Game Design Commons^™

Effective Guidance Using Natural And Unnatural Framing, Bowen Dong

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the impact of six types of framing—Natural, Unnatural, Implied, Implicit, Mixed, and Lighting / Color Contrast Framing—on guiding player navigation in video games. It further examines how additional design elements, such as chokepoints and breadcrumbing, interact with these different types of framing to enhance directional cues across both indoor and outdoor settings. Utilizing the Dying Light Editor: Chrome Engine, the researcher developed a custom single-player level in which these framing methods were implemented and evaluated. Through testing and analysis we can determine the best practices for utilizing the framing techniques.

Best Practices: Spatial Valence Theory To Encourage Exploration, Boheng Wang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the combination of valence levels for various elements within a game environment and how these levels, when combined with the visibility of the elements, contribute to the concept of spatial valence. The study applies this theory to a level artifact, examining how spatial valence can guide player navigation within the level. This thesis provides future level designers with a more holistic view of guiding the player within the level by refining the valence theory.

Predicting Subversion Impact In A Narratively Driven Quest, Jon Jon D. Matarangas

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aimed to develop a methodology which can be used to quantify a narrative subversion’s memorability. The researcher formulated seven unique subversion categories: Action, Environment, Narrative, Betrayal, Genre, Stereotype and Pattern. The researcher created a single player video game level in Fallout 4. The researcher developed a quest incorporating seven subversions (two Action, two Environment, two Narrative, and one Betrayal). To evaluate each subversion, the researcher created a “subversion memorability” formula using four key variables (Impact, Severity, Time, and Number of Prior Subversions). The researcher then plotted the subversion memorability values on a line graph to examine whether …

Best Practices For Spatial Composition For A Pacing Curve In Combat Design, Alan Lemerande

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the best practices for adjusting the level of pacing experienced by players within video games using terminology defined by Mark Davies: threat, tension, tempo, and movement impetus. Using the Dying Light editor, the researcher created a single-player video game level in which pacing was developed following a curve. The goal of creating this level was to demonstrate the success and proper implementation of the best practices identified through research.

Using Implied Spaces To Influence Combat Engagement, Sisi Li

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how implied spaces in level design influence combat engagement. The researcher hypothesized that players prefer areas with more implied space types over areas with less or no implied space types. More implied space types create more opportunities for varied tactical choices and dynamic combat. To test this hypothesis, the researcher created a custom arena level in Half-Life 2. The level is divided into four distinct zones, each designed with a different combination of implied space types. The researcher conducted playtest sessions to analyze playtesters’ perception of implied spaces and those spaces’ impact on combat encounters.

Using Object Density To Modulate Tension Responses, Yidi Edith Wang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the connection between object density and player tension in video games. Expanding on Canny Yuan’s work, “Using Spatial Composition to Influence Player Tension”, the researcher introduced a quantitative approach to measuring room density and posits that increased navigable space can lower player tension. To test this hypothesis, the researcher developed a custom single-player level, “Veylmoor”, in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The level is composed of rooms with systematically varied spatial layouts and navigable areas, allowing for controlled analysis of spatial density. The researcher quantified room density using four methodologies implemented through custom C# scripts. The …

Sounds Of The World: Guiding And Motivating Players Through Sound Valences, Kirk Baltzell

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to integrate sound design techniques and practices into the larger level and game design process to provide greater support and motivations for players. The researcher created a custom single-player level in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that tasks the player with navigating an enchanted castle, relying on sound valences to guide their path. The researcher gathered data on the implemented sound valences by observing testers’ playtests, the navigational choices the testers made throughout the level, and the connotations of the sound valences themselves.

Using Generative Ai To Procedurally Populate Assets In An Ascii Level, Tianxing Jiang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on how to make use of generative AI in game level development by procedurally populating assets at a code-based level in a video game. The researcher aims to enhance developers’ efficiency in aesthetic milestone by adapting a pipeline in which generative AI handles decoration process that has less impact on gameplay. Consequently, the researcher creates a pipeline outlining the best practices for conducting the pipeline using generative AI. The researcher constructed a game level in Left 4 Dead 2 to explore the effectiveness of this pipeline. Testers play the level and provided feedback regarding their experiences, especially …

Best Practices: Reusing Space To Enhance Narrative Immersion, Yuning Yang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the relationship between traditional storytelling techniques and the reuse of space and attempts to evaluate the relationship’s effectiveness in enhancing the player’s immersion in both narrative and gameplay. The researcher investigates various concepts, such as mental mapping, spaced learning, and thematic affordances, to understand how players remember previously visited spaces. Based on these practices, the researcher built a custom single-player level in Dying Light, where players assist a trapped non-player character (NPC) in searching for his coworkers. As players complete objectives, they simultaneously familiarize themselves with the environment and revisit spaces guided by narrative signifiers. To assess …

