stepped out from the cave and seeing the floating islands, which is exactly the sort of thing I wanted players to feel.

What went wrong?
I recommend using that technique in general, but you should always start in 2d, and make sure that your concept model remains as nothing but concept art. Keep it basic and gestural, and do not let it go too far. I kept working on that model, and it reached a point where I could simply import directly it into Unity. Then I just continued to make all my changes in blender instead of the 3d game kit's ProBuilder.


Committing to that early version of the level geometry stunted my creativity and caused some issues with scale. I made an effort to maintain scale as I went a long, but it was not my main focus when laying down the groundwork. The tunnels ended up being far too big, and the floating rocks section was not nearly as expansive as I meant it to be.

It was always my intention to elaborate on the designs from the concept model. The shape of the caves was just meant to give a basic idea of what I was looking for, while the real deal was supposed to be more complex

One last thing. I had big plans from the start, and I had a feeling that I might not have the entirety of the level ready for the first playtest. 

Improvements?
Going forward, I am going to continue using 3d models as part of my concept process, but I will make sure to always get something on paper first. I will also be careful not to let the rough and sketchy version become the real deal.

Challenges
The challenges may have been appropriate, but only in theory. The spaces were all too wide open, especially in the caves, which made it easy for players to skip past most of the enemies. I intended for the chompers and spitters to corner the player in tight spaces and make for interesting encounters. The idea being that chompers would surround the player and keep them distracted, giving spitters a good chance to take a shot at the player.

Critical path
The critical path was always obvious enough, but there is definitely potential for alternative exploration paths. One tester sent me a recording of his play through, and he wanted to explore right from the beginning. He spent about 5 minutes climbing the mountain, even though he knew after a point that he was not supposed to go there.

Overall flow
In theory, the level will have good flow. In the actual experience delivered to play testers, flow was just not present yet. The enemies could all be avoided, and only the first half of the level was playable.

Circulation elements
There were no circulation elements just yet, but I have something planned for the floating islands section. There will be a series of geysers (moving platforms in disguise) on the ground, so players will have an immersive way to return up to the floating islands if they fall off.


Obvious where to go? 
Oh yes, it was very clear where players needed to go. I reused the "Eye of Sauron" approach from the finale to my previous level to great effect here. In this case, the final destination is the portal to the Chonk King's lair.


 

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3d Game Level V2: Tentacle Surprise

 


I noticed a trend in many of my levels. One of the things that went right in a level usually leads directly into one of the things that went wrong. This level was no exception. It received mixed but generally favorable responses. On a scale of 1 to 8, all players rated it at 5 or above. I had 8 playtesters, with 7 responses to my google form.

 

Concept map, drawn over a top-down view of the first version

 

What went right:

New areas 
- I expanded the level further. The area from the first version now only takes up about 40% of the space.
- The new areas fit naturally with the first section. It does not feel like two separate levels jammed together, which was a concern I had.

Design process
- I drew up a new concept map over an orthographic view of the previous version. I mentioned before how satisfying it felt to see my concept realized, and I felt the same thing again.
- I grew even more comfortable using the 3d Game Kit's vertex editing and polybrush tools.
- Personalized the Unity editor with custom settings that make it similar to Valve Hammer Editor.

Secrets
- This is something I've mentioned in the past few levels, and I finally hid a secret here. Makes my heart smile.

Atmosphere
- Players liked the level's "alien atmosphere" and general mood.
- One player compared it to the Xen levels from Half-Life and Black Mesa. (can you guess what my major influences were?)
- I was very careful with the lighting, and it paid off. I received feedback specifically complimenting the cave section. 
- Lighting drew attention to the right areas and also set the mood. 
- Some players said it was too dark, others said it was perfect.
- My level actually had sound design, at least for part of it. A bizarre synth music track plays during the build-up to the final area.



