Introduction to Level Design for PC Games (Charles River Media Game Development) [Paperback]

Andrew Charles Clayton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Charles River Media Game Development | Publication Date: May 2003

If you're like most gamers, you're always looking for more gameplay from your favorite games! Well now, thanks to today's technology and the tools developers are including in games, you can. Using the game editors that come with your game, or the free gmax software, you can create your own characters, weapons, objects, levels, and other assets. These tools might seem intimidating at first but once you overcome the initial hurdles, you'll find that you can achieve almost anything with them. Introduction to Level Design for PC Games is one of the best ways to get started. It teaches you everything you need to know about the fundamentals of game creation, so that the assets you create will work well with your favorite game. The focus throughout the book is on creating and texturing geometry for levels, but the concepts you learn and the tools covered in gmax can easily be applied to all types of asset creation. Plus, you'll begin to make the transition from player to creator, by learning many of the fundamental skills needed to become a marketable level designer. If you want to make game levels that many others will enjoy, you need to start with multiplayer levels, so the book covers popular multiplayer games, particularly First Per son Shooters (FPS). Working through the tutorials, you'll create a complete level and many of its objects. You'll find out everything you need to know to create all the elements of a level --geometry, textures, and exporting. And once you've mastered these skills, you can explore game industry jobs and salary ranges to see if this is your future!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andy Clayton is an experienced animator and 3D content producer. He is currently a Discreet Certified instructor at the Art Institute of California Los Angeles and DHIMA (a Discreet Training Center), where he teaches a variety of animation courses. He has also developed customized courses for animators at major studios, including Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Universal Studios Creative, and Walt Disney Imagineering. He has worked with 3ds max and related software for over 9 years.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Charles River Media; 1 edition (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584502053
• ISBN-13: 978-1584502050
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,619,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very weak, February 1, 2004

By 

Kyouryuu (Portland, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to Level Design for PC Games (Charles River Media Game Development) (Paperback)

First, a bit on where I come from. I've been mapping for games such as Descent, FreeSpace, Red Faction, and Unreal Tournament as a hobbyist since 1997. There are very few books written on the subject of level design and so any book with the pontifical title of "Introduction to Level Design" would catch my attention. Sadly, this is a text that simply isn't worth your time.

The majority of the book is a tutorial to gMax, a stripped-down version of discreet's 3D Studio Max software. This is bookended by discussions on the theory and then jobs in the industry.

It's in the former section that the book loses all credibility. Here are a few choice quotes:

(pg. xviii) "If you want to make game levels that many others will enjoy, you must make multiplayer levels. There is not a good market for single player levels, mainly due to the fact that they have little replay value." [This might be true for the hobbyist, however a map designer interested in breaking into the industry, of whom this book tries to appeal, simply must have several single player levels under his/her belt. Single player levels are more demanding, requiring cohesive stories, scripting, and usually more convincing architecture. Not to mention that there are still far, far more single player games on the market than multiplayer-oriented ones.]

(pg. xxi) "Probably the best way to get a job creating levels is exposure. One was is creating levels and posting them on the various game sites. The forums give feedback and encouragement to the novice designers. Maybe think about how this quote is a great 'hook' to get the reader interested, I know it is in a later chapter (11) but maybe it could be deleted there or not. This quote validate the Level Designer as an up and coming desired position. I think it is better in the front end than the back end to the casual bookstore browser." [Yes, this was a sloppy editing comment that was not removed from the final version of the book. Alarms go off because of this blatant error in the Introduction. Was this book even edited?]

(pg. 9) "Building a great level is truly just lots of trial and error and a little talent." [Baloney. There is a huge amount of artistic and modeling talent behind the best levels. It is not a crap shoot that makes a great level, it is skilled design.]

Here's my advice. Build levels and build them well. Voraciously seek feedback and advice from others in the mapping community and implement their suggestions wisely. In this way you get better. No book can tell you how to design good levels just as no book can tell you how to write the next great American novel. These are learning experiences that you must learn and discover for yourself. There exist forums on the Internet for every major gaming community. Other mappers are more than willing to help newcomers, so seek their advice! This entire journey of improvement and discovery is precisely what makes map design such a fascinating hobby!

Unfortunately, Mr. Clayton's background seems to limit him to 3DS Max modeling. As a result, this book is a simplistic treatment on the ins and outs of gMax. It is clear that the actual level design process sorely lacks detailed explanation. In other words, this book is predominantly a modeling tutorial disguised as level design tutorial. But pretty models do not make a good map. A solid foundation in gameplay fundamentals is crucial to complement the visuals. Sadly, Mr. Clayton's book is sorely lacking in that regard.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The entire book screams 'Amateur', March 24, 2004

By 

David Farrell (Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to Level Design for PC Games (Charles River Media Game Development) (Paperback)

I think the general concensus of the body of reviews here is pretty much spot on.

I am a student studying game design at University and I had hoped this book would offer some insight into Level Design.

Unfortunately the book reads like something a tweleve year old would write for school and panders to its target audience (presumably teenage boys) by using phrases like:

"Some levels that are moderately easy to create in a short period of time would be a Quake, Doom, or Unreal level. They area all about being cool and have nothing to do with story"

"they are all about being cool" - did an author REALLY write something like that? Shame on you!

It is grammatically hideous and absolutely superficial with regard to level design. The book frequently contradicts itself and whilst I can only assume it offers good tips on using GMax, it offers absolutely no insight into making levels fun.

None of the opinions are backed up:

"It is important to create intelligent systems of programming where several solutions are available to the player." Is it? why?

"Try to design levels for combat in all areas." Really? why? is the initial level of half life (VERY little combat) not a good level? Do the 'quiet' areas of levels not increase suspense.

If you want to learn GMax, this book may be suitable - I use XSI, I never read the 'tutorials' on GMax.

If you want to learn about level design, look elsewhere. I think I probably LOST a few IQ points reading the book. I feel dumber already.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Fluffy, no substance, November 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Introduction to Level Design for PC Games (Charles River Media Game Development) (Paperback)

"Level Design using gmax" would have been a much better title. I was expecting a book that covered general theory of level design. Instead, this book is focused entirely on gmax. That isn't a bad thing, but it is not what the title implies. The book consists of 1 chapter breezing over design, 1 chapter on architecture, and then 6 chapters of gmax, with one chapter of photoshop in the middle.. The final chapter covers careers in the game industry.

The book is full of fluff and padding. For example, the book is written specifically for multiplayer, 3D FPS levels, which makes the book useless to anyone interested in any other kind of game. Despite this, the author wastes pages explaining all the types of pc games out there, from 2d to rpg to sims. The last chapter has interviewing tips, like not to lie on your application and sending the thank-you note after an interview. Gee, thanks, but I have a book on resumes. How about some design tips?

This book desperately needed an editor. The author meanders around with no purpose, and repeats the same information 2 pages later. "Mod" is defined at least three times in the first chapter, and he repeatedly explains how people who make levels for games are called "level designers" or "modders". The same Frank Lloyd Wright picture is used in multiple chapters. I laughed out loud on page xxi of the introduction, where the publisher printed the author's notes ("Maybe think about how this quote is a great "hook" to get the reader interested, I know it is in a later chapter (11) but maybe it could be deleted there or not. This quote validates the Level Designer as an up and coming desired position. I think it is better in the front end than the back end to the casual bookstore browser." Finally something useful in the book, even if it is on selling lame game design books, not on level design.

Charles River Media usually puts out good, solid books with a lot of valuable information. They should be ashamed of this one.