LD_DigiPen_talk
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Who is Zipper? Developers of the SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs franchise on PlayStation 2 Created Crimson Skies and Mechwarrior 3 on PC (remember that old platform?) Based in Redmond, Washington 150 Developers from around the world
Transcript of LD_DigiPen_talk
Who is Zipper? Developers of the SOCOM:
U.S. Navy SEALs franchise on PlayStation 2
Created Crimson Skies and Mechwarrior 3 on PC (remember that old platform?)
Based in Redmond, Washington
150 Developers from around the world
Who am I? Creative Director at Zipper Interactive Lead Designer on SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo
I & II of PSP Prior to Zipper, worked on Tom Clancy’s
Splinter Cell and the Harry Potter series A level and game designer for over a
decade The only one not looking at the camera in a
group shot with 150 people.
“Old School” Level Design?
FINAL PRODUCT(APPLAUSE)
ART CODE DESIGN
LEVEL DESIGN
What is level design really?
FINAL PRODUCT(APPLAUSE)
ART CODE DESIGN
LEVEL DESIGN
CREATING THE TOOLS
CRAFTING THE EXPERIENCE
Modern Practices?
FINAL PRODUCT
ART
CODE
LEVEL DESIGN
LEVEL DESIGN
DESIGN
BRING ORDER TO CHAOS
Initi
al D
esig
n Polish
Why the change?
Arms race of “Spectacle”
Why the change?
Cost of development
Arms race of “Spectacle”
Why the change?
Cost of development
Increased team sizes
Arms race of “Spectacle”
Why the change?
Cost of development
Increased team sizes
Separation of specialities
Arms race of “Spectacle”
Why the change?
Cost of development
Increased team sizes
Separation of specialities
Arms race of “Spectacle”
WELCOME TO
HOLLYWOOD
Get me out of here!
Wait…it’s not all bad. Level designers may not be “Where the rubber hits the road” -- Tim Willits
as much, but they have several critical functions!
Level designers must:
•Be the player’s advocate in the development process
Level designers must:
•Be the player’s advocate in the development process
•Maintain that realism is not the end goal of a game (remember authantasy)
Level designers must:
•Be the player’s advocate in the development process
•Maintain that realism is not the end goal of a game (remember authantasy)
•Be the one to combine mundane ingredients in creative ways
Level designers must:
•Be the player’s advocate in the development process
•Maintain that realism is not the end goal of a game (remember authantasy)
•Be the one to combine mundane ingredients in creative ways
•Tell the story through interactivity – the heart of our medium
The “lunch special” paradigm:
My dad’s opening premise for new clients:
• Done well• Done fast• Done cheap
… but they can only pick two
As a level designer, everyone seems like a client
