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在关卡设计中使用的组块设计方法

发布时间:2014-11-06 10:04:07 Tags:,,,,

作者:Hugues Barlet

我想要写一篇关于在关卡设计中使用这一方法的文章,即我如何亲自实践并发挥功效。很少有关于这一主题的数据。即使这在一开始看似很简单,但是我们很快便注意到这也很容易犯错。因此我将分享一些我能够随着时间的发展所学到的东西,如它在产品中所赋予的优势,或者你为了获得功能设计所需要经历的最重要的阶段。

它是什么?

组块设计,也被称为“白盒子”,这是我们专门用于关卡设计的一种设计方法。简单地来说,这便是通过几何图形创造你的LD,因此才被叫做“白盒子”,因为引擎经常使用白色作为默认颜色。这一方法要求不能添加任何细节形式,而只是专注于关卡设计的基本原则(规格,循环,流等等)。

block(from gamasutra)

block(from gamasutra)

所以我们便是从宏观层面到微观层面进行设计。这一技巧与绘画或雕塑非常相似:我们一开始创造了较为粗糙的模型轮廓,然后添加了一些细节。

重要的阶段

首先,你需要处理你的游戏设计师或你的开发者所设置的限制,并让你的关卡设计围绕着这些限制条件。

然后,尝试着致力于你的布局以及你在纸上所绘制的楼层平面图。

纸的确是准备计划的一种快速工具。一旦你通过了计划,你便会认为它们是可行的,你将基于你的关卡设计软件开始工作。

你事先需要思考的最重要的事是,所有的内容都需要是模块化的,就像你的LD可能不会像你在纸上所计划的那样。所以你可以使用较大的组块,无需任何细节或纹理,或使用一个标志性颜色在引擎的视口中凸显你的作品。

首先你必须专注于FOV(视野),你的建筑的规格(游戏邦注:例如,如果你必须创造一座城市的话),你的整体构成,地图内部的循环,流等等。这也是为何需要使用模式的原因,即从一个软件到另一个软件的过程中,规格可能会发生改变,而FOV可以改变你的构成。

一旦你对组块表示满意,你便可以叫上尽可能多的人去测试你的关卡设计!你的上司,关卡设计师,游戏设计师,美术师等等都可以。你将会注意到你的组块包含一些不合格元素。你应该考虑这些反馈,并修改问题。如果你使用了Sketchup,你便可以更轻松地创造群组。

最重要的是确保致力于你的组块,直至你和你的团队能够保证关卡设计是可行的。

为什么不添加任何细节?

在设计的开始阶段,细节是完全无用的。让我们以椅子为例,它可以由塑料和木头制作而成,而你是作为关卡设计师,所以它并不会干涉你的工作或效率。真正重要的是它的位置,在某一场景中所占的空间,以及是否符合你的配景图法等等。此外,在你确定了设计时,你将需要来回审视它,并且最终有可能削减或改变细节。所以如果在一开始就添加细节的话便是在浪费时间。

exemple(from gamasutra)

exemple(from gamasutra)

当然了,你终要添加细节的,我并不是说纹理或灯光不会影响你的关卡设计。但是你最好是在基础已经足够稳定的时候再添加。这便是我们所谓的设计阶段2,就像后期制作一样。

这一方法的利弊:

利:

这一方法非常有效,并且从上述看来它也很安全!之所以说它安全是因为一旦你添加了细节,你将能够确保你的工作是可行且具有功能性。在这里常见的问题是你可能会尝试着快速略过这一阶段。这也是我过去经常犯的错误!创建组块可能会是一个较长的过程,有时候我们会迫切想看到自己的工作能够清楚地呈现出来。所以你必须充满耐性,这时候当你的工作是有成效时,你便会得到回报。另外一个优势便是你的文件规格将被大大压缩。如果你添加了细节,它们会变得更满,而你的工作也将得不到预期的优化。此外,在之后添加盒子碰撞机更简单且比较不耗资源。

弊:

一旦组块设计结束时你就需要小心了。想想图像师和关卡设计美术师!不要像下图所示那样掉进另一个极端:

voiture(from gamasutra)

voiture(from gamasutra)

的确,在特定制作过程中,他们并不会始终待在你左右,所以你需要努力帮助他们理解你想要做什么。向他们解释你想要在这里设置汽车,而不是一个垃圾装卸卡车,如果这对你来说很重要的话。

所以,一旦组块设计结束,并且你也已经验证了基础,你便可以基于特定元素添加一些细节了。

组块设计的一些有趣工具

通常情况下,Sketchup仍然是我在关卡设计中最喜欢的软件,特别是用于组块设计阶段。它很简单,并且很适合构建组块。然而,这却不适合组织对象或2D游戏,因为这更难进行处理。因为Sketchup是用于架构中,所以你可以快速创造你的不同布局。但图像并不能真正接收Sketchup文件。

任何编辑器/引擎都能够用于进行组块设计。你不应该总是浪费时间去反复保存并从一个软件输入文件到另一个软件。

乐高!是的,这是非常廉价的一种工具,但是却能够帮助你有效地测试组块设计的早期理念。这很有趣,你可以轻松地尝试各种组合!当然了,你不能直接在游戏内部进行测试,但是你却可以通过描绘出你的理念做到这点,这也可以作为组块设计的前期原型。就像对于未能操控任何引擎的游戏设计师来说。

