curricly

Guide · Level Design

Teaching player flow without objective arrows

Start by removing the arrow. If the route becomes unreadable, learners can test what the environment needs to communicate instead.

Level
Level 2 · Level 3 · HE
Useful for
Teach it · Use it
Time
6 min

Demonstrate one signal at a time

  • Frame a destination with architecture or sightlines.
  • Use contrast and lighting to separate the useful route from background noise.
  • Repeat a shape, colour or landmark so the player can reorient after a turn.

Run a silent test

Ask a tester to play without spoken help. The designer watches where they pause, turn back or miss an entrance, then records the behaviour before explaining the intention.

Change the smallest thing

Move one landmark, simplify one competing detail or adjust one pool of light. Retest before adding three more signs and a giant glowing arrow.

The useful bitPlayer flow is observed behaviour, not a line the designer draws on a map and assumes everyone will follow.
Try next

Use the No-HUD Navigation activity and compare the designer's intended route with the tester's actual route.

Keep moving

ExplainerLevel Design

Greybox before art

Use simple geometry to test scale, route and timing while changes are still cheap.

4 min readLevel 1 · Level 2 · Level 3 · HE
Guided resourceLevel Design

Unreal Level Designer Quick Start

Epic's practical introduction to viewport navigation, levels, actors, basic geometry, lighting and playtesting.

Epic Games · FreeLevel 2 · Level 3
Guided resourceLevel Design

The Level Design Book

A free, critical and practical online book covering process, layout, blockout, scripting, lighting, level studies and teaching notes.

The Level Design Book · FreeLevel 3 · HE