MP level design for conosles: whats different from PC

[Erny]

Hi there. Basically the question is in the topic

Im wondering what are the main differences in Multiplayer level design for console games from PC ones

what comes to mind first:

- less vertical layouts (for controller reason)

- more resource savvy (to ensure smooth framerates), especially for games with spilt-screen

...

would like to hear from guys with work experience on console shooters and from console gamers aswell

:megaman:

[e-freak]

less noise and more readability. while it helps a pc-multiplayer-level to have a good readability, the avg pc-gamer sits 45cm away from his screen and can see really fast what's happening. A console gamer might be sitting on his sofa, the tv 2 meters away. readability is the key he's still able to play a fast-paced game.

[Steppenwolf]

I don't think there is a difference per se. How you build a map always depends on the type of game and for how many players its intended.

[Skjalg]

I don't think there is a difference per se. How you build a map always depends on the type of game and for how many players its intended.

Isnt that kind of what the others here are saying as well, since most games are either "developed for the PC" or "developed for the console", some claim to be both but ends up beeing a port to one of them.

[Erny]

thanx e-freak, thats a good point

[Verm]

Hello,

I am new to the community as I never have signed up, but I have been lurking for some time now. I can say from my experience, designing levels for consoles compared to PC is mainly your limits in memory and there is more of a standard set limit when targeting say the 360 or PS3, rather with the PC some of these ends are a little looser. For example, level memory has certain limits or particular poly limits on the consoles where they can vary quite differently on PC.

If your talking pure level design in the sense of how big this level should be and how the engagement distances should be set up, yadda yadda. Its almost the same, but keep in mind that typically most console games have smaller amounts of people playing in an MP server than say PC. Luckily for the PC multiplayer games out there, they have dedicated servers which allow for the higher populations to play together.

[mjens]

Limits depends on the engine. Some engines can load "in-fly" some data and use for example texture or model streaming (like in GTA - textures and models or even big parts of the maps are loaded "in-fly"). Other engines loads whole pack with all required or part of required data (Q3A and .pk3's) so in this case every megabyte is really important. It's good to place models, textures and sound (data from packs) which will be visible multiple times.

Main difference between PC MP and console MP is that what you said - less vertical, less hard jumps and places where user can have problems with enter/exit (make some rocketjumps/trickjumps on pad - after few of them your fingers should be probably broken).

[CompoSITe]

The size of the level is really the only difference to me when building. I can balance a map with a set amount of players in mind but PC guys will run there servers with 64+ players. The maps just aren't built for that many.

I do try to have a verity of playstyle and size per map but it isn't really base on platform.

Thinking more about, I do try to stay away from T junctions (doors, hallways...etc) when I can. It is a bit slower for the controller to spin and check each way.

[2d-chris]

Hey Composite - long time no talk

I'd agree that cutting down the amount of turns is a good practice and making sure that the players have a little more room to navigate. It very much depends on the game design though,

[CompoSITe]

Hey Chris,

Congrates on the new job! Its great to see all these "old schoolers" working now.

[AlexM]

just speculation but considering the limited memory on consoles and this whole "ps3 has an awesome processor" thing would lead me to believe that you should focus on higher polycounts rather than try to make elaborate materials.

Of course this is just speculation from reading various game mags