Level Design: Balancing Structure and Exploration in Project Nocturnal

Hello everyone!

This week, lets dive into a topic that’s been a huge focus for us lately: level design. Specifically, how we’re tackling the level design for Project Nocturnal and the challenges that come with designing a world where exploration, discovery, and freedom are key elements of the player experience.

The Art of Level Design

Level design is an art form that, at first glance, might seem simple, but beneath the surface lies a great deal of complexity. When we begin designing a level, our initial instinct is often to aim for symmetry. There’s something inherently satisfying about having everything aligned just right—perhaps it’s a natural inclination toward order—but games require more than that. They need to feel alive, organic, and offer players a sense of exploration and discovery.

In Project Nocturnal, our goal is to provide players with the freedom to carve their own path through the game, which brings unique challenges to the table. From a top-down perspective, players are only able to see a limited portion of the world at any given time. This creates an interesting balance: while we want players to feel like they are truly forging their own way, we also need to subtly guide them toward key objectives without making it too obvious.

Finding Balance: Freedom vs. Frustration

One of the hardest parts of level design is finding the sweet spot between giving players enough freedom to explore while also preventing them from feeling lost or frustrated. In Project Nocturnal, players can choose from multiple paths, and that means we have to plan for a lot of different routes. But even though there are multiple ways to reach the end, there still needs to be some degree of guidance to make sure players don’t get overwhelmed.

Symmetry, oddly enough, helps with this. While creating an open world with many branching paths, symmetry offers familiarity. It can subtly guide the player, helping them recognize patterns and navigate through the world without feeling completely adrift. But the challenge comes in making sure that symmetry isn’t too obvious, especially when working with a more organic, natural environment.

The Struggle with Straight Paths

One of the challenges we face in level design is that we tend to think in straight lines and four primary directions—north, south, east, and west. This approach stems from working within the limitations of pixel art, where diagonal or curved paths can be more difficult to implement. However, in reality, paths are rarely straight. Natural, worn-down routes emerge as people take shortcuts or find the quickest way to their destination.

As we continue to develop Project Nocturnal, we’ll be observing how players navigate through the game world. Understanding the natural paths players take will be crucial in refining the layout. We aim to ensure that our world feels organic and believable, while also maintaining the smooth and structured look that comes with working in pixel art. During playtesting, we’ll take note of where players instinctively move, adjusting paths where needed to strike the right balance between aesthetic and functionality.

Tools of the Trade

Right now, we’re using Unity’s tile palette system to build Project Nocturnal’s levels, which has been a big help. The grid-based system not only makes it easier to design within the limitations of pixel art but also allows us to create repeatable patterns that can be easily tiled across the map. This has been particularly useful because we can focus on building smaller sections and then piece them together like a puzzle, ensuring that each area serves its purpose before moving on to the next.

One of the great things about symmetry in open-world design is that it often goes unnoticed. Players focus on their immediate surroundings, so as long as the details feel unique and engaging, the larger symmetry of the map fades into the background. Small touches, like changing the biome or adding distinct landmarks, can make similar areas feel different enough to keep the player immersed.

Asset Challenges and Creative Solutions

One of the biggest challenges we face as an indie team is working within the limitations of the assets we have. Since art isn’t our strongest suit, we rely on asset packs to fill out the game’s world. Finding top-down pixel art assets that match our vision isn’t easy, and we’ve spent a lot of time searching for packs that work. Even then, we’ve had to get creative—taking what we can and tweaking it in Photoshop to fit the overall design.

This process works for now, but it’s time-consuming. We’ve encountered a few hurdles already, and I know there are more ahead. For now, we’re making do with what we have, but as we get closer to playtesting and polish, we’ll need to spend more time refining these assets to make sure they align with the final vision.

Design Philosophy: Rewarding Exploration

In Project Nocturnal, exploration is a huge part of the game. While players are free to explore at their own pace, we’re designing the world so that the further they progress, the more structured the environments become. This should give players a sense of being on the right path when it matters most, while still allowing them to venture off and explore the wider world.

Progression will be about more than just following the main path. We want to reward players who take the time to explore every nook and cranny of the world. Changing environments and different biomes will signal when they’re entering key areas, helping guide them toward important moments in the game without making them feel like they’re being led by the hand.

Moving Forward

Level design is all about trial and error. We’ve already gone through a few iterations of the initial design, and I’m sure there will be more changes as we continue to refine the game. Finding the right balance between freedom and structure is key, and I’m looking forward to seeing how our players interact with the world we’re building.

Thank you for following along on our journey. We’ll continue to share more about the design process, as well as some sneak peeks into the world of Project Nocturnal, as we get closer to launch!