Level-design af Counter Strike

Speciale om computerspil af 1st-person-shooter-typen. Hvordan skabes de ideelle spille-niveauer, og hvilke kvalitetskriterier gør sig gældende?

This paper concerns the central aspects of designing levels for computer games, especially in the category 1st-person-shooter and Counter-Strike. Questions raised in the paper are: How is the ideal Counter-Strike level designed? What criteria of quality are necessary in this design process? How is the good Counter-Strike level defined?

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that by firmly examination of a game’s elements and agents, it is possible to construct a method of design that would lead
to a more useful and precise leveldesign.

Method
The paper takes basis in theoretical problems concerning the field of computer game research, especially the term “gameplay” is studied to focus on the players relation with the game environment, and thereby the level itself. Rolling & Morris, Rouse III and J. Juul are originators of the theories regarding these matters. To exemplify these theories, two ways of analysis are proposed: one developed for this paper and the other deals with the Isovist theory.

The analysis carried out involves two Counter-Strike levels constructed for this
paper. The Isovist theory conducted by C. Tandy and enhanced by Michael Benedict is proposed for dealing with the unique level’s structural construction and visibility.

Text
Through examination of the term gameplay and how it relates to the physical setting in the game, it is stated what issues leveldesign as a discipline is containing. The term gameplay is in the paper defined as a matter concerning the players options and choices and the quality within these. It is argued that leveldesign corresponds to Counter-Strike’s gameplay on equal terms with the formal
rules, which tie the game together. In that sense it is stated that the Counter-Strike level also forms a rule itself that the played game is shaped by.

The level’s impact on the played game is exposed, wherein the concept
of the collision point is treated. The collision point marks the clash of the players. It is discussed the importance and influence of the played game’s progress and how a direct design of the collision point can contribute to a better gameplay.

It is pointed out, how the used theories are directly usable in the process of designing a level that contains a specific and targeted gameplay. This is done through the design of a new level for the Counter-Strike game, “de_shopping”, together with the analysis of this level. As a counterbalance a former designed level, “cs_citymall”, is accentuated and through an analysis it is emphasized
what weaknesses a leveldesign may contain.

Conclusion
The paper is affirming that it makes sense to regard leveldesign as a tool for controlling the games progression and that it is possible to distinguish between good and bad leveldesign in that matter. Five heuristics are developed to suggest a few guidelines that could lead to a better leveldesign. It is stated that good leveldesign tends to place the player’s interaction in focus and complies with the player’s expectations and needs. A well thought gameplay is one of the means to bring the computer game to a higher level in the time to come.


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