So how do they come up with those detailed levels

MooseJam

I'd imagine if i was a game designer i could give an ok go at creating an outdoor level - just trees and fields and hills and whatnot but i wouldnt have a clue at any indoor levels - you know the type some huge industrial facility or a spaceship or whatever - how do they come up with those - would they have consultant architects or engineers or what ?

dreamers75

MooseJam wrote: »

I'd imagine if i was a game designer i could give an ok go at creating an outdoor level - just trees and fields and hills and whatnot but i wouldnt have a clue at any indoor levels - you know the type some huge industrial facility or a spaceship or whatever - how do they come up with those - would they have consultant architects or engineers or what ?

Only need consultants if the building was real. Generally art department designs the level with the lead designers and then mappers have to create their vision in 3d.

Easier to map real places imo then someone elses design which is layed out for you on pages upon pages of art

Smurfpiss

Lots and lots of field work/research.
it wasnt always the case. back when all you had to knock out was a few a corridors you could do it without moving from your chair.
As you moved into large outdoor environments you needed more detail. you'd go out take pictures of landscapes, buildings, macro pictures for textures. pictures in different lighting etc..
If you couldn't go there you used whatever resource you could get your hand on. maps, video etc.


I used to design levels, and it's really really hard to just develop something completely from your imagination. you usually end up copying something you've seen in a film or whatever. like for designing a cathedral i used pictures of St Pats in NY and Notre Dame in Paris.

On a side note I know one of the level designers who works/worked for epic used to be an architect.
It definately helps if you have some training.

It's also important to maintain a similar style throughout the entire game. so seperate designers do their own thing, build a basic A to B level, then collectively they add in the details that fit in with the rest of the game.

Atlas_IRL

I used to make levels in counter strike source the tools are fairly easy to use but yes i agree only crap will be made with just imagination.
Games companies have tons of art work and spend years on some games getting them as perfect as possible.

One of the guys i played with made a lot of the goldeneye n64 levels that where unreal. Does anyone know if the new left4dead map creator will be like the css one?

(sorry if im going off topic)

Stephen

Yeah, it'll still be hammer. Same engine.