Game design vs level design

A game designer and a level designer, is there any difference between them?  We will figure it out today.

It is important to know that game design step by step process.  And then the project will be successful.  More on that later.

Let’s start with game design.

The game designer comes up with the story of the game, its main plot.  He develops the concept and rules of the game, knows what goal the player must achieve, describes the main moves and difficulty levels.

A game designer is also a person who understands the mechanics of the game, knows and understands game genres, knows how to work with analytics, write technical specifications and check their implementation.

Here’s what a game designer has to do:

• develop the concept of the game;
• determine the genre of the game and clearly follow its features;
• to make sketches of characters, interiors, objects and other details;
• together with the scriptwriters’ team to compose the dialogues of the characters;
• build the levels of the game;
• to come up with the rules of the game, as well as the system of rewards and penalties;
• compose detailed terms of reference for other specialists;
• to develop ways how the game can be sold and promoted in the market.

In addition, one of the main responsibilities of a game designer is maintaining a design document.  This includes a description of the plot of the game, its levels, concept, target audience.  It can be:

• brief specifications;
• presentations;
• schemes, tables and diagrams;
• sketches and sketches;
• Detailed text files;
• technical documentation.

In small game studios, a game designer can perform the duties of several specialists at once.  And in large companies, he is responsible for a specific stage of work.  Here are some specializations in game design:

• Systems designer – thinks over and balances the rules of the game, determines the gameplay.
• Level designer – creates a level plan and takes into account the characteristics of each.
• UI designer – develops how the game itself will look: menus, pop-ups, blocks, and so on.
• A narrative designer is a specialist who is responsible for the story and plot in the development of the game.
• Game writer, or screenwriter – creates texts for the game, writes dialogues of characters, describes specific scenes and scenarios.
• Audio / sound designer – selects all sound content: music and other audio effects.  He is also responsible for recording the voices of the characters.

Many people are interested in the difference between game design and level design.  Therefore, let’s move on to the features of level design.

Level design is the centerpiece of a computer game that combines dozens of different aspects such as gameplay, architecture, lighting, special effects, sound, and more.  It is the combination of all these aspects that makes the process of developing levels so complex and laborious, and the work of a designer so exciting and interesting.

The activity of a level designer is entirely focused on creating gameplay.  It can be compared to the work of an architect who focuses exclusively on the design of a functional space.

But, unlike an architect, a level designer organizes the space according to the requirements of the gameplay.  This means that the virtual space must act as a kind of environment that ensures the functioning of game mechanics.  And if an architect designs a residential building so that it is convenient to live in it, then the designer must first of all make sure that it is interesting and fun to spend time in this house – to explore, fight opponents, solve puzzles, etc.

Conclusion

The difference is obvious.  The game designer comes up with the basis and concept of the game.  Namely, the level designer takes on more specific responsibilities and develops architecture, special effects and many other points.  This is the whole difference.

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