Level (video games)

A level is a space in a game.

You can run or jump through it. Some levels get harder as you play. This keeps the game fun.

Levels can be parts of a big world. You might jump between ledges to move. Makers use special tools to build them. These tools help them make maps and rooms. It is exciting to finish a level!

A level is a space in a video game.

It can be a mission, a stage, or a map. Levels help players reach a goal. Most games get harder as you play. This keeps the game fun for a long time. Some levels are part of one big world. Other levels are separate parts.

In some games, you might face a jumping puzzle. This is like an obstacle course. You must jump between ledges to move safely.

Making these spaces is a job called level design. Designers use a tool called a level editor.

This software helps them build rooms and hills. They also add lights, sounds, and music. Designers use tricks to show you where to go. They might use bright colors or special lights. Some games even use yellow paint on walls. This guides you toward the exit. New computers can load levels very fast. This makes the game feel like one big, smooth world without loading screens.

A level is a specific space where a player works to finish a goal.

People call these spaces maps, missions, stages, or zones. Most games make levels harder as you go along. This helps keep players interested for a long time. Some levels are part of one big world, like the Green Hill Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog. Other levels might be an obstacle course called a jumping puzzle.

In these puzzles, you must judge the distance between ledges to jump safely. Some levels even feature moving platforms high in the air while enemies fire at you.

Making these spaces is a job called level design. Designers often start with sketches, concept art, or even physical models.

They then use special software called a level editor to build the world. This tool helps them place big things like hills, cities, or tunnels. Designers also decide on the weather and day or night cycles. They must place important items like keys, buttons, and teleporters. They even decide where enemies and coins will appear. Finally, they add sounds, music, and lighting to make the area feel real.

Level design has changed a lot since the early days of gaming. In the 1970s and 1980s, one person usually made the whole game. There was no special job just for making levels. Some early games, like Space Invaders from 1978, used levels that looked the same. They just got harder as you played. Other games, like Donkey Kong from 1981, used levels to tell a story. In that game, Mario must complete different levels to rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong. In 1983, the game Lode Runner was one of the first to include a level editor.

Designers use many clever tricks to guide players through a level. They want to help you find the goal without making you feel lost.

One way is to place power-ups in a line to lead you forward. Some games use bright lights or colorful objects to show the path. Some modern games even use yellow paint on walls to show the way. Other designers use obstacles or decorations to point you toward a clear path. This helps keep the player moving through the game smoothly.

Technology has changed how we move from one level to the next. Older games had to load one whole level at a time. This meant players had to wait at a loading screen. Now, fast hardware like SSDs allows for something called level streaming.

This makes the game feel like one big, connected world. The computer loads new parts of the map while you are still playing. Sometimes, games use "loading tunnels" to give the computer time to work. These are areas where your view is limited so you do not see the world loading in.

{ "text": "In the world of video games, a level is a specific space where a player works to complete an objective. Depending on the context, these spaces might be called maps, missions, stages, courses, zones, or rounds.

Levels are essential because they provide players with clear goals and enjoyable experiences. Most games use a system of increasing difficulty to keep players interested over long periods. Some levels are part of a larger, linear world, such as the Green Hill Zone in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Other levels might be designed as jumping puzzles, which act as obstacle courses where players must judge distances between ledges.

\n\nLevel design, also known as environment design, is the professional discipline of creating these locales and missions. This process usually begins with concept art, sketches, renderings, or even physical models. Once the vision is set, designers use a level editor to transform these ideas into digital realities. A level editor is specialized software used to build these virtual worlds. Some editors are standalone packages that rival professional 3D modeling software. Other games include built-in editing tools that allow players to create their own content.

\n\nThe actual construction of a level involves many detailed steps. Designers first lay out large-scale features like hills, cities, rooms, or tunnels. Next, they determine environmental conditions, such as weather, time of day, and scoring systems. They must also specify non-static parts, including doors, keys, buttons, and teleporters. Designers place specific entities, such as player units, enemies, coins, and save points. Finally, they add aesthetic details like textures, lighting, music, and animation. They even place pathfinding nodes, which are markers that tell non-player characters how to walk and react to the player.\n\nHistory shows how much this profession has evolved since the 1970s. In the early days, a single programmer often developed both the game and its layouts. A dedicated level designer role did not exist during that era. Early games often used ascending difficulty rather than complex stories. For example, the 1978 arcade game Space Invaders featured repeating levels that simply became harder. In contrast, the 1981 game Donkey Kong used distinct levels to progress a storyline. In that game, Mario must complete different stages to rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong. By 1983, games like Lode Runner began shipping with level editors, allowing for more user creativity.\n\nDesigners use specific techniques to manage \"flow control,\" which directs players toward their goals. This prevents players from feeling confused or idling for too long. One common method is placing power-ups or items so that collecting them leads the player in the correct direction.

Designers also use lighting, illumination, or brightly colored objects to guide the way. Some modern games use yellow paint on walls to indicate paths, though some critics find this unsubtle. In \"stuffed\" or crowded environments, designers might use obstacles or decorative props to point toward clear paths. In Real-Time Strategy games, terrain and resource distribution are used to draw players out of their bases to engage in combat.\n\nAs hardware has improved, the way levels load has changed significantly. Older hardware often required loading a single level and all its assets at once. This resulted in loading screens that interrupted the gameplay. Modern hardware, such as solid-state drives (SSDs), allows for a technique called level streaming. This process continuously loads new assets, like textures and audio, into memory as the player approaches a new area. This creates a seamless experience that feels like one interconnected world. To help the hardware, designers sometimes use \"loading tunnels," which are areas where the player's view is restricted to give the system time to load. \n\nLevel designers are specialized game designers who focus on these environments and scenarios. They often work from the pre-production stage all the way to the final completion of a game. While they use level editors, they often work with placeholders or prototypes to ensure the layout is consistent before artists create the final visuals. In recent years, the role has become more specialized. Tasks are now often divided among experts in visual design, structural design, and gameplay mechanics. This teamwork ensures that every level is both beautiful and functional for the player.", "media": [ "File:Edge (video game) level layout.png", "File:Nexuiz screenshot 05.jpg", "File:Warzone 2100 - EditWorld - 1.jpg", "File:Yellow paint in video games.svg", "File:TIDE Tile Map Editor Thumb 01.png" ] }