A Gift in Good Faith: Level Design Breakdown
Our LD49 entry, A Gift in Good Faith’s main gameplay loop takes place in a sprawling labyrinth guarded by an enraged Minotaur. We figured out the gameplay fairly early in the jam, but I still had the difficult job of designing this maze we’d dreamt up in our heads.
I found a sheet of paper and a pencil and got to work. I started by considering the mechanics we’d planned for the game: a sand tile that would slow the player down, a spike tile that ran on a cycle, and one-tile-wide shortcuts that the player could fit through — but not the Minotaur. These three mechanics would provide the variety and challenge in the levels, along with the broader maze design.
I designed the maze so that it was split into six discrete “level” sections for each gem. These sections were surrounded by more conventional maze corridors. The labyrinth is centered around a large hub room in the middle, where the Minotaur starts each level, and two entrance rooms by each castle.
The first level is fairly straightforward. It is designed to teach the mechanics and the maze design in a clear manner. The player starts in the Scarlet Castle on the right, and has to make their way to the Azure Castle on the left. The blue gem is placed directly along the path between the castles, so no major detour is required. The level also teaches an important concept: leaving the flare in the gem room, allowing the player to escape to the castle. This strategy is very useful in later levels.
The second level, the pink gem, is also simple, and uses the same setup as its predecessor; the gem is placed along the central path through the maze. There is more sand in the way this time, however, and there is a particularly difficult sequence in the “spike room” off the left entrance, as we like to call it. The pink gem also requires a more significant diversion than the blue gem.
Third is the purple gem, located at the top centre of the maze. This is the first gem to require a more thorough exploration of the maze, and branches off of the long passage which serves as the spine of the labyrinth’s upper half. Getting to the gem room is not particularly difficult — simply head up from the entrance room, then follow the hallway — but this level features a more in-depth challenge within said room. There are three sets of two passages, one of each pair filled with sand. This forces the player to weave between them, but the Minotaur can just charge right through. There are multiple ways to manipulate your abilities within this room!
The fourth level, the yellow gem, is my personal favourite of the six. It’s located very close to the Scarlet Castle, which is the ultimate destination, but the key to the level is the long chase to that room. There are many paths one could take, but the intended one follows the long passage at the very bottom of the maze. This chase features a fun moment where you can outsmart the Minotaur using a one-wide passage, forcing it to take the long way around. The gem room itself features a lot of sand and more one-way passages. Good flare placement in this room is essential for this level!
Next is the green gem, perhaps one of the game’s most difficult levels. During development, we called this the “spike tunnel”. Located in the top right, it is guarded by sand followed by a long line of spike tiles, which requires good timing to cross. The challenge here resides in distracting the Minotaur at the right time relative to the spikes’ cycle. This level is made easier by picking up the flare and using it a second time, a mechanic that isn’t often necessary! The level is topped off by an exciting chase across the entire map.
The orange gem is the game’s dramatic finale. It is located at the end of a winding passage of hazards in the bottom left corner of the maze. Multitudes of sand and spike tiles form a twisted obstacle course. Don’t be afraid to walk through the sand in this level, and be prepared for the Minotaur to be right on your heels at points! Make sure to place a flare in the gem room, because you still have to make it back through the passage without being caught. The level culminates in another chase sequence. There are again multiple paths here, but I personally prefer heading up and through the central room.
A Gift in Good Faith is a difficult and at times unforgiving game. It is also a puzzle game in disguise. Smart timing of your mechanics is required to solve each level. Remember to study the map before each level to plan your route. Also keep in mind that the map doesn’t show the one-wide shortcuts, which are at times key to evading the Minotaur. Stay on your toes and you might just outsmart this rabid beast!
I hope you enjoyed this breakdown of A Gift in Good Faith’s level design. Designing a puzzling yet coherent maze was definitely our hardest design challenge to date, but I think it paid off. Make sure to check out @python-b5’s breakdown of the Minotaur’s AI at this link: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/49/a-gift-in-good-faith/a-gift-in-good-faith-minotaur-ai-breakdown
I hope you enjoyed the post, and if you haven’t already, you can play the game here: https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/49/a-gift-in-good-faith
Thanks for reading! :)