What went wrong: 

Sound design
- Purely for my own amusement, I swapped out the character model for a scientist from Half-Life. I also replaced the audio, but I only had so many clips to choose from.
- It didn't bother me too much, but the sounds made him a little bit obnoxious to some. That may have encouraged them to mute the audio, or otherwise soured the experience.

Climbing
- While players enjoyed the platforming aspects, they did not enjoy dealing with rugged terrain.
- It is frustrating for players to fail when they feel they are doing nothing wrong.


How to improve

- Next time, I am going to take sound design more seriously. If I devoted more time to it, I would have included ambient audio throughout the level. That moment where you come upon a dead chomper in a pool of spit deserved an eerie sting. The audio track at the ending is something I made a couple weeks ago, and my computer is full of similar ambient noises. Going forward, I am ready to take sound design to another level.

- I need to keep in mind that NPCs are not smart on their own. It is up to the level designer to create a space that gives them a chance to shine. One very helpful tester pointed out that spitters thrive in enclosed spaces that limit player mobility, especially when there are multiple attackers. I had a hunch about this when I designed the cave encounter, but I held back a little bit. I'm getting excited about ideas for taking this further.



Skill level

- I specifically asked if the level was appropriate as an introduction, and every response said it was.
- The reception indicates that my level not only did a good job at teaching the mechanics, but it also accomplished something more by introducing an interesting game world.
- When responding to the survey question mentioned above, one player added that my level "could also act as something more than that"
- The enemies were still not difficult or smart enough. The feedback I received has given me some valuable insight into how to fix this.

Critical path

The critical path was always clear to the players. The only spots that have branching paths are in the tunnel and last part of the cavern.
- The tunnel caused some minor confusion, but it really is nothing to worry about. In fact, I think it's good to leave some room for confusion. There needs to be a balance between guiding the player and letting them figure things out.
- I had the chance to watch three of my play-testers in a live stream, and a fourth one sent me a video. One player immediately went for the secret room in the cavern. He clearly did not think it was actually the way to go, and it seemed more like he was hunting for secrets. Some players looked briefly towards the hidden room, and others glazed past it entirely.



Overall flow

Overall, the level flows well. There's a nice build-up, and it leads to a good conclusion. The enemies ought to be more challenging, but this is a nice start.
1. Level starts with basic jumping challenges
2. Introduces the player to each enemy safely, then throws a more challenging encounter at them
3. After a slightly interesting fight in the tunnels, the player gets a chance to relax in a cool-lit cavern with some moving tentacle bridges. There's even a dance party if you know where to look. From here on out, there are no more enemies. One player was disappointed by that, but the others seemed to like it or didn't mention it.
4. After that breather, suspense starts to build as the player follows a dim red light.
5. They emerge from the cave to a sight best described as the Eye of Sauron atop a massive proboscis over a pool of acid.



Circulation elements

- Last time, I talked about making the path loop back over the previous area at a higher elevation. Ultimately I decided against it in the concepting stage of the new version. I was worried about the possibility of players falling down to the starting area.
- I toyed with the idea of the outside environment changing while the player was in the cave, so the ditch they started in would now be overgrown by tentacle bridges. I didn't actually want to take the level in that direction, but experimented with the idea anyways.

There are some circulation elements:
- In the tunnel, there is a small looping side path. I thought about adding something back there, but I figured the little slice of exploration was reward enough.
- In the cavern, the ground underneath the first two bridges is low enough that the players can walk back to the start if they fall off.



Obvious where to go?

- Most of the time, it was obvious where players needed to go. The level is totally linear, but does a decent job of hiding it behind an interesting world
- The only section that caused some confusion was the tunnel before the cavern. As I mentioned before, I believe that example is not really an issue.


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3d Game Level V1: Tentacle Surprise

 



What went right?
Most things went right. The feedback I received was generally positive, and supportive of a tentacle-based theme. Players liked the atmosphere, the jumping challenges, and the surprising combat.

One tester said I gave them "a game I was willing to explore" which tells me I hit my mark.