使用乐高创建关卡设计原型的情况:这很容易获得某些可理解的内容。

结论

感谢你阅读本篇文章,我希望这能够帮助那些不了解这一方法的人获得更多了解。

本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译,拒绝任何不保留版权的转功,如需转载请联系:游戏邦

Block design in level design

by Hugues Barlet

I wanted to write an article about this work method in level design, which I trained by myself and at work. There are very few data about this subject. Even if it seems simple at the beginning, we soon notice that making mistakes is easy. Therefore, I’ll expose what I could learn over time, such as the advantages it grants in a production, or the most important phases you’ll have to go through in order to get a functional design.

What is it ?

Block design, also known as ? White box ?, is a design method we especially apply in level design. To make it simple, it is the fact of creating your LD from geometric forms, hence the name ? white box ?, due to the engines that often use white as a default color. This method requires not to add any form of detail, and focus on the basic principles of level design (scale, circulatory, flow…)

So, we design from the macro level to the micro level. This technique is very similar to painting or sculpting : we first create a rough silhouette of our model, and only then we add some detail.

The important phases

First, you need to cope with the constraints set by your game designer or your developer, and make your level design around those.

Then, try to work on your layouts and different floorplans you made out of paper.

Paper is indeed a quick way to prepare your plans. Once you have approved your plans, and you think they are viable, you’ll be able to work withyour level design software.

The most important thing to think ahead, is that everything needs to be modular, as your LD necessarily won’t be exactly like you planned it on paper So, use big blocks, without any detail, any texture, or use a token color to highlight your work in the engine’s viewport.

You must first focus on the FOV (Field of View), the scale of your buildings (for instance, if you have to create a city), your global composition, the circulatory inside the map, the flow… This is why it is important to use patterns, as from one software to another (i.e. from Sketchup to Unity) the scales may vary, and the FOV can deform your composition.

Once you’re happy with your blocking, proceed to test your level design with as many people as possible ! Your lead, level designer, game designer, artist… You’ll notice that your blocking contains some imperfections. Take these feedbacks into account, and fix your problems. If you’re working with Sketchup, creating groups will make everything easier.

The most important is to keep working your blocking, until you and your team make sure the level design is viable.

Why not to add any detail ?

Details are completely useless at the beginning of your design phase. If we take the example of a chair, it can be made of plastic or wood, you’re the level designer and it doesn’t interfere with your work or your efficiency. What will really matter is its location, the space it takes in a scene, the way it fits in your scenography, etc.
Moreover, before your design gets validated, you’ll have to review it back and forth, and details may finally be cut or changed. So, this is a waste of time for you and your team.

Of course, detail will be added, and I’m not saying that texturing or lighting won’t impact your level design. But it only adds once the basis is solid enough. This is what we may call the design phase number 2, almost like post-production.

《Pros and cons》 of this method

The pros :

This work method is efficient and, above all, it’s safe ! It’s safe because once you get to add the details, you’ll be sure that your work is viable and functional. A common mistake is to try to skip quickly this phase. And it is a mistake I was used to make too ! Blocking may be a long process, and sometimes we are eager to see our work skinned or detailed. So, you must be patient, and you’ll be rewarded when your work is efficient, regardless of its skin.
Another advantage is that the size of your files will be much reduced. If you add detail, they will get heavier and your work won’t be as optimized as it could have been. Moreover, adding box colliders afterwards is easier and less resource-hungry.

The cons :

Watch out once the block design is over. Think of the graphists and level design artists ! And don’t fall in the other extreme, like the picture shows :

Indeed, in certain productions they won’t always be right next to you, so you should make an effort to help them understand what you wanted to do. Explain them that you wanted a car here, rather than a garbage dumpster, if it seems important to you for some reason (consistency, scenario, etc).

So, once the block design is over and you have validated your basis, you can add some detail on certain elements.

Some interesting tools for block design

Generally, Sketchup is still my favourite software for level design, especially for the block design phase. It’s simple and its tols are efficient for blocking. Nonetheless, it’s absolutely not adapted to organic objects, or 2D games, which is harder to deal with. As Sketchup is meant to be used for architecture, you can quickly create your different layouts. But the graphists don’t really like to receive Sketchup files…

Any editor/engine can be used to make a block design. You shouldn’t always have to waste your time re-saving and exporting your files from one software to another.

Lego ! Yes, this tool is cheap for a production but you can really test an early conception in block design with legos. It’s fun, and you can easily try all sorts of combinations ! Of course you won’t be able to test them directly ingame, but it can help by illustrating your ideas, and serve as a block design pre-prototype. For instance, for game designers who don’t manipulate any engine. And it’s always a good excuse to play at work…

Example of a level design prototyped with Lego : it is easy to get something understandable by anyone.

Conclusion

Thank you for having read this article, I hope it will help some people who didn’t know this method yet. If you have any question, feedbacks, or even different work methods, don’t hesitate to talk about it, as this is mostly based on my personal experience. To conclude, you can find an article by World of Level Design here, which complements mine very well.(source:gamasutra)

 


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