Video game map designer professional#

Schedule permitting, I am sometimes able to play the map in this “whitebox” form, which lets me find and fix problems before handing the map off to the art team. These tile pieces aren’t pretty, just unadorned “boxes”. Committing to standards is critical, so oftentimes I work with predefined tile pieces to ensure consistency across all maps, placing them roughly in accordance to the planned design. These blueprints also allow other members of the team to critique the plan, before too much time or expense goes into coding or making art for a map.įinally, the maps are built “for real” using standardized 2D or 3D building blocks. This is where the designer identifies recurring features that can be recycled across maps and develop standards, such as jump distances and spawn point locations. This step is like creating blueprints for each house in the new neighborhood. The next step is to plan each map “on paper” (which usually means in Adobe Illustrator). It’s like mapping out a new neighborhood. This planning step establishes a framework to build in. What special “one off” features will each map need?.What does the “difficulty curve” look like?.In planning, I answer the following questions: The very first stage is planning the entire game’s set of maps. As a level designer, I work on levels (also called maps) in stages. I would describe level design as creative and enjoyable. In just a few sentences, how would you describe what you do every day? Pay special attention to her advice on how artistic talent plays a critical role in the level design process.

Today we’re talking with her about her job as a video game level designer. Mandi has been in the game industry for a long time, and has played many roles in the design as well as the art departments. “Playing games is the best education, if you’re thinking critically as you play.” Meet Mandi Grant, Level Designer To read the others, visit Which game job is right for you?.

Video game map designer professional#

The following article is just one of over 30+ interviews with professional game developers.