LUNARIC PARCHMENTS
Moonlight Shines on the Past Guilty.
Level Design Thesis Project
Project Pitch.
Experience Goal:
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Build a non-linear level design methodology with Graph Theory and Dominion Theory
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Impress the player with a castle on a real scale
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Help the player maintain the sense of direction in miniscaped and non-linear levels
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Tell the level world's past history through indirect storytelling
This is a level that was created to verify a methodology in my thesis topic: Using Graph Theory to Create a 3D Miniscaped, Non-Linear Level. This study is about using mathematic graphs to create a non-linear level layout that does not confuse players' sense of direction.
This level is a real-size castle in exterior world space. It is massive in scale and contains various gameplayer areas that are decorated by different asset themes in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
The hypothesis was successfully verified preliminarily. The majority of the players didn't feel lost while playing the level. Additionally, I also found that player types affect players' abilities to memorize a level's layout.
This is a level that was created to verify a methodology in my thesis topic: Using Graph Theory to Create a 3D Miniscaped, Non-Linear Level. This study is about using mathematic graphs to create a non-linear level layout that does not confuse players' sense of direction.
Key Responsibilities:
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Designed and built the level blockout
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Documented and iterated level quality
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Planned and wrote narrative pieces
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Designed and scripted combat encounters
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Scripted a custom weapon and a custom gameplay loop
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Decorated the whole level to shippable quality using available assets
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Carried out the lighting pass to add aesthetic depth
Project Information.
Engine: Creation Kit: Skyrim
Mod for: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Work Time: Aug 2023 - March 2024
Team Size: Solo Dev
Play Time: 15 - 30 minutes
Features:
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Non-linear miniscaped level
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Indirect Storytelling
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Custom Gameplay loop
"Lunaric Parchments" is a single-player mod level of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It is a miniscaped ("Hakoniwa") and non-linear level designed using Graph Theory and Dominion Theory. Using these two theories, I aimed to build a methodology that improves the player's sense of direction in non-linear levels.
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This level is about helping a mysterious older woman investigate a nearby castle occupied by chaotic magicka interferences and creatures. The player is tasked with collecting seven magical parchments from the castle to resolve the chaos. While collecting the parchments, the player is able to learn what happened in the castle's realm in the past through environmental and indirect storytelling pieces.
Key Definitions:
Miniscape: Miniscape (or "sandbox," which is less accurate but easier to understand) is a word translated from the Japanese word “Hakoniwa.” The concept of “Hakoniwa” is the idea of making an encapsulated room elaborate enough to tell its purpose and give visitors a deep impression. For example, each level in Super Mario 3D World is recognized as a miniscape.
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Dominions and Dominion Theory: Dominion Theory is a level design methodology originally used by Half-Life 2’s developers. The Dominion Theory also implies that gameplay areas may be represented by vertices, which are called "dominions". The vertices have “an area of effect,” and each vertex’s area of effect should not overlap with other vertices’ area of effect to avoid the player being exhausted.
Overview & Level Maps.
The methodology used to create this level involved designing a level map based on a graph that has good connectedness among all the gameplay areas that are defined as dominions.
This is the initial detailed map of the level before implementing any changes. I planned all the details of the player's experiences in the level. I also made a skill progression chart to help me visualize the player's challenges and skill progression in the level.
The methodology used to create this level involved designing a level map based on a graph that has good connectedness among all the gameplay areas that are defined as dominions.
Design Process.
The most difficult challenge of creating this level came from blocking out the level layout. Miniscaped levels require distinctive decorative themes for different gameplay areas. Although there were sufficient modular assets in different themes in Skyrim, connecting modular pieces of different themes and making their joints look natural took me two weeks.
In this pass, I implemented a custom gameplay in this level. In this castle, the player's maximum mana would be reduced. The player was encouraged to use a custom sword that can refill mana on each kill against enemies. Moreover, I implemented snow overlay and crystal tower to help the player distinguish different gameplay areas.
After the layout and planned gameplay were fixed, in the following aesthetics pass, I started to finalize all gameplay areas' decorations concerning the planned themes. I also added decent details for the surrounding worlds and implemented corresponding LODs.
The most difficult challenge of creating this level came from blocking out the level layout. Miniscaped levels require distinctive decorative themes for different gameplay areas. Although there were sufficient modular assets in different themes in Skyrim, connecting modular pieces of different themes and making their joints look natural took me two weeks.
In my concept and plan, the level would end with a boss fight on the top of a lofty tower, which is also a landmark that helps the player navigate. However, this design was blocked because I could not find available assets to build it while making it stand out.
Eventually, I fixed this issue by piling up ice crystals in different shapes, which I also added to the tower's nearby gameplay to make the area around it stand out.
When I designed the castle wall section in the level, a conflict occurred. To keep the general style consistent, I needed to use modular assets from the same decorative themes. However, this created a visually repetitive pattern that could cause players to lose direction.
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To solve this issue and make the high places stand out in the level no matter what daytime it is, I implemented a snow overlay for all the high places. I further broke repetition by adding pillars, windows, statues, and various war flags.