Implementing Defamiliarization Techniques To Enhance Quest-Based Storytelling, Yi Zhong

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

Defamiliarization is a technique originating from literary theory that can be used to subvert player expectations and create novel and thought-provoking experiences. This thesis explores how players react to defamiliarization and how defamiliarization enhances players’ narrative experiences. The researcher designed two levels in Fallout 4. One level contained no unusual or unexpected elements, serving as a baseline, while the other level built on the same structure as the first level, but incorporated five selected defamiliarization techniques. By analysing player reactions and feedback, the researcher gained insights into how game designers can effectively leverage defamiliarization to craft more engaging and …

Composition Strategies To Motivate Player Exploration, Wilbur Wang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the impact of different composition techniques on player exploration motivation in open-world games. The Researcher forms assumptions regarding good composition strategies, then utilizes the suggested best practices in a composition-focused level in Metro Exodus using Exodus SDK and validates this hypothesis through analysis of playtest results.

Best Practices: A Framework For Modulating Melee And Ranged Combat Styles, Aidi Hu

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the impact of video game environmental design, resource abundance, and fault tolerance on players' in-game combat styles between melee and ranged. The researcher integrates all three aspects into a single-player level, "Dam Escape," built using Dying Light Developer Tools, to collect quantitative and qualitative player behavior data. By aligning predicted outcomes with actual gameplay data, this research seeks to refine actionable insights for balancing player agency with intentional level design. The results, derived from regression analysis and iterative calibration, will be presented in the data and conclusions.

An Exploration Into Liminal Spaces And Their Effects On Player Tension, Zane Herrera

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how liminal spaces can be used in video games by analyzing their design and impact on player tension. How can designers create transitional or ambiguous environments that contribute to a sense of unease, anticipation, and tension? What are some of the common design elements that help build an effective liminal space, which the researcher calls distortions, and how do those distortions affect player tension? The researcher created a series of levels that explore the different elements of liminal spaces to test how they affect player tension while playing the level.

Presenting Rewards With Effective Pacing To Heighten Engagement, Titus Thompson

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis (1) builds a theory of rewards as a pacing device by synthesizing principles of games and theatre and (2) posits that linear regression can model engagement. The paper aims to establish a preliminary empirical basis for both by gathering data from an original video game. It covers the theory’s application to the game and other essential considerations in the design process.

Exploring The Relationship Between Architectural Accuracy And Gameplay Flow And Its Impact On Player Immersion, Daniel Leon

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis topic discusses the relationship between architectural accuracy and gameplay flow and the impact it has on the player’s immersion. The researcher created two levels, a control and a test level, to compare a level that is focused primarily on architectural accuracy and another level that breaks down or “warps” the architectural accuracy in favor of improving gameplay flow. The researcher aimed to explore the important aspects of level building, specifically the aesthetics, architectural accuracy, and gameplay in each space and how those qualities affect the player’s immersion.

Heroines From An Ancient World, Danni Liang

Art Theses and Dissertations

A female warrior wearing different historical armor will fight against each other for territory. Ultimately, it will be presented in Unreal Engine 5 through a fusion of animation, special effects, and armor themes.

I will conduct historical research on armor in its early stages, including its structure and essential components. Then, I will choose a particular armor set from that era for production. I will study the fighting movements of different warriors and make them into animations accompanied by historical background stories.

Create three special effects, namely thunder, fire, and ice, and integrate these elements into the animation to present …

Best Practices: Enhancing Narrative Communication Through Environmental Shifts, Xinyu Zhang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to integrate traditional storytelling methods with environmental shifts to test the effectiveness in enhancing player immersion and narrative communication. The researcher created a custom single-player level in Fallout 4, which tasks players with investigating a case and finding out the truth of the quest’s narrative with the help of environmental shifts. The researcher collected data on the effectiveness of their researched, environmental shift best practices by observing testers’ playtests and their subsequent understanding of the story.

Using Multi-Staged Puzzles To Improve Backtracking In Level Design, Yufei Tian

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the potential best practices in using multi-staged puzzles, which involve backtracking, in video games. The researcher focused on enhancing the players’ experiences by applying elements of the flow theory to an artifact level in Dying Light 2. Playtesters’ feedback suggested that best practices in multi-staged backtracking puzzles improve flow state entry and increase enjoyment.

Best Practices: Implementing Dense Level Design Through Reuse Of Space, Shuo Zhang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the correlation between Dense Level Design and the Reuse of Space in video games. It provides assumptions about best practices for implementing Reuse of Space to attain Dense Level Design. To evaluate these best practices, an artifact level is developed for Dying Light 2: Stay Human. The practices are evaluated through an analysis of survey results.

