While studying at CGMA, we reviewed how designing districts with landmarks and node networks allowed the player to flow between spaces in order to sketch up a mental mapping of that space. I designed this level with a highly narrative and detailed focus in order to convey a thematic identity that was memorable for the player so that they could easily recognize each space and its use.

I approached this level design by first establishing three separate focal points. The Military tower being the most dominate and clear end-goal followed by the Church to ground the player’s cognitive mapping and a Water tower to lure the player into more of the level’s narrative. After modeling these landmarks to a scale I was comfortable with, I designed districts around them to conceptualize their level of importance. The Church specifically had most of the buildings facing towards it to signify this and I also approached the district with the Well tower the same but with fewer buildings so it didn’t feel as significant as the Church—but still important enough to lure the player in and gain more environmental narrative.

The Church also had to be tall enough to view from almost anywhere, at least until the player reached the ‘golden path’ that finally led to their end goal (the top of the military tower). So I modeled a bell tower to compensate for this need. Wherever the player stood, they would have been able to see the Church and have a sense of direction on where they were or have already been. This choice helped the player to begin sketching up a mental map of the area in their minds.

The node network intersected nearly all the districts in this level in order to provide a sense of flow between each area. Every district had it’s own visual identity, the Church and the space around it illustrated a barricaded frontal wall with military towers on each side and a stable to the other side with edges leading the player’s eye down into the next district. To separate this major district with the other, I created an archway to herald the player further into that direction and sell it as the dominate path to take.

To create a definitive end-goal/destination for the player, I made a white flag at the top of one of the cliff-side buildings. In order to draw the player’s eye upward into that direction, I situated each building to create a composition that ascended the player’s attention up toward the top of where the buildings met revealing their goal. Once the player made their way up to the top of the tower, they were rewarded with a vista that spanned the entire area, revealing the areas they have discovered and the progress they have made.

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