Why 'Speed Level Design' videos are so misleading

A short, well-meaning rant about why I (and many other level designers) don't like those "speed level design" videos - particularly for how they mislead a lot of aspiring level designers about what the discipline is about.

#leveldesign #speedleveldesign #unreal

[Neox]

I once joined a "HL2 mod team" that was looking for a level designer. After joining I was told to make an existing level more pretty. At that time I didn't fully realize the difference between the two roles but that experience changed it. I quickly left that team. The project released later on as a complete joke which didn't surprise me too much.

[saltedlightning]

I want to be a level designer. I was mislead by these vids. I couldn't feel comfortable to design a static scene because I knew something was wrong. I knew it wasn't level design and it obviously doesn't go by the name. So I started creating env art that can be walked around and no interactions. I've been doing this kind of work for almost 3 years until I bumped into your channel recently and saw your hl2 level design vids. Now I know I'm in the right path, I started to work on small 10-15 min levels that doesn't need to be graphically insane but fun and interesting to play. Thank you for enlightening me.

[zaidlacksalastname]

Imagine thinking level designers are employed for years to place a couple of tree and rock models

[scheve]

Thank you for covering this, I work in the industry as a level designer, during uni I always found a lot of videos on 'speed level design' when looking for learning materials on YT and it drove me absolutely nuts

[Petru]

So glad you made this video. Been rather annoyed with this confusion for a long time now. Nothing against anyone doing anything they like, but when you see people dressing a scene and calling it level design it feels just so so wrong. Even more so when they have a million people watching it and telling them how they would also like to be a level designer, lol.

[neptuneleveldesign]

THANK YOU. Finally this has been said out loud lol. I got into game development seeing a lot of those speed environment art videos thinking that's what level designers do. The reality couldn't have been farther from it. Still I find myself crossing the line into env / concept art while blocking out sometimes, I guess some of it stayed with me haha

[kairon]

Great point.
I've only ever seen a hand full of overview videos about proper level design where they talk about coming up with the shapes and flow of the level than make assets around that. than have the level design come back and make sure the design side didn't break any flow design.

[johncheathem]

love to see this. from what ive seen on youtube, i feel like my level design is useless if i cant make it pretty. But its important to know that level art and level design are different things. Its not as popular, but videos on how to make a space fill good and complement gameplay is easily as important as how a space looks. although they seem to intertwine at times

[ShadesMan]

Boom, this! There's a big difference in making a scene in Unreal Engine, versus say making a Quake map with layouts and gameplay (although with earlier engine games, you do work on the 'look' of an area too, well beyond greyboxing... but the point still stands. Understanding an enemy / weapon roster, map progression; hell, adding secrets....

[kameronbarger]

Explaining this to the people you work with in a retail position is the hardest topic to discuss honestly.

[BitterxBones]

I was definitely one of those misled aspiring level designers that fell into the "level artist" trap. Although it has helped me develop an art skillset so when collaborating with other artists on a level, the collaboration feels much stronger as a result. And occasionally have worked on small indie teams where level designers need to wear both design hats and art hats. But the obvious down side being I could've been developing proper/correct design chops from the get-go. Wish I saw this video back when I was in school

[jeremiedemoleon]

Great, I remember when I started my level design journey, I found those really impressive. But when I was applying for a LD job in the industry with a portfolio full of environment art I realized that I waste a lot of time on the look and not on making a real gameplay experience.

[Ackrill]

I had the same problem with parkour.
When i started trainings long time ago there were terms like "parkour", "freerun" and "acrobatics".
"Parkour" was for efficient movement and some things, that help you feel your body mid-air.
"Freerun" - was for event, where you run efficiently from point A to point B, saving your stamina, fastrunning and jumping and adding a little bit of style.
And "Acrobatics" was for jumps like summersault or backflips and other "cool-looking" and nearly useless indeed tricks (it helps you control your body, sure, but you dont jump over the ledge faster with a backflip).

So, some years later people started to misuse these terms. And freerun is being used as "acrobatics showoff", and "parkour" is like useless jumping around. Like everyone forgot about its purpose - limitless and efficient movement. Of course, its just popular meanings in media-space. But it changes the way people see parkour (instead they see acrobatics). (like level design - level art)

[Vectorr]

Thanks for the video. I love CG work and feel this. I can always get a landscape started but then feel how do maps get to things like we see finally made. SO much work.

[muzboz]

Thanks for pointing out the elephant in the room here, Steve! I've often seen those videos, and while they're enjoyable, it's frustrating to see someone dress up a viewpoint from a static camera, and label it "level design", when like you say, it's not a playable space, it's just making a pretty scene in a static camera frustum!

[revenger]

Thank you so much for making this video. I too had fallen into this trap thinking this is level design and most of the content on my portfolio has only environment stuff. Its taken me over a year to get out of this, levels have to look pretty trap. I'm finally making simple levels and hopefully I'll have an actual level designer's portfolio instead of level art. The only sad part is that, the studio where I work at right now, thinks this is level design. Hopefully I'll be able to get out of the rabbit hole soon.

[coloneljcd]

Good of you to point out, I didnt know there was a distinction.

[Piter-uz]

you're the voice of all us devs who always thought about it but never said a word :D

[mjzcreations]

I guess when I first got into watching these videos I already knew what they were about since I also practice level design, so it never really occured to me as level art I just kinds knew it was art but in the back of my head so I never criticised it. It's an interesting point to make actually, it really points out the difference.

[DeputyChiefWhip]

I'm glad you made this mate, as an industry vet myself, it winds me up in the same way it does you. I'm a bit of a troll going on these "speed level designers" telling them it's environment/ world building. They only use premade assets. Which is ok, but basically they're after views and that's all