There is one moment in particular that worked out quite nicely. When introducing the spitter, the player comes upon a dead chomper in a pool of spit. They glimpse another one on the ground ahead before being spotted by the spitter down below. I took inspiration from the introduction to the bullsquid in Half-Life. 

As a designer, things went beautifully. I love how I was able realize my concept art in a playable 3d level. The opening image matched what I originally envisioned in the art below. I did not watch any of the tutorial videos for the 3d game kit, but I did not need to. I understand the tools theoretically, thanks to my level design experience in the Half-Life modding community. I've grown comfortable using Unity, so it's really just a matter of translating previously established skills to a different toolset.



What went wrong?
For some, the moment with the spitter didn't quite have the right effect. Two players seemed to think it was actually a bug that the chompers were already dead.

The ending caused some confusion, and was generally a bit of a letdown. I didn't take the time to set up a fade or message, so some players thought the orb activated something elsewhere in the level. 

It was meant to be impossible to backtrack after jumping down into the pit with the spitter, but the terrain didn't block it off completely. This made things a bit more confusing for the player who went back after touching the orb. 

How might you improve your level next time? 
I really need to extend this level, and fix the ending. What I had in mind was a flash of white light when you touch the orb, but I never got around to adding it in.

The level deserves to be extended. What I have so far is good, so I need to elaborate on what I already have. My goal is to double the length of the level. The next step for me is to draw some revised maps before getting back into the editor.

One tester suggested having the path loop back around to the beginning at a higher elevation. I thought about this before, and will continue to think about it, but I don't expect to go in that direction.

Were the challenges presented appropriate to the skill level of the player? 
I specifically asked players if the level was appropriate as an introduction, and they all agreed that it was. I chose to focus entirely on movement, combat, and exploration. The idea is to keep the level immersive and the tutorial elements subtle. 

There is definitely room to add more challenges. My plans include trickier terrain, platforming, and most likely some kind of interactable.



Was the critical path obvious? 
The critical path was obvious, but it also did not feel too obvious. Players had the sense that they were discovering things as they went along. The level was entirely linear, but it felt like there was something more to it.

How was the overall flow?
The overall flow was good, but will improve as I extend the level. The enemies were a tad weak, so I will try boosting their health. There is a ramp-up in difficulty, and I plan on continuing that trend as I extend the level.

I made sure to introduce each enemy in a clever and relatively safe way, without letting it stay perfectly safe for long.

After encountering the first chomper, the player stumbles into an ambush by three of them hiding behind trees. I liked how this part felt when playing it myself, and one player specifically mentioned that he liked it too.

The introduction to the spitter followed a similar format, but built up to it with environmental storytelling. It fell short, however, because there was no follow through. The next area of the level I design will give the spitters a chance to challenge the player, just as the chompers had their ambush.



Were there circulation elements?
There were no circulation elements, but I do have plans for them. It occurred to be to have the path circle back around. Players would eventually cross over the beginning area, traversing a tentacle bridge. I may or may not do that, but I do have plans for exploration, side paths, and loops.

Was it obvious where players were supposed to go?
Players could always tell where they needed to go. From the beginning, players could glimpse the purple tentacles in the distance. In the final stretch, the glowing blue orb made for a very clear and enticing goal.


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Mega Man Level 2: "Jungle Drums"

    What went right?
"Jungle Drums" was fairly well received, or at least better than expected. Players pointed out the issues, both the glaring ones and the subtle ones, but their tone was generally positive. The biggest thing that went right is establishing an environment and playing with it. This level is definitely a jungle. My attempts at establishing the setting and foreshadowing went over pretty well. I was also successful in creating the illusion of a non-linear space when there was really only one path.

    What went wrong?
Well, a lot went wrong. First and foremost is I did not utilize the two special weapon pick-ups very well at all. Their introductions were poorly planned and had terrible timing. For example, I gave the player the oil slick weapon but no smart way to use it. As a designer, I never really explored the different weapons until after I had settled on a concept for my level. I started on this aspect later in the design process, and it was definitely too late. 


