Where do I begin with making creative linear singleplayer level layout design?

Help and Feedback Game Design Support
#1

heyo!

Currently beginning to work on a linear singleplayer (with possible coop in the future but not planned) story game which would rely on sections of enemy fighting sections but also more atmospheric puzzle oriented sections.

I’m admittedly poor at thinking of any real good layouts, the one idea I have for a demo level would be making your way through a subway for an enemy section then making your way out for a more puzzle oriented section, but that’s only really theming and level design, not the actual layout.

It’s straight forward on paper as progress would be from point A to point B, but I don’t really have any good ideas of making that progress interesting instead of just a straight line or a mismash of rooms shoved into each other without any real cohesion.

Sorry if this is just kind of a dumb thing to ask, but would anyone be willing to share tips on creative linear level layout?

Thanks, Ruby

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#2
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#3

Establish a smooth flow that keeps players engaged by balancing difficulty and introducing new challenges gradually. Vary the environment, incorporating different settings to avoid monotony, and don’t forget to utilize verticality for added depth. Create points of interest and offer alternative routes to provide player choice. Adding hidden secrets and collectibles rewards exploration, and paying attention to level transitions ensures a cohesive experience. Lastly, remember to iterate and playtest for continuous improvement. Obviously you don’t have to do most of this for every level, but it could help with varying if you don’t have any more ideas. You can also try to first add gray blocks so you can establish your level’s routing, and then delete them afterwards once you’re in the “detailing” phase.

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#4

Level design is more art than science, that means practice makes perfect. Draw a paper layout, recreate them in Studio, test and make changes until the gameplay is fun. When you get bored play games with good level design and try to see what they do different than you. There isn’t a video that can teach you this process.

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