[GDC Video] The Important of Nothing: Using Negative Space in Level Design

Diva Dan

hello!
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Mar 20, 2016
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I knew artists used the squinting and zooming quite a lot, but never knew just how useful it was. Now I definitely realize what it means when people say "visuals are overwhelming" or how "player readability is difficult". It's also good to mention that players and their models are generally noisy, so less noisy materials like smooth concrete or planks (and of course dev textures) help make players and objectives stand out more.

Still, I feel like the only person who couldn't make out the dog!
 

Blade x64

Logical insanity
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Sep 3, 2009
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So it boils down to using high contrast to highlight important visual information, while keeping the view as a whole simple for quick analysis.

Would have liked to see more analysis on player vs environment, playable area vs non playable area, directing player attention, and distinguished landmarks for player navigation. These are all important aspects towards building a coherent whole, but their coverage felt too brief.

The pathing examples felt weak as the map itself is incredibly simple to begin
with. The metric for polys in the scene was odd too, as the first comparison it implied more was bad, but in the second it said it was okay if done correctly.
 

Diva Dan

hello!
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Mar 20, 2016
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The pathing examples felt weak as the map itself is incredibly simple to begin with.

I agree. The CoD map they kept referring too looked like it had a much more complicated layout compared to a simple set of bridges and 2 large towers. Then again, it's all about level design, so a complicated layout should be judged when it comes to recognition of your surroundings.
 

Crash

func_nerd
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Mar 1, 2010
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New video came out today well reflects more on level design programs (includes hammer!!!)

@48:22 our boy @"A Boojum Snark" gets a mention about his prop library, too!

edit: And YM got a thanks at the end of it!
 
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Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
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Nov 14, 2009
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I have to wonder if this explains why people like orangex so much, since Facing Worlds reminds me a lot of that map's aggressive minimalism.
 

MaccyF

Notoriously Unreliable
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Mar 27, 2015
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It's also good to mention that players and their models are generally noisy, so less noisy materials like smooth concrete or planks (and of course dev textures) help make players and objectives stand out more.

except that in TF2 the players are, by design, less noisy than their surroundings. The concept is the same, but i thought it worth mentioning.