Using Graph Theory To Create A 3d Miniscaped, Non-Linear Level, Donghua Li

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on how to use the Graph Theory and the Dominion Theory to design a three-dimensional (3D) non-linear, miniscaped level layout in a video game. Using these theories, the researcher aimed to aid players in navigating non-linear levels (which are notoriously difficult to traverse). Consequently, the researcher created a methodology outlining the best practices for constructing a level using Graph Theory and Dominion Theory. The researcher constructed a game level in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to explore the effectiveness of this methodology. Testers played the level and provided feedback regarding their experiences. The researcher analyzed this data …

Best Practices: Modulating Tension Using Contrast Lighting, Jaye Marie Williams

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is to determine the best practices for modulating tension in a level through the use of contrast lighting. To test their theories, the researcher used variations of high and low contrast lighting when creating the artifact to elicit responses to tension from the player.

Prospect And Refuge: Modulating Level Pacing Through Spatial Composition, Yifan Li

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the concepts of Prospect space and Refuge space in video games and their influences on game pace. Based on the assumption that a Prospect space increases pacing while a Refuge space decreases pacing, the researcher created a custom level artifact (using both space types) to achieve an ideal pacing curve. By analysing playtesters’ experiences, the researcher was able to examine the influence of Prospect and Refuge space on pacing and formulate a set of best practices to help game designers modulate pacing through spatial composition.

Using Push And Pull Principles To Improve Non-Linear Level Navigation, Aiwen Zhang

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the Player’s habits of navigation when they are in an open-world environment. It incorporates assumptions of best practices utilizing the Push and Pull level design theory that guides the Player in a free-flowing, exploratory environment and utilizes these practices in an open-world level in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Best Practices: Using Semiotics In Environmental Storytelling, Conger He

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores an aspect of environmental storytelling known as “semiotics.” Semiotics conveys information and relevant interconnections to an individual through visual representations. There are diverse types of semiotic elements, including symbols, icons, and indexes. The researcher examined the use of semiotics in video games and derived seven best practices for conveying story beats and relaying aspects of a video game’s narrative. The researcher implemented these semiotic-related practices into a custom Fallout 4 level, gathered testers to play the level, and asked the testers to give their opinions on the experience. The researcher analysed the tester’s feedback to conclude whether …

Unveiling New Realms: Enhancing Procedural Narrative Generation And Npc Personalization Using Ai, Tanishq Chawla

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

A System Design Framework used to train GPT - based agents can significantly help improve current Procedural Narrative and Character (NPC) Personality Generation Models in games. This approach can lead to a Richer Gameplay Experience that allows players to craft their own Personalized and Unique stories.

Shipwrecked Spaceship With Undersea Overgrowth And Dynamic Weather System, Konstantine Soldatos

Art Theses and Dissertations

This artifact depicts an underwater overgrowth scene featuring coral, barnacles, sea urchins, and various sea-life enveloping the iconic Slave-1 ship from Star Wars. The ship exhibits visible damage to its hull and substructures, resulting from missile impacts and prolonged decay subsequent to a crash landing in the ocean. Consequently, remnants of destroyed substructures are interspersed with coral growth, transforming the ship into an artificial reef. The artifact comprises four distinct scenes: an initial pristine underwater environment teeming with flourishing kelp, vibrant sea life, and animated corals; a subsequent chaotic scene depicting a vortex that evacuates the water from the environment; …

Utilizing Valence Theory To Influence Player Navigation In First-Person Shooter Multiplayer Maps, Yousha Qu

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This research explored tactical & visual valences, different valence weights and the transformation of valences under different circumstances in first-person shooter multiplayer maps, then incorporated them into a level artifact, utilizing the valences to influence player navigation.

Using Spatial Composition To Influence Player Tension, Canny Yuan

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on how space and level geometry in a video game influence a person’s tension. The researcher explored a few potential best practices, which a level designer might utilize when employing spatial composition in video games. By modifying a space's density, size, and openness, a designer can effectively increase or decrease the player’s spatial tension. To explore the effectiveness of the best practices and the related spatial methodology, the researcher recruited playtesters to play the thesis artifact, a customized game level in Dying Light called, “A Way Out.” The researcher then analyzed the heart rates and experiences of …

Best Practices For Teaching Shifting Gameplay Styles, Matthew Grabowski

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores four different methods (Golden Path, Punishers & Reinforcers, Teaching in Threes, and Forced Teaching) for teaching players how to engage with shifting gameplay styles within video games using Nico Fridja’s Valence Theory [1]. Using the Far Cry 5 Arcade Editor, the researcher created a single-player video game level in which all four teaching methods were tested in tandem with one another. The goal of creating this level was to evaluate the validity of the teaching methods and their ability to shift gameplay valences, specifically between stealth-focused gameplay and push-forward firefight combat gameplay.

Best Practices: Encouraging The Modality Between Melee And Ranged Combat Styles, Austyn Wiles

Level Design Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to determine what gameplay factors encourage and discourage players from switching between melee and ranged playstyles while in combat scenarios. The practices for the artifact were found in action-focused video games and then incorporated into a standalone level in a Dying Light mod.