Design levels for games in a row

Three in a row - one of the most popular game genres. There are tens of thousands of games, while there are quite a few level design articles on the Internet, and they are the main component of the game. We correct this disadvantage by placing on Habré our thoughts and experience in the form of theses, notes on the subject and in the case, with arguments and pictures.

General provisions

The essence of the three in a row: each level for the game should be a complete puzzle - this is the most important. If you succeeded, then you did it. You, for sure, have already done hundreds of levels for future game updates and, with a smile on your face, bust your nose into the tasks of the rest of the team, handing out free tips. If not, read on.

About puzzles: each game has a standard set of goals and obstacles and they need to be properly disposed of. Levels should be clear, interesting and carry value for the player - a challenge or a fan.
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About interest: for example, you made a simple, understandable level - this is good, but what if all the levels in your game are simple and clear? Surely, the game will be boring. Make an assessment of the quality and diversity of your content - look for unexpected combinations of goals and obstacles, constantly surprise the player with something new, demand from the team the best level editor and the fastest production of unique features! You rivet hundreds and hundreds of levels!

On game modes: the more goals and obstacles there are in the game, the more interesting levels you can do. And if your game has unique solutions, then you are lucky. The genre was stagnant, but there were hits with new interesting solutions to old problems. Experiment! Look for new game modes and obstacles, it will only be good for you. The abundance of levels to collect points - this is trouble and degradation. Surprise the player from the very beginning of the game.

About diversity: levels in popular games are often 300+, so it’s necessary to understand that it’s stupid to do ten levels in a row about breaking cells or lowering objects. Your players will get tired after a couple of locations. Alternate standard game modes as often as possible, levels with new and unique chips can be put several times in a row at the time they appear in the game, but even they must alternate with familiar modes.

On the duration: here you need to understand who and on what devices and social networks play your game and select the most successful duration of the levels. I prefer to do most of the levels in 25-35 moves, sometimes including very short ones - less than 20 moves, and very long ones - more than 45.

About quality: levels are difficult and easy, but how to evaluate their quality? Very simple! Look at the numbers of losses - how complete the goal level at the time of the failure. For example, if you need to break 80 cells in a level, and the average number of condition fulfillment when you lose is about 10, then you made a bad level. Most likely, the players simply do not understand how to go through it. Each project has its own numbers, but you want the losses to always be at 90% of the level condition fulfillment . Even on the most difficult and brain-bearing levels.

Beginning of work

The most important part when starting a project is to make a list of requirements for the content that you want to create. It is necessary to determine the criteria of complexity, strengths and weaknesses of the project, which levels are worth doing and which are not, determine the value of content for the player and the sequence in which new features and modes appear in the game.

Now directly to the design. I present two levels of breaking cells, with two types of obstacles (grid and block) and a complex field shape (gray - holes), five types of stones fall out and the player is given 45 turns. What can you say about them for yourself?



If you are familiar with the genre, then you have already noticed the weaknesses of the levels represented - the complex form of the field itself is a serious obstacle. In both cases, it is very difficult to break blue cells. 45 moves is a lot, moreover - with a special bad luck, in both levels you can spend all the moves and never split a single cell. Obstacles are in hard to reach places and do not perform their functions efficiently.

The main principle that I follow when creating levels is that any level is bad by default, if I don’t know why I did it and didn’t think about determining the right place for it in the game.

The main criteria for creating levels

Field shape



You can make a lot of good levels without obstacles simply due to the good shape of the playing field. To do this, you need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your project in the field of collecting combinations and bonuses. In general, all projects have similar rules - you should not make narrow corridors and small rooms, where the probability of assembling a combination is minimal and there is no opportunity to reach the target with the help of a bonus. Do not abuse detached cells, like symmetry and surprise with asymmetric solutions.

Level goal



The Rubik's Cube is difficult to solve, but it is understandable in action - twist in all directions and you will be happy. Here the same thing - set a goal right in front of the player and let him do it without reading the author's notes and topics on the forum. If the goal level is not on the field from the start - you are a bad person. Eliminate the likelihood that from the start of the level the player must make useless moves until the key element appears on the field. That is why the levels of collecting points is a very dubious pleasure.

Used obstacles



Each obstacle has its strengths and weaknesses, they must be known and used. Carefully cover the level target to limit player access to it. Avoid oversaturation of the level of obstacles and leave the player an entry point - an empty place where he will start his game. Make levels with meaning, draw a beautiful smiley and a flower through the whole field - bad form.

Duration



As the wise said: "Any interface can be simplified by half." I believe them. If the level can be cleared from half of everything and go faster, retaining the interest and complexity - do it. There is no good reason for tightening the levels. The duration of the levels should make sense both at a certain point of the game, and for the project as a whole. “I haven’t done long levels for a long time.” - so-so justification when choosing the number of moves.

Level value



Use the power of your game to the maximum. For example, a couple of simple examples, the goal of a level is to collect fruits of a given color - set their generation only in specified areas and allow the player to easily create bonuses for completing a task. Create a large number of items that need to be lowered to the edge of the field and separate them from the collection point with one obstacle - the player will experience wild pleasure by collecting a large number of targets at a time.
The most interesting and successful levels are based on the interaction of game elements, and not due to the fact that your level is like a bird.

Control luck



Three in a row very much determines the luck factor. It depends on the form of the field, the goal of the level and the ratio of the number of available combinations in the current turn. Control your luck - it will give you more predictable results. The player should have a chance to collect the most powerful combinations, but only where you have planned it.

Aesthetics



I love beautiful things and anxiously relate to the appearance of their levels. But there are situations, for example, your game about collecting crystals, jewels and fighting magic, and for the most inexplicable reasons, your main obstacle is a cage in the form of a pig's head. In this case, it would be good to run away to the artists department and have a good fight, but as long as they realize their mistakes and make adjustments, it would be nice to put up with the current state of things and not turn every level into a pigsty, but carefully use what is.

Play good games, get inspired and turn emotions into interesting content. That's all I wanted to say.