    How might you improve your level next time? 
I have been saying this since my first DnD map, but I should really try designing a level with multiple paths in mind. Next time I design a level I am going to try this, I swear. More importantly, I really need to explore the tools before getting too far into a design. Lastly, I need more secrets, and cleverer ones. My previous levels had some of this, but I missed the mark here.

    Were the challenges presented appropriate to the skill level of the player? 
A few of the challenges were appropriate for the player skill level, but everything had the potential to be more than it was. I recycled some of the encounters from my previous level and elaborated on them. Those moments seemed to work pretty well. The environmental puzzles were essentially interesting and fun but did not go far enough. Also, the total absence of puzzles based on special weapon abilities is a flaw that bothers me immensely. 


    Was the critical path obvious? 
The critical path was just as obvious as I wanted it to be. Most of the level takes place high up in the jungle, climbing around vines and trees. Early on, the top of the screen is covered with vines. This suggested to players that their destination would be up there, without saying it too overtly. Mid-way through the level, you catch a glimpse of the ending when the orb shows up in an area you cannot currently reach. 


    How was the overall flow?
Overall, the level started off with decent flow, but did not stay that way. It builds things up pretty well early on, then slows down in the middle section, and ends with a less than satisfying conclusion. I noticed myself doing this in previous levels, but the effect is especially pronounced here. In the middle section, there were not enough enemies. I wanted the players to loop back over previous screens, this time up in the canopy and vines. I maintained an effort to conceal the top of the screen from the player on their first pass at ground level. This turned out to be a severe limitation that pushed me to design a very bare mid section.

  
    Were there circulation elements? 
There were circulation elements, they just weren't very well thought out. I stuck a weapon energy pack in a place next to a hole that would send the player back down to a previous screen. They had the option of jumping out without falling, but if they did fall there was an enemy right there for them to land on. Ouch.


    Was it obvious where players were supposed to go? 
Players knew where they needed to go, and it wasn't just because it was their only option. I tried to hint at what the future path was going to be like by introducing elements before they become relevant. Based on the playtest video I received, I was successful in doing this. When the player is at ground level, seemingly random vines crept in through the top of the screen. On inspection, it was clear that the vines were impossible to navigate at first. As you progressed, the vines at the top were replaced by ones that left enough room for player movement. My intention was to get players used to seeing vines without making it too obvious, but also trick them by hiding what was waiting for them.


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

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Mega Man Level: "Robot Mesa" Version 2



    What went right?
Like in the first version, players continued to remark that they enjoyed the level’s aesthetic.
I had the chance to playtest with people who had never played mega man before, or at least it was a long time ago. Seeing them figure out how to use the mechanics was an invaluable piece of data. The level was overall well received.
The oil slick and platform challenge early on worked quite nicely. Some of the testers were confused when first introduced to the puzzle, but they always figured it out successfully after trial and error. You need to solve the puzzle in order to move forward, making this a successful example of skill gating. I asked players if there were any memorable moments, and this one came up more often than any other.




    What went wrong?
When one of the players encountered an enemy that could not be killed normally, he concluded that they could not be killed at all. He had a “strategy” of rushing through enemies and taking damage, which is a habit I gravitated towards when I started playing Mega Man a few weeks ago.
When observing my roommates play the game, I avoided explaining anything. They played with the game controller to figure things out, but neither of them discovered the charge shot. Perhaps I should have mentioned that ahead of time.



    How might you improve your level next time?
Following the playtest for the first version of the level, I wanted to put more thought into alternative solutions and branching paths. I wanted the player to feel like they had options. After some experimentation, I figured out that adding another path would involve tearing up too many floorboards. Instead, I ended up adding some environmental details that suggested the possibility of a more detailed world. Next time, I would like to try building a level with a branching structure in mind from the start. 

