After my Level Design analysis in my previous post, I have designed and blocked out a new level idea for Fall Guys. This level is a full-size race and I tried to incorporate some of the techniques seen prior. It is inspired by mostly those inflatable assault courses you see at kids birthday parties, with some components already in Fall Guys and a little visit from Total Wipeout. If you are just here for the blockout, here it is :)
I'll try to be brief but I am going to label and describe the beats of the level whilst mentioning the level design techniques used and why. Below is an overhead screenshot with numbers to correspond with my descriptions further below.
Start - Also a checkpoint
Run or Dive - A choice to start the level off. Play it safe and run around the long path or risk diving over the hole, through the cutout to take a shorter route forward - Triangularity.
Slime Hill - A small slime hill - like the end of slime climb - to warm the player up for the doughnut mountain - Slight Layering.
Inflatable obstructions - These require players to jump and dive to get through any gap they can find!
Giant doughnuts. These are supposed to be jumpable but also bouncy. This makes jumping over them risky as they can bounce you off the course but taking the normal route around them will take longer.
The total wipeout balls. At the start, a plank goes up to the platform, this acts as a chokepoint and also stops too many players from jumping for the balls at once. This has 3 sections each getting slightly more difficult with another ball- layering. This gives the players chance to have another go at the balls if they fail initially and adds difficulty to the level more gradually.
The end of the balls has a checkpoint and valve. This stops players from running back, forcing them forward. The intention is to stop too many players piling up around the ball area.
The usual doughnut bumpers as seen in the game. Some nice time-based skill checks.
Fans - These push the players along the slippery slimy surface.
Pendulums - Also already in the game, pendulums add another timing-based skill segment. Slowing players down and keeping the tension.
Conveyor belts - Also already in the game. Similar behaviour to the fans where the player has to run in certain directions or be rolled off the course!
Tunnels/Corridors - This is a slightly underdeveloped section since the purpose is to offer players a wider, longer path and narrow, shorter path. This is to create a chokepoint and give the players a quick decision. The length and width of pathways would need altering to ensure that the decision isn't obvious/dominant strategy.
More inflatable obstacles - I Didn't want to add too many different obstacles in one level so reusing some from earlier.
Breakable wall - The breakable wall also acts as another chokepoint to slow down the players at the front and keep the tension up.
Moving Spinning Hammers - I decided to make the spinning hammers move to create a twist on an existing mechanic and make it exciting.
Donut Mountain - Donut mountain is a slippery mountain filled with doughnuts. I think more moving doughnut bumpers could be used to make it more difficult or have a cannon shooting objects, but that might be too much.
The player when sliding down the mountain/slope has to jump to reach the finish.
The yellow streaks on the ground are where checkpoints are. These are placed to stop the players from having to restart from the beginning and letting them keep some progress, especially after a difficult challenge.
I also tried to have many chokepoints to keep tension and create moments for chaos and schadenfreude.
I also tried to ensure I was upping the ante by increasing the number of challenges in the second half of the level compared to the first, they also get more difficult. With the finale being inspired by the Finale in I'm a Celeb.
There are also two moments at least at which I expose the player to the final objective point. This is due to the natural wraparound shape of the level that lets players see future and past obstacles and also allowing them to keep tabs on other players.
This level is much bigger than the previous ones I have made and I loved making it. If I come up with any more exciting Ideas i'll be sure to make another! :)
Thanks for reading