#1 Memorizable.
Memorizable level layout and clear goal
The mathematic tools (Graph Theory) I used to verify if a level structure is easy to memorize
The methodology involves the following steps before blocking out the level layout:
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Design an initial graph with a Stability Factor γ larger than 0.94
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Detail the initial graph with new dominions (gameplay areas) while maintaining its γ > 0.94
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Block out the level whitebox and evaluate its Stability Factor to make sure it wasn't changed
Landmarks & Miniscaped Decorations
To help the player memorize different dominions (gameplayer areas), the usages of landmarks and miniscaped decorations are vital. The distinctive decorative themes in a dominion, together with its unique landmark, facilitate the player to form solid recognition of this dominion.
Dominion 1's exterior was decorated in Skyrim's Markarth theme. Its landmark is a giant dead tree
Each dominion in this level follows the subsequent design rules:
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It is decorated by only using modular assets from a specific theme from Skyrim
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It contains landmarks or weenies that help players form mapping relationships in which one landmark corresponds to one dominion
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It includes at least one quest item highlighted by purple beams that requires the player to visit
In this level, to test the hypothesis, there weren't any planned quest markers to inform the player of where a quest item was. To allow the players to plan their routes and set up goals, I implemented a conveyance that each quest item is highlighted by a purple light beam shooting into the sky. These light beams are extremely visible even in the day environment.
#2 Exploration.
​Fantastic fun of exploring the game world and stories.
Indirect Storytelling - The level was filled with accessible items that tell stories about the following parties living in the castle centuries ago. These include:
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how did the queen of the castle in the past cause the disaster that ruined her realm
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the anecdotes and scandals between the queen, her personal maid, and the queen's husband
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castle citizens' increasingly crazy cult of the queen
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how citizens in different social statuses reacted to the upcoming disaster in the past
Environmental Storytelling - To emphasize the citizens' cult and worship of the queen, I planned and implemented stone NPC statues throughout the whole level. Moreover, these statues also provide fantastic conveyance that draws the player's eye toward the direction they are facing.
Exploration Chest — To keep the player engaged in exploring the game world, I planned and placed a large number of chest boxes and containers in the level, each containing random items. Meanwhile, by strategically placing consumables such as potions, craft materials, and trash items, I ensured that the level flow kept pushing the player forward.
#3 Analysis.
​Player survey data and proof of the hypothesis.
The reference top-down snapshot provided with survey questions
Analysis Methodology - After the participants finished the level, they were invited to complete a post-test survey. The survey contained 15 quiz questions, which allowed me to measure how the players mentally mapped the level layout according to their correctness.
Furthermore, the survey also contains demographic questions that ask about the participants' player style (based on the Quantic Foundry Player Motivation Profile) and general experience to help analyze data.
Majority of players feel the can mentally map the level layout
Note: Mental mapping refers to an ability that, given a description, an image, or an objective, you can picture how to reach the area as depicted by this information
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Demographic Conclusions - From the survey's data, I had the following conclusions for the methodology in this thesis:
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The methodology helps the majority of players reduce their chances of feeling lost in non-linear level space
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The methodology would help maintain players' sense of direction when they play a level for the first time
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By providing exploration chances, the level designed by this methodology can maintain players' engagement when they feel lost
15 questions' correctness with respect to dominions (gameplay areas)
Extra Finding - According to the player segments of the Quantic Foundry Player Motivation Profile, I defined a "Discovery Type" player as someone who is highly likely to engage in exploring the game world while playing a video game.
Then, by categorizing Discovery Type players' correctness of quiz questions, I discovered that this type of player had better correctness of mental mapping level layout compared to other types that don't care about exploring the game world.
As a result, an extra finding of this study is that the player type will affect how well a player can mentally map a level layout. The methodology ensures fun for the Discovery Type players who can subconsciously memorize the level layout
Postmortem.
What Went Well?
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Verifying Hypothesis
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I successfully proved the effectiveness of the methodology
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Good Exploration Choices
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All participants thought this miniscaped non-linear level was fun and engaging
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Created a similar feeling to Dark Souls' levels
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Several participants spontaneously said the level felt like Dark Souls while playing
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LODs ​
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Level LODs finally worked perfectly after I spent tons of hours working on Mod tools that generate decent and robust LODs​
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What Went
Wrong?
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Make Dominions Distinctive
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Making a gameplay area visually distinctive requires not only assets in a distinctive art theme but also a unique land feature
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- Custom Gameplay
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The custom gameplay loop doesn't include enough positive feedback. It kept the players away from using it​
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Combat Design and AIs
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The AI package System in Creation Kit: Skyrim is too ​grinding, and it blocked me from creating more interesting combat events
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What I
Learned?
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How to Create an Engaging Exploration Experience
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Always provide rewards and extra surprises when the player explores a place that is not in the main flow
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How to Design Non-linear Miniscaped Level
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Although my hypothesis was merely verified preliminarily, it gave me a best practice of how to plan and design layouts for non-linear miniscaped level​
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Gallery.
