[HELP] Level Design?

[m0rbidang3l]

So, this question is more for the world builders out there...

Where do you get your ideas for the worlds you build?

How do you choose the designs and layouts of what you do? Do you just place objects according to aesthetic values, or do you take flow and pacing into account?

How much pre-planning do you do before you begin building? Do you do any concept work?

Level design has always been my favorite part of the game development process, and I'm just interested to hear some tips, tricks, techniques, and advice from some other people who have been doing the same thing for awhile.

[Herbalism]

Well, for me, if I were to build a new world I would first sketch up how big it would be, with the ADTs and so and after that decide what kind of climate it is. I then visit other zones which are that kind of climate know how to style it better, then I guess I just go wild and do whatever pops up in my head. After that I start placing objects, I locate myself to that zone i went to earliers object treepath and other places that might have anything similar to it and just browse until I find something I like and put it in. Once again, I go crazy and just do what ever I feel like

I also sometimes look at google pictures of real life areas or so to get some kind of inspiration from there

[MadameGrip]

If you take a look on my blog that I made a couple of days ago I explain a bit of what I do before I even open noggit.

But yeah most of the time I sit down on the desk and I pull up a notesblog and a pencil, then start writing what I want, scale etc. Then I start drawing. When i'm done drawing, I start working on the zones, how big and how many are there gonna be.

The reason I choose notesblog and not using a wacom in photoshop, is because of the squares, makes it a little bit faster to just scale it from the beginning.

And yeah you start by planning everything with names and if you're making a continent with like 30 zones int it, then remember to scale accordingly to level range etc . Or if you're just gonna make it for showoff like me, then just scale it 1:1 as if it was a real world :P but those maps are enormous, my latest real-scale map is 1600 adt's and most of them are gonna be generated xD, but yeah. Plan first, build after..

It's like building a house, you don't start by placing bricks and waiting for the house to form itself.
You plan the construction with architecture first, then build after

[m0rbidang3l]

I didn't mean this as a question directly related to WoW world building, just on the process as a whole.

I'm currently working with UDK, and some friends and I would like to start getting a bit more serious with it other than just making some multiplayer maps.

[MadameGrip]

I didn't mean this as a question directly related to WoW world building, just on the process as a whole.

I'm currently working with UDK, and some friends and I would like to start getting a bit more serious with it other than just making some multiplayer maps.

Pretty much the same curve everywhere

[m0rbidang3l]

I guess people are taking this the wrong way.

This was supposed to be more of an open discussion thread. I'm very familiar with the processes of level design and world building, I just wanted to see what some other people were doing,

[MadameGrip]

Kinda wrong section then, this isn't a discussion forum, but a questions & request forum :P

[merfed]

Moved since this is not a help topic.

[m0rbidang3l]

Ok. I thought if I put something like this in the main forum, I would surely see an endless wave of

[NO QUESTIONS/REQUESTS HERE]

OH well. Thanks for moving it.

[I Hypnotoad I]

Yep. As stated above by Amanda, its usually always the same concept. However, people can somehow find ways to 'spice it up', however, the outcome will usually stay the same.