    Were the challenges presented appropriate to the skill level of the player?
The challenges were very appropriate for the skill level of a new player. I noticed them pausing to think about how to proceed, but they never got stuck for too long. Any challenge was, at most, slightly frustrating. That seems like a good place for the challenge to be.

    Was the critical path obvious?
The critical path was totally obvious to the players. The secret paths, however, were usually totally ignored. The player who found the alternate route to the boss is someone with years of Mega Man experience, so I expected him to find it. I would have hoped that one of the less-experienced players would notice it, but they unfortunately did not.



    How was the overall flow?
Playtesters said the level flowed well. To an extent, I agree with that assessment. There is a slow ramp-up in difficulty and interest that seemed to keep players in a balanced state. The culmination could have been more interesting.

    Were there circulation elements?
There were some circulation elements, but they never came up in the playtests I was able to observe. My roommates did not think to look around in the places I hid treasure, but another tester did. One of the players who tested the level remotely, from much more than six feet away, was able to sit through the level longer and discover its secrets. 



    Was it obvious where players were supposed to go?
Players always knew where they needed to go. The level flows intuitively from left to right, sometimes up and down, but I never expected players to backtrack or anything.








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Mega Man Level: "Robot Mesa" Version 1




What went right?
Players liked the level overall. They commonly remarked that they enjoyed the aesthetic. I used a variety of backgrounds and rock colors that seemed to blend together well. I shaped the level’s geometry to resemble mesas and other rock formations, which were functional in gameplay as well as visually interesting. One player pointed out how the background starts as a blue sky, then changes to a sunset after emerging from the mine. I consider it a success that the moment of emerging back to the surface worked as well as it did.

What went wrong?
First of all, the level was too short. I suspected this might be the case going in, but I did not want to risk extended the level in a way that felt arbitrary. The idea was to test the concept as a whole, and then figure out which areas deserve more elaboration.
There is one spot that almost presented a good piece of exploration. A rock pillar that was climbable in earlier versions of the level. I considered adding something special back there but opted to simply cover it up so it could no longer be scaled. That was a mistake, since players found this spot and were tempted to explore.


How might you improve your level next time?
Going forward, I am going to rethink my level to include multiple paths. I already have one area in mind that can be changed, at the entrance to the mine. As always, I will continue to work on balancing enemy difficulty, placement, and variation.


Were the challenges presented appropriate to the skill level of the player?
I would say that most of the challenges were appropriate for the skill level. Some of my obstacles confused players, but they were able to get through them. One of the first enemies is a sort of turtle that can only be killed with a charged blast. Once killed, it falls on its back. If it lands in oil, you can ride it as a moving platform. There was no introduction to this mechanic before players were expected to use it, but players were able to get past it. The challenges seem to be working as intended.



Was the critical path obvious?
The critical path was obvious, but that is because it was the only path available. The level was too linear. Somehow, it did not occur to me to add branching paths at all, so there is only one way to go through the level. Players never got lost, and it was always clear where to go.

How was the overall flow?
Multiple players commented that my level flowed well, but I slightly disagree. The first half and conclusion had good flow, but the third quarter seems to be lacking. One player mentioned that there was a good distribution of enemies. The enemies are mildly challenging in the beginning, and slowly ramp up in difficulty. There were some interesting puzzles and introduction of mechanics early on, but they did not continue to a satisfying conclusion. I had a habit of introducing things, but failing to revisit or expand upon them later.



Were there circulation elements?
There were some circulation elements. The player starts off in a desert, climbs over some rock formations, passes through a town and a mine, and then emerges in a ditch. I tried to make the environments make sense, so there was some resemblance of functioning circulation elements.


Was it obvious where players were supposed to go?
Players knew exactly where they needed to go. As I mentioned earlier, however, there was only one way to go. This will change going forward.
 



