First Time Game Developer: Level Designs

In an effort to make a good and enjoyable level, I have done a lot of research on level design. In this post I will talk about the different elements of making a good level that I wish to include in my own game. A good level should function almost like a course in school. Certain parts of a level are designed to teach the player about new mechanics in a controlled environment. For example, one element I wish to include in my level are conveyer belts, which will move the player while on top of them. First, I would want to introduce the concept with little to no consequences for failing, so I might make it so you have to jump on a couple of conveyer belts to get to a certain room. If you fall off the conveyer belt there will be solid ground and all you have to do is jump back up to where you were to continue. Next, I will put some conveyer belts in a more dangerous place, where you might fall into a pit and die. Then I might introduce a different mechanic like a mini-boss that the player will have to fight. This will teach the player what the enemy is capable of and how to deal with them. Afterwards, I would want to throw in a "quiz" on the two "lessons," the conveyer belt and the mini-boss. In the quiz, I would want to combine the two elements. You might have to fight the mini-boss while jumping from conveyer belt to conveyer belt. This might prove to be a bit of a challenge, but because I have introduced both concepts individually and in controlled environments, the player should know exactly what to do and should not get too frustrated.