That would be cool, I'm not really sure how that could work logistically. There's a lot involved in setting up the project, installing Unity and then making sure we stay in sync with all the dev tools...
Maybe just throw me some designs on 'paper' and I can add them to the pile and build them at some point. The hardest part of level design is the design anyway so that might actually help a lot.
I can definitely draw up some levels. If you wanna chat some more about potentially using a git repo or Unity collab project, I would love to! DM me on twitter if you are interested.
Hi Bronson,
To continue our conversation on twitter:
Short Version:
Don't worry too much about what I have in mind for the game. Just design or suggest what you think would be cool. Why? Because the more ideas the better!
Even if you design something that's not right or too complex or whatever, it may still have good ideas within it that can be used. And over time as the game evolves it will become easier and more clear what will work and what won't.
Long Version:
I think the most important thing to consider for level design though is: scale and choices (risk/reward). I want all levels to have the option of being finished quick (1-3 shots) and all levels to be completable within 5 shots (Par, which is always 5 shots).
The idea for 'Worlds' in Mini Golf Worlds was so that I could make unique and interesting themes for levels with unique mechanics. There's really no limit (within reason) to what could change from world to world. I've have thoughts about messing with rules, physics, scoring, adding unique mechanics like wind in out door worlds, or flipping gravity and playing with perspective in an MC Esher style puzzle world, etc..
What I'm limited by currently is that I'm not an artist, so for the most part I need to design within the assets I can find on the unity asset store that fit the art style i've cobbled together, like the snake temple levels (using BitGem assets) or things I can build myself which is limited to basic static shapes like those you see in the mini golf theme and the islands theme in the game.
However this should improve over time as I want to grow the team as money starts coming in and that'll let me expand what we're capable of building. So ideas that aren't feasible now may be feasible later.
No hard limit. but not crazy amounts. Each collectable adds data that needs to be transmitted per turn to the server, there is a hard limit on data per game at present so it can't be too crazy high. This is also why there's an 8 shot limit on holes and only 5 holes per game, just to make sure the game stays under that limit.
Here are two mockups I made of levels that were in my head today.
The first one is pretty simple. I thought a spiral level would be fun. This could go with any theme, I had envisioned the default golf course theme. There are ramps that would allow hole in ones with a good shot, and with an even better shot you could get 1-2 gems and a hole in one.
This one is a little more complex. Imagine a black space background here... I went with purple to give a sci-fi vibe (I am not an artist lol). I thought low gravity here would be pretty fun. If there was a lip on the edge of the "platforms" or mini-planets (whatever they are, I dunno), then the user could hit the ball off and thanks to the low-grav they could launch the ball to the other platform. (Alternatively there could be launch pads that could push the ball into the air) A well placed shot to jump the entire void (whether it be with the launch pad or edge lip) would allow the user to get a hole in one.
I added a stop wall to make it a little easier for a newer player to get to the second platform, but once they make it there they must make it to the third platform without a stop wall.
The UFO is a concept I was thinking of thanks to your pirate ship and cannons. In my head it works like this: the user hits the ball at the right time to get into the UFO's tractor beam (beam comes and goes, think Galaga). Once the ball is in the tractor beam the UFO starts going along the map (pre-determined travel path). The user could then tap the UFO which would cause the ball to drop in place.
I'll keep day dreaming here and draw up some more.
That would be cool, I'm not really sure how that could work logistically. There's a lot involved in setting up the project, installing Unity and then making sure we stay in sync with all the dev tools...
Maybe just throw me some designs on 'paper' and I can add them to the pile and build them at some point. The hardest part of level design is the design anyway so that might actually help a lot.
Cheers.
I can definitely draw up some levels. If you wanna chat some more about potentially using a git repo or Unity collab project, I would love to! DM me on twitter if you are interested.
Hi Bronson, To continue our conversation on twitter: Short Version: Don't worry too much about what I have in mind for the game. Just design or suggest what you think would be cool. Why? Because the more ideas the better!
Even if you design something that's not right or too complex or whatever, it may still have good ideas within it that can be used. And over time as the game evolves it will become easier and more clear what will work and what won't. Long Version:
I think the most important thing to consider for level design though is: scale and choices (risk/reward). I want all levels to have the option of being finished quick (1-3 shots) and all levels to be completable within 5 shots (Par, which is always 5 shots).
The idea for 'Worlds' in Mini Golf Worlds was so that I could make unique and interesting themes for levels with unique mechanics. There's really no limit (within reason) to what could change from world to world. I've have thoughts about messing with rules, physics, scoring, adding unique mechanics like wind in out door worlds, or flipping gravity and playing with perspective in an MC Esher style puzzle world, etc.. What I'm limited by currently is that I'm not an artist, so for the most part I need to design within the assets I can find on the unity asset store that fit the art style i've cobbled together, like the snake temple levels (using BitGem assets) or things I can build myself which is limited to basic static shapes like those you see in the mini golf theme and the islands theme in the game.
However this should improve over time as I want to grow the team as money starts coming in and that'll let me expand what we're capable of building. So ideas that aren't feasible now may be feasible later.
This is great. Is there a limit to gems and coins per level?
No hard limit. but not crazy amounts. Each collectable adds data that needs to be transmitted per turn to the server, there is a hard limit on data per game at present so it can't be too crazy high. This is also why there's an 8 shot limit on holes and only 5 holes per game, just to make sure the game stays under that limit.
Here are two mockups I made of levels that were in my head today.
The first one is pretty simple. I thought a spiral level would be fun. This could go with any theme, I had envisioned the default golf course theme. There are ramps that would allow hole in ones with a good shot, and with an even better shot you could get 1-2 gems and a hole in one.
This one is a little more complex. Imagine a black space background here... I went with purple to give a sci-fi vibe (I am not an artist lol). I thought low gravity here would be pretty fun. If there was a lip on the edge of the "platforms" or mini-planets (whatever they are, I dunno), then the user could hit the ball off and thanks to the low-grav they could launch the ball to the other platform. (Alternatively there could be launch pads that could push the ball into the air) A well placed shot to jump the entire void (whether it be with the launch pad or edge lip) would allow the user to get a hole in one.
I added a stop wall to make it a little easier for a newer player to get to the second platform, but once they make it there they must make it to the third platform without a stop wall.
The UFO is a concept I was thinking of thanks to your pirate ship and cannons. In my head it works like this: the user hits the ball at the right time to get into the UFO's tractor beam (beam comes and goes, think Galaga). Once the ball is in the tractor beam the UFO starts going along the map (pre-determined travel path). The user could then tap the UFO which would cause the ball to drop in place.
I'll keep day dreaming here and draw up some more.
If you can't read my chicken scratch, feel free to ask questions (though I explained most of my thoughts in the post too).
All good I thing I can decipher it. :p
@Antony Blackett If you get a minute I'd love some feedback on my 2 concept levels. Your feedback will help me out on making more!