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Simple DnD Map 2



You know you've made something strange when a player gets killed by a "wet naked hobo" 
(as one of my players described it)
In my defense, the character was in the shower and I specified that he was wearing a towel.

For this scenario, I played with the same people who tested the first version of the previous map. Sequoia Campbell returned as Steel Wool Sheep, the sheep warrior, and Kevyn San Antonio played a ranger. 



What Went Right
- Players felt that I had created an interesting and dramatic game environment. They found it to be quite “good and engaging.” The moment where players stepped into the security room and glimpsed the final arena through a window, worked very well. The room had a view of a ship bay, the final boss and escape route for the prisoners.

- Interesting and unexpected player actions. The party split up between the washroom and cafeteria, when really they only needed to pick one. This gave me some good ideas about how players behave and react to their environment. It also led to the things that went wrong.




What Went Wrong
- The washroom and cafeteria encounters were both designed for two players, not one. Each room had its own miniboss. The cafeteria was being cleaned by “the janitor”, a tall, slow-moving alien with a flamethrower who cleans up trash (among other things). The washroom was occupied by a fellow inmate, driven mad by the aliens repeatedly altering his memory.

- Checkpoints. I planned the map with checkpoints in mind, but I totally forgot how they were meant to work during the actual play session. The rules stated that players would return to the checkpoint when one of them dies, but I was only planning on that happening when both of them died. Steel Wool Sheep was killed by the "wet naked hobo", but the game went on. I hastily invented a medkit item that could revive a player.

- Attempting to run two separate scenes simultaneously was something I didn’t think about before, so I had to adapt as I went along. It ended up taking longer than expected, since players went to both rooms instead of just one. We had to cut the game short once players arrived at the security room.

- As before, balance remains a constant struggle. Enemy placement and toughness is difficult to get right, and the introduction of items presents a further complication. I included an item called the “mind zapper” which allowed players to extract information from an enemy’s mind on a successful melee attack. Only one player had this item. He failed to use this item on the janitor, and the other player already killed the other NPC vulnerable to this attack.



What to Change
Going forward, I am going to try designing maps for multiple playstyles and solutions. A game environment may inspire different ideas in individual players, so maps should be designed to present equally satisfying experiences for the players who want to smash, sneak, or think their way through obstacles.

One thing I learned from this experience is that enemy behaviors can make all the difference in the world. A tough and lethal enemy can become interesting and balanced by altering the way it moves and responds, among other things. During the playtest, I decided that the janitor had a limited field of view and could be fooled by running or hiding. He rarely looks directly down and doesn’t care about enemies once they get out of his way. This created an interesting gameplay situation and shaped the janitor into a unique character from a dramatic standpoint. In the future, I would like to continue experimenting with the ways that gameplay and drama inspire ideas in one another.

My strategy for coming up with overarching map themes and layout is working quite well for me. I plan to continue and evolve my current style of working. It seems to produce levels that are dramatically interesting, with promising, albeit clunky gameplay.


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 Simple DnD Map 1, Version 2


For the second iteration of my dungeon, I decided to make only one small revision to the map itself. I introduced a skill gate, played with the attributes and placement of enemies, and tweaked the context of the quest. My map was played by Mark Hudson, a warrior and Derek Legrady, a mage. Unlike the first group, these players opted for the direct path instead of the stealth route.

What went right

Skill gate:
In order to remind players about their lockpick skill, I added a gate to the tunnel leading into Gob Gob the Boss Man’s chamber.
Encounters:
Players appreciated the surprise attacks, even if the combat proved to be broken.

Layout:
The layout and path throughout the cave seemed to be popular among testers in both iterations. In particular, they liked the elevated wooden platform. Incorporating verticality in design is a good way to add interest to a location.

Goals/Critical Path:
Players knew exactly what they needed to do, but it did not feel too obvious. They liked how they were able to see the goal from the beginning. They understood why they could not reach the goal and had some idea of what they needed to do to reach it. Additionally, I changed the name of the second NPC from “Bard” to “Locksmith”, which made his utility more evident.


