Blockmesh Guidance Principles

  • Affordance - a way to communicate with objects what the player can interact with and where to go
  • Denying Affordance - Opposite use of affordance to show players where NOT to go - heavily visual
  • Conveyance - 
  • Visual Language - Shape - Shape consistency is important and communicate affordance. Some shapes psychologically affect the player as threatening(Square/spikes) or nonthreatening(circular/round)
  • Visual Language - Color - Also communicates affordance, huge contrast can communicate this. Yellow paint meme "why is there yellow paint everywhere?" actually is very useful/necessary
  • Landmarks (aka weenies) - Orients the player. Distant object seen from many vantage points in the level. A goal to work toward. Tip: Build this first, then work backwards
  • Opening Attract - Caves, doors, archways, openings. Entrances should have good contrast in color
  • Gates & Valves - Valves prevent backtracking, Gates prevent forward progress. Ex: locking you into a combat zone until the combat timer is done.
  • Leading Lines - Lines draw your eyes to the point of interest. Often pipes, roads, cables etc.
  • Pinching/Funneling - Angle shapes to funnel players to a specific spot. Food for redirection or setting up a reveal
  • Framing & Composition - Draws attention to a point of interest by blocking out other parts of the image (often used in cinematography)
  • Breadcrumbs - Attract players to a goal. Objects on floors/walls etc. Ex: coins in Mario to lead you to the goal
  • Textures - Points the way to a goal. Could be arrows, scrapes on a wall, tire-tracks etc. Some of the last things added to a level, but can still be added to a blockmesh
  • Movement - Use movement to grab/guide the eye. Big scripted movements, birds, etc. Highly dependent on your game and engine. Can be used as a bandage if the player is still getting lost late in development
  • Light & God Rays -People are attracted to light (lamp) and rays of light
  • Squint Test - Squint and look at the game. Things will be blurry, but what sticks out? Use those things that stick out and make sure that's where you want your player to go

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