The Challenge
Level design for a Tony Hawk Pro Skater + Super Mario Galaxy game has been a fun challenge. Initially, I experimented with skating on small planets. This was super cool and eye catching. The reaction I got to my initial proof of concept was the seed of what Cybordz has become.
But There was a Problem
You couldn't see where you were going. On a small planet, or really anything other than an actual scale planet, the horizon curves down rapidly. This means you can't see very far in front of you, which isn't so great for a skating game. You need to be able to plan your next move.
I tried to solve this technically by writing a shader to sort of unwrap the planet. The idea was to make it look like you were on a bigger planet when you're on the surface so you can see out in front of you. This produced a nauseating result and, ultimately, just didn't look or feel right.
There was a secondary problem, how should the player get between planets? Rocketing around on a skateboard is cool, but how do you make a game out of skating on planets you can't see around, combined with long spaceborne interludes? I, at least, couldn't make sense of it.
Enter: the Gravity Pipeline
A solution was to keep one dimension straight. Rather than skate on a ball; skate on a cylinder. This allowed the player to plan their next move while also having fun with space gravity. The player can also traverse long distances while still skating. Sure you can get some sick air, but you are still bound to the cylinder.
What's next?
I have been trying to figure out how else I can expand the level design. The Gravity Pipeline is a great solution, but it's also limiting. You still can't see around the pipeline, so you're stuck to the one straight dimension. This restricts the game design. From a level design perspective, you never know what side of the pipeline the player will be on. It's hard to design paths for the player to follow without making things mostly symmetrical. It's enough for a cool little game you play for an hour, but not enough for a rich experience you keep coming back to.
My plan has been to create levels along the pipeline that feel more like traditional THPS levels. You have a little chunk of gameplay that's on a flat surface. Knock out some challenges and then proceed to the next level along the pipeline.
Failed Attempts
Initially, I tried to design levels that felt like lived in places. Levels with office buildings and picnic tables. I even worked on an Atrium level - a sort of indoor mall. I spent much of the last month trying to make these spaces feel fun to skate in, and I just couldn't do it. They just weren't fun. I was trying too hard to fit "normal" spaces into a very abnormal environment. Although, I would like to incorporate interesting thematic elements into levels, my priority now is making fun levels. I start from fun and work from there.
One cool feature that came out of this is objects that you can collide with (see the tables and chairs).
So far the new levels are feeling much better, and I can't wait to share them. I'm working on v0.2, which I will start playtesting this summer, so stay tuned! It's going to be a major update.
I can still always use your feedback though, so please join the playtest if you haven't already.
– Robert
