Level Design

First Iteration: Level Based Progression

Second Iteration: Creating a Larger Level

First Iteration: Level Based Progression

This level introduces core mechanics by first spawning the player on top of the goal, signaling that more actions are needed to win. Right away, they must jump over spikes, possess the double-jump character, and use the ability. They then face a choice: go left or right. Heading left reveals that the double-jump character can't win, prompting them to backtrack and continue right to find the correct character and win with them.

Similar to the previous level, this design forces the player to learn jumping, possession, and double-jump mechanics. Additionally, placing the winnable character near the goal emphasizes their necessity to win. However, there's a soft lock risk with this design, where, if the player possesses the win character and jumps back to the start.

This design takes a more open-ended approach to teaching possession. New players may not immediately see the need to possess a character, discovering it through trial and error after encountering the spikes.

Playthrough of Test Level

First iteration Level Design

for this level the idea was to add a bit of challenge to the double jump ability, however this design was scraped. since the camera is locked onto the player and not the level itself this would create a blind jump that would've felt unfair and less fun.

This design showcased that possession can be used as a means of traversal, not just used for gaining abilities. While the full design wasn’t used, the concept was later incorporated into a later iteration.

Second Iteration: Creating a Larger Level

Section 2 Design Ideas

Legend For Level 4 Design Ideas

This section introduces the Ghost-Only Wall mechanic for Section 2. Ideally, the player walks over it, falls through onto spikes, and learns that they can pass through. After jumping over this first obstacle, they would encounter a similar but longer one as the vampire, reinforcing that only the ghost can pass through.

3.Building off the previous idea, this one adds challenge to the bug/slow mechanic, demonstrating that failing to avoid the bugs will result in hitting the spikes.

2. This design introduces the bug/slowing mechanic in a safe environment, allowing players to experiment and understand its effects without immediate danger.

4. This design combines both mechanics, reinforcing the bug/slow effect and showing that non-ghost characters can walk on Ghost-Only Platforms. This helps cement in the player's mind, the mechanic's interactions in gameplay.

5.This design demonstrates that players can reach higher areas by using the possession mechanic, encouraging creative traversal beyond just ability swapping. Used as a precursor obstacle for a future challenge.

6. This obstacle introduces a mastery challenge by requiring the player to perform a double jump under a wall, testing their precision and control.

7. This section just ensures that players de-possess their character by making it necessary to progress.

Section 3 Design Ideas

1. This section is meant to introduce the players to the werewolf character. The only way to progress is to use the character's ability (dash).

2. Next the idea was to introduce the player to the new hazard for this area, the beach ball (it moving back and fourth quickly). The player would use the werewolf's dash to get past.

3. Iterating on the beach ball hazard challenging the player to cancel the dash's momentum, to land on the middle platform.

4. In this portion, we challenge the player to dash through falling spikes while sliding on ice. players will need to dash to get past the spike then slow themselves down before hitting the spike at the end.

Section 4 Design Ideas

1.In this section I needed the player to use the witch's shrinking ability to progress. by making the pathway only accessible to the witch this forces the player to use the witches shrinking ability. Thus teaching them how it works.

2.In this section I am introducing the player to the mouse and trap mechanic. Ideally the player would be introduced to the mouse trap by itself before this point, and it's understood that it's only dangerous while not shrunk. By having the player's path blocked by a mousetrap and an entrance that's only big enough for the shrink ability, it allows me to show that the mouse deactivates the trap. by setting the mouse in-between the player and the goal when the player shrinks, the mouse gets activated and sets off the trap (making the path progress-able).

3. This section is just building on the mastery of the shrinking mechanic by forcing the player jump and shrink mid-air to progress.

4. This section is also building on the mastery of the shrinking mechanic by having the player time their ability, to duck under and jump over obstacles while on a moving platform.

Icon Legend For The Map

The starting area was designed with the intention of clearly showing the player where their body and goal are located. An additional focus was on showcasing the environmental changes that occur when the player collects a collectible. Since the player must navigate this area multiple times, I wanted each return to feel visually distinct, using environmental shifts to represent their progress.
Because this level was intended to be the fourth in the game, I centered its design around challenging the player’s existing knowledge and skills developed in previous levels. The 2nd section focused on the Vampire character and their double jump ability, reinforcing precision platforming while setting up new ideas. Section 2 introduced the concept of using the possession ability as a form of traversal, rather than just for gaining abilities. To teach this, the far-right side of the section requires the player to possess another character to travel vertically and reach a collectible, while ensuring the double jump alone isn’t sufficient to progress.
In section 3, the focus shifted to the Werewolf and their dash ability. Here, I aimed to test the player’s mastery of dashing through tighter spaces and more demanding timing challenges. This section also expanded the possession mechanic, requiring players to possess specific characters to traverse across the x-axis. for a 2d platformer that opens up a lot of unique possibilities that I felt could be expanded upon, even more, in future levels.
Section 4 centered on the Witch and her shrinking ability, emphasizing tighter, more intricate level design, such as narrow tunnels, small platforms, and hazards that forced careful movement and timing. I wanted this section to feel different in pacing compared to the more action-oriented segments before it, encouraging patience and precision over speed. Additionally, I included a few moments where players had to alternate between normal size and the shrunken form mid-platforming sequence, creating opportunities for reflex-based gameplay. This section acted as both a breather and a test of adaptability before the level’s final optional challenge.
Finally, section 5 combined mechanics from all previous sections into a single, cohesive challenge. This optional path rewarded skilled players with access to all seven collectibles, demanding precise use of double jumping, dashing, shrinking. It served as a culmination of everything the player had learned up to this point offering both a sense of accomplishment and a true test of mastery for those seeking full completion.

Blocked Meshed Results

Overall, the final blockmesh effectively captured the intended progression and challenge of the level. The pacing between sections felt natural, with each area building upon previously learned abilities while introducing new mechanics in engaging ways. The possession traversal mechanic, while it could have been implemented more smoothly, stood out as a highlight, it offered a unique way to disrupt the traditional flow of platformer gameplay and encouraged players to think creatively about movement and interaction. The challenges throughout the level felt distinct and well-paced, giving each section its own identity while maintaining a steady difficulty curve.

However, not everything went as planned. The visual progression of the environment wasn’t communicated clearly enough for players to actively recognize how their actions were affecting the world around them. Additionally, the pacing of section 4 differed so much from the other areas that it felt somewhat disconnected from the overall rhythm of the level. Section 5, while intentionally designed as an optional challenge, missed an opportunity to reinforce mastery of the possession traversal mechanic, it could have served as a final test to solidify that concept in the player’s mind for future levels. Ultimately, this level was later dissected and reworked into a larger, singular level, meaning many of the original ideas didn’t fully come to fruition. Even so, the blockmesh process provided valuable insight into what worked, what didn’t, and how these mechanics could evolve into something more cohesive in the final game.

EErickson_Milestone2.mp4

Full Playthrough of blockmeshed Level 4 (cut from released game)

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