level-design

name	level-design
description	Design a playable level around goals, pacing, routes, affordances, challenge, teaching, landmarks, metrics, and playtest evidence.

Level Design

Use for game levels, missions, encounter spaces, exploration layouts, and interactive spatial progression.

Procedure

1. Define player goals, available mechanics, target difficulty, pacing, and narrative function.
2. Block out critical routes, spaces, gates, encounters, landmarks, and return paths at gameplay scale.
3. Teach or reinforce mechanics through spatial setup before demanding mastery.
4. Use sightlines, contrast, landmarks, and affordances to guide without unnecessary signage.
5. Balance freedom and control according to the intended experience.
6. Playtest navigation, pacing, exploits, difficulty spikes, dead space, and alternate strategies.
7. Iterate blockout before expensive art production unless visual proof is essential to the test.

Quality gate

Players should be able to form a useful mental model of the space and experience the intended progression through play.