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New Video - Level Designer Breaks Down Ori's Awesome Sand Level
🕑 Added 2021-05-12 14:50:15 +0000 UTCHi everyone!
Today I'm revealing a new video series for GMTK. It's called "On the Level"* and is all about playing great video game levels alongside the designer(s) who made them. And then turning that interview into a video for y'all!
The concept is very similar to the Last of Us 2 video I made last year, where I walk through the museum level, alongside its designer, Evan Hill. I realised that I really dig this format - a mix of live stream, director's commentary, interview, and anatomy-of-a-level - and so decided to make it a bit more permanent.
Anyhoo, the first episode of this series is a conversation with Chris McEntee, who was the lead designer on Ori and the Will of the Wisps. We talk through one of the areas he focused on: the Windswept Wastes and get to see concept art, and get to see how Ori was inspired by Sonic. I first spoke to Chris when I made the video on Rayman Legends, and so it was nice to reconnect with him at his new studio.
Oh! And because you're a Patron, you can also watch the entire 1 hour 20 minute conversation I had with Chris.
Hope you enjoy it. This video is available to all Patrons now without the ending ad break. It will go live in a few hours, and I'll add the ad break then. As promised, here's the indie game recommendation:
My recommendation this time is a game called Dorfromantik. It's a cross between a city builder, a tile-based board game, and a puzzler. You've got to plop down tiles featuring forests, lakes, towns and more - and you'll need to think carefully in order to solve mini quests and objectives. It's very clever, it's super relaxing, and it strips down city builders to their DNA. Dorfromantik is in early access now, over on Steam.
Cheers!
Mark
*If you caught the preview yesterday, you'll see the video was called "Level with Me". Unfortunately I was informed that this name was taken by another YouTube channel. So it got a new name!
Comments
Collin Cummings
I also wonder how much extra work it is to go back and forth making sure that each new use of the burrow ability is discoverable. There's so much refinement in hitting that sweet spot of making it clean, clear, and discoverable. Not so much that the lightbulb moment is taken away from the player, but not so obscure that it robs the flow of the experience. So much respect for this level of refinement and output.
Collin Cummings
I LOVE seeing these in sketch form too. Just fascinating how much you can feel out the experience with pen and paper. It's cool seeing how much the animation and feel play into this being successful, too. Disappearing platforms are as old as time in video games, but the execution here makes the level design stand out.
Gabriel Roth
I really liked this video and I am excited for future installments in the series. I know you've already talked to Maddy Thorson for a different video, but Celeste seems like a great candidate for this.
alex dicarlo
Fantastic I was glued the whole time I'll honestly come back to this video another dozen times while working on the level and mechanic design of my game
Levant Alejandro
Same stuff for me, I'm a game scripter and became patreon today after following for a long time, but it was because I wanted to access the patreon for the Game Jam
Æsel MT
This might be your best video so far
Mr.Game and Audio
Became a patron after seeing this (I've been following you for a long time). I grew up wanting to do this for a long time and had been struggling to find resources. Major problem with "Game Design" is that "everyone has resources and everyone is both right and wrong." Compare this to Software Engineering where there are rules, reasons why those rules exist and at least SOME form of curriculum. Even "ART" has rules. Anyhow, Resources like this are INVALUABLE and I wish I had stuff like this growing up. Much love from the Industry!
Paolo Torelli
Smooth transition into promoting the patreon, I like it!
Ian Easton
I honestly think "On the Level" is even better than "Level With Me"
Tukaro
I really like this idea. I don't expect it would be easy to do, but I would love to see HL2's Ravenholm get an episode of this.
Mathieu Limoges
This was the perfect video to finish off my lunch break! Cheers!
Théo
What a perfect post, for two reasons: - I'm a huge fan of Ori and finished it a few months ago - I'm playing Dorf Romantik a lot, and I can confirm what you say, it's a great game, very relaxing And now, let's watch your new video, I'm excited about it!
