Game level

A game level is generally an objective based scene or landscape in which you need to go from one point to another or complete a primary objective with possible side objectives. A good level design will contain most of the above. This can work in both linear and non-linear games as long as there is a good reason to complete the objective.

Some levels come in the form of stages where you would generally have to collect something to progress or defeat an enemy. These stages throughout a game would usually increase in difficulty or the amount of objectives or difficulty of objective increases.

Other levels can be as simple as a nice landscape where the only objective is to get to the other side without having to complete a specific objective or even defeat any enemies. These can be used in between areas as nice safe zones or can be used for mini games between stages or levels.

A game level will in general be made to be fun and have an objective that the player will want to complete in order to continue. The level can be very large or small depending on what is needed to be completed in said level and the size of a level should have objectives that weigh the balance of size and objectives to keep a player interested in the level.

80's Game designer

If i were a game designer in the 80's I would make a highly text orientated RPG in which your choices in the game will effect the outcome of the story of the characters you encounter. I would develop this game for home consoles because around the 80's is where home consoles were becoming more popular and would seem like the best direction to head at the time. For the most part of this game you will be reading text with pictures like a Visual Novel with choices but these choices will effect items you have and the stats of your character along with the relationship with others. your stats and current items will also effect how others react to you and in turn more choices in the game can become available.

I compared 3 games level designs. One from the 80's 90's and after 2004. The 3 games I compared are Pac-Man (1980), Crash Bandicoot (1996) and Dark Souls (2011). Pac-Man's level design was very simple and effective. Where each level would get increasingly harder as you progress with more cutoff points where you could get caught by the enemy. Crash Bandicoot had you go through different themed environments which would get increasingly harder whether it be from the types of jumps you needed to perform or the placement of enemies. Each level had little mini levels inside that would usually be quick levels to get more lives and boxes. Dark Souls has an open world with more areas opening up with the more you explore and kill bosses. The main areas of the games are large but in most cases the enemies will be placed in increasingly harder locations or will be 4vs1 against the player in small hallways. Each boss could be harder then another depending on your play style and items.

A games genre effects how the level is designed because some genres require free roaming and others need to be linear. an RPG like TES V: Skyrim has an open world design so the player has 100% choice on where they want to go and what they want to do. this is common in RPG games because the idea is to play a role and involve yourself in another universe. A simulation game like gran turismo only allows the player to stay on the race track while in a race with only other options being navigating around menus. Racing simulation games are designed like this so the player will stay in the race and finish it in 1st place so you can progress through the game winning money and cars. An adventure game like Terraria has an open world but unlike an RPG you can't level up or have 100% choice on everything you can do. you progress through this game by building, crafting, mining and killing monsters for items that will help you progress.