5. Level Design & World Building
# 5. Level Design & World Building
World building and level design are crucial aspects of creating an engaging platformer. The Defold Platformer Framework provides several tools and approaches to help you design compelling levels and build rich game worlds.
## 5.1 Using Tilemaps in Defold
Tilemaps are the foundation of most 2D platformers, allowing you to create complex environments efficiently.
### Creating a Tileset
1. Prepare your tileset image with all tiles arranged in a grid
2. In Defold, create a new Tile Source resource
3. Configure the tile size, margin, and spacing to match your tileset
4. Set collision groups for each tile as needed
```mermaid
flowchart LR
A[Prepare Tileset Image] --> B[Create Tile Source]
B --> C[Configure Tile Properties]
C --> D[Set Collision Groups]
D --> E[Use in Tilemap]
```
### Working with Tilemaps
Defold's tilemap editor allows you to paint tiles onto a grid to create your levels:
1. Create a new Tilemap component
2. Select your tile source
3. Use the brush tools to place tiles
4. Configure layers for background, midground, and foreground elements
### Collision Layers
For platformers, you'll typically want to set up different collision layers:
- **Solid** - For platforms and walls the player can stand on
- **One-way** - For platforms the player can jump through from below
- **Hazard** - For spikes or other dangerous elements
- **Collectible** - For items the player can pick up
## 5.2 Level Structure Approaches
### Single Large Level
```mermaid
graph TD
A[Main Level Collection] --> B[Player]
A --> C[Camera]
A --> D[Tilemap]
A --> E[Enemies]
A --> F[Collectibles]
```
**Pros:**
- Simpler to manage
- No loading transitions needed
**Cons:**
- Performance concerns for very large levels
- Memory limitations
### Room-Based Approach
```mermaid
graph TD
A[Game Collection] --> B[Player Collection]
A --> C[Room Manager]
C --> D[Room 1]
C --> E[Room 2]
C --> F[Room 3]
```
**Pros:**
- Better memory management
- Can load/unload rooms as needed
- Easier to organize complex worlds
**Cons:**
- Requires room transition management
- More complex setup
## 5.3 Creating Dynamic Environments
### Parallax Backgrounds
Parallax scrolling creates a sense of depth by moving background layers at different speeds.
```lua
-- Example parallax script
function update(self, dt)
local camera_pos = go.get_position("camera")
-- Near background layer (moves at 0.7x camera speed)
go.set_position(vmath.vector3(camera_pos.x * 0.7, camera_pos.y * 0.7, 0.5), "background_near")
-- Far background layer (moves at 0.3x camera speed)
go.set_position(vmath.vector3(camera_pos.x * 0.3, camera_pos.y * 0.3, 0.2), "background_far")
end
```
### Interactive Elements
Add interactive elements to make your levels feel alive:
- **Moving platforms**
- **Breakable tiles**
- **Switches and doors**
- **Environmental hazards**
## 5.4 Level Design Principles
### Flow and Pacing
Consider the rhythm of your level design:
- Alternate between challenging sections and breathing room
- Gradually introduce new mechanics
- Create moments of tension and release
### Teaching Through Design
Good level design teaches players without explicit tutorials:
- Introduce mechanics in safe environments
- Create simple puzzles that demonstrate a concept
- Gradually increase complexity
### Visual Storytelling
Use the environment to tell a story:
- Environmental details that hint at the world's history
- Visual progression from one biome to another
- Background elements that suggest a larger world
## 5.5 Practical Example: Building a Level
Here's a step-by-step approach to building a level with the Defold Platformer Framework:
1. **Plan your level** - Sketch it out on paper or in a design tool
2. **Create the basic structure** - Build the main platforms and walls
3. **Add collectibles and hazards** - Place coins, power-ups, and dangers
4. **Include enemies** - Position enemies to create interesting challenges
5. **Add visual polish** - Include decorative elements and background details
6. **Test and iterate** - Play through the level and refine problem areas
## 5.6 Advanced: Procedural Generation
For games with many levels or roguelike elements, procedural generation can be valuable:
```lua
-- Simplified example of procedural platform generation
function generate_platforms(width, height, density)
local platforms = {}
for y = 1, height, 3 do
for x = 1, width do
if math.random() < density then
table.insert(platforms, {x = x, y = y, width = math.random(2, 5)})
end
end
end
return platforms
end
```
### Approaches to Procedural Generation
1. **Fully random** - Everything is generated with randomness (challenging to control difficulty)
2. **Template-based** - Pre-designed chunks combined randomly
3. **Rule-based** - Generation follows specific rules to ensure playability
## 5.7 Optimizing Level Performance
As your levels grow, performance optimization becomes important:
- **Culling** - Only render what's visible on screen
- **Object pooling** - Reuse game objects instead of creating/destroying them
- **Level streaming** - Load/unload parts of the level as the player moves
Remember that well-designed levels balance aesthetic appeal with gameplay functionality. The best platformer levels challenge players while maintaining a sense of fairness and providing a visually engaging experience.