Level Up.pdf

204 LEVEL 9 Everything I Learned about Level Design, I Learned from Level 9
Allow moments of quiet, followed by moments of distraction, before you
scare your player. Music and sound design are critical to the spooky
theme; it goes hand - in - hand with encounter and puzzle design. But be
careful you don ’ t tip your hand too much. You can easily give away your
scares if you don ’ t choreograph things correctly. After years of making
haunted houses in my garage, I find the best scare is one the player
expects but doesn ’ t know where it ’ s coming from.
The spooky theme is also the most adaptable theme of the video game
tropes. There have been spooky adventures, platformers, RPGs, FPSs,
and even puzzle games. Everything ’ s more fun when it ’ s scary!
7. Pirate (ship/town/island). The spiritual brother to the spooky level is
the pirate level 7 . The pirate theme is perfect for high action gameplay,
melee combat and of course, lots and lots of treasure. Many pirate
levels capitalize on the pirate ’ s natural form of transportation: the pirate
ship. And then there are the pirate skeletons. Who doesn ’ t love these
guys? Like the spooky theme, the pirate theme is treated as a “ catch
all ” that can be applied to almost any genre of game to increase its
sales.
7 The only reason I can fathom why pirate and spooky levels are often found in the same
game is the designer ’ s love for Disneyland where the “ Pirates of the Caribbean ” and
“ Haunted Mansion ” attractions are found in the park ’ s “ world ” of New Orleans Square. I
know that ’ s the reason why we had them in Pac - Man World .