What went wrong

Balance:
Combat balance remains as one of the biggest challenges for me as a designer. I’m not sure whether my tweaks in this version made things better, worse, or unchanged. The goblin runts received a slight boost, and now had an attack rating of 1. At least, that was my intention going into this playtest. Previously, there was only one ambush encounter, on the stealth path. I added another one to the assault path and increased the number of runts to 4 at each spot. Four runts jumped onto the warrior at the same time and attacked. They all rolled very high, so I quickly removed their attack stat to avoid killing a player instantly. My original intention was for the runt to be a weak introductory enemy, but in reality, they were just useless.


What I would change

Players found the map to be too small and too linear, and I agree. There was one interesting decision at the beginning, between the stealth and assault path. After that, however, there was only one way to go. Going forward, I would like to make my maps bigger and more intricate. I held back some in the interest of keeping the map playable in a short time.
 
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Simple DnD Map 1, Version 1



My map was played by Sequoia Campbell and Kevyn San Antonio. Sequoia played the warrior class, and her character was a barbarian sheep that rammed its enemies. Kevyn played your standard, fireball-slinging mage. Neither of them had played dungeons & dragons before, but they seemed to really get into it. It takes place in a cave populated by goblins, and the quest was to rescue a kidnapped wizard and a bard.

First sketch. This version included a second wooden platform,
leading into Gob Gob the Boss Man's chamber.

What went right

  • One of the things that went right is the way the map introduces players to their objective early on by placing the goal in a visible but inaccessible location. In the first main chamber, the wizard was in a cage suspended from the ceiling. The cage was accessible by a wooden platform that the players could not currently reach but could see that the platform continued into another tunnel on the opposite side of the room.
  • Another thing that went right is how the map was designed with two paths for different playstyles. There’s the direct route which cuts through a large and well-lit chamber, intended for players who want to charge in assault style. For more stealth-inclined players, there was also a back route through a dark and narrow tunnel. They opted for the back route. Presenting multiple options added interest and replayability to the map, and I will continue to do so going forward.
  • Also, players appreciated how the map attempts to teach mechanics in a relatively safe environment before they needed to use them in higher-stakes situations. The goblin runts were incredibly weak, but they did their job by easing players into combat before throwing standard enemies at them and, eventually, the boss.

Second sketch

What went wrong


  • The first thing that went wrong involved balancing enemies. Most of the enemies were goblin runts. Their attack, defend, and magic modifiers were all zero, and they only had three health. These were meant to be weak, but they ended up doing no damage at all. Originally, I only planned to include two of these, in the back tunnel. The final boss and standard goblin enemies were more challenging, but even these could have been more powerful.

  • The second thing that went wrong was teaching mechanics. I found it tricky to make sure players were aware of the skills and abilities they had available, without reminding them too overtly. For example, the wizard’s cage. The cage had a strong lock, requiring a roll of 10 on the escape skill. I gave the bard stats of 3 in attack and magic so it would always be possible for players to open the cage. His utility was not immediately clear, so perhaps I should have called him “locksmith” instead.

How to improve


The map could have been improved if it was bigger and involved more interesting choices, and if it did more to teach mechanics early on.

  • The only opportunity for variation in the current map was at the beginning, with the choice between the stealth and assault path. Other than that, the rest of the encounters only had one way to get through.

  • I should have introduced lockpicking earlier and in a lower-stakes situation. This could have been accomplished by adding a door with a weak lock in front of the final room.
Final map


Critical Path


The critical path seemed to be obvious enough to the players. They could see their eventual destination from the beginning and had a hint of what it would take to get there. I designed two routes through the dungeon. One of them was an open and well-lit space meant for a frontal assault approach, and the other was a tighter and darker back path, meant for stealth. The players went for the back path, although each path would have been equally viable.