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So, #Blocktober might be over but I thought I'd share how we work with the level design process for #AlwasLegacy, the 2d metroidvania adventure game we ( @EldenPixels) just released. So here's a thread! [1/11]
First we start with the basic draft of the room. Making sure the entrance and exit matches the surrounding rooms. Each room always has a purpose and this room is to go from left to right and fight some simpler enemies. Internally we call them "Action Rooms". [2/11]
![First we start with the basic draft of the room. Making sure the entrance and exit matches the surrounding rooms. Each room always has a purpose and this room is to go from left to right and fight some simpler enemies. Internally we call them "Action Rooms". [2/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYpWLCXYAE6Zxf.png "First we start with the basic draft of the room. Making sure the entrance and exit matches the surrounding rooms. Each room always has a purpose and this room is to go from left to right and fight some simpler enemies. Internally we call them \"Action Rooms\". [2/11]")
In this step we add an outline to all the tiles telling our level editor (Tiled Map Editor by @thorbjorn81) that these specific tiles should be swapped into others in a later step. We're using something called Automap which lets us quite easily create nice looking rooms [3/11]
![In this step we add an outline to all the tiles telling our level editor (Tiled Map Editor by @thorbjorn81) that these specific tiles should be swapped into others in a later step. We're using something called Automap which lets us quite easily create nice looking rooms [3/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYpksuXYAAdEoj.png "In this step we add an outline to all the tiles telling our level editor (Tiled Map Editor by @thorbjorn81) that these specific tiles should be swapped into others in a later step. We're using something called Automap which lets us quite easily create nice looking rooms [3/11]")
Here we've told the Level Editor to swap the building block tiles into proper art and a room appears! We've also added sprites for enemies that once imported into our game engine Unity turns into swimming fishes if they're in water or stranded fishes if they're on land. [4/11]
![Here we've told the Level Editor to swap the building block tiles into proper art and a room appears! We've also added sprites for enemies that once imported into our game engine Unity turns into swimming fishes if they're in water or stranded fishes if they're on land. [4/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYqJw9XMAIGXGG.png "Here we've told the Level Editor to swap the building block tiles into proper art and a room appears! We've also added sprites for enemies that once imported into our game engine Unity turns into swimming fishes if they're in water or stranded fishes if they're on land. [4/11]")
In this step we add additional styling in the form of vines. Depending on where we place them, they either get ground so the player can stand on them or if they're inside walls nothing additional gets added. Styling all of these vines took F.O.R.E.V.E.R. [5/11]
![In this step we add additional styling in the form of vines. Depending on where we place them, they either get ground so the player can stand on them or if they're inside walls nothing additional gets added. Styling all of these vines took F.O.R.E.V.E.R. [5/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYqc3eWMAMbZ9o.png "In this step we add additional styling in the form of vines. Depending on where we place them, they either get ground so the player can stand on them or if they're inside walls nothing additional gets added. Styling all of these vines took F.O.R.E.V.E.R. [5/11]")
Here we've added a simple background layer to the room and it's all starting to come together nicely now! This is pretty much how most of the rooms looked from start of the development until the final polish phase right before release. [6/11]
![Here we've added a simple background layer to the room and it's all starting to come together nicely now! This is pretty much how most of the rooms looked from start of the development until the final polish phase right before release. [6/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYqudNXIAAuMuh.png "Here we've added a simple background layer to the room and it's all starting to come together nicely now! This is pretty much how most of the rooms looked from start of the development until the final polish phase right before release. [6/11]")
Here we added a large wall decoration to break up the tiles a bit and to create a bit more personality in the room. For us, styling was always really important and quite often we had to change the room design and enemy placement so the styling would fit and look nice. [7/11]
![Here we added a large wall decoration to break up the tiles a bit and to create a bit more personality in the room. For us, styling was always really important and quite often we had to change the room design and enemy placement so the styling would fit and look nice. [7/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYrBcIXUAIrfnY.png "Here we added a large wall decoration to break up the tiles a bit and to create a bit more personality in the room. For us, styling was always really important and quite often we had to change the room design and enemy placement so the styling would fit and look nice. [7/11]")
Here we've added more styling to the background layer. We learned a lot during the development and we can probably speed this process up in future games but each of these small cracks and flowers were placed there manually, every single one. [8/11]
![Here we've added more styling to the background layer. We learned a lot during the development and we can probably speed this process up in future games but each of these small cracks and flowers were placed there manually, every single one. [8/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYrRGvXMAEySq8.png "Here we've added more styling to the background layer. We learned a lot during the development and we can probably speed this process up in future games but each of these small cracks and flowers were placed there manually, every single one. [8/11]")
Here's the final styled version from our Level Editor. Besides the background layer, we've added more flowers and vines, small cracks, glowing mushrooms, shadowing, and just overall more detail to everything. [9/11]
![Here's the final styled version from our Level Editor. Besides the background layer, we've added more flowers and vines, small cracks, glowing mushrooms, shadowing, and just overall more detail to everything. [9/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYrcYpW4AMFEfQ.png "Here's the final styled version from our Level Editor. Besides the background layer, we've added more flowers and vines, small cracks, glowing mushrooms, shadowing, and just overall more detail to everything. [9/11]")
Here's the final room in the game. We have a dark overlay on all the dungeons and then allow different items and art to shine through making it look nice and smooth! :) Creating one room like this takes about 60 minutes and there are about 600 rooms in the game.[10/11]
![Here's the final room in the game. We have a dark overlay on all the dungeons and then allow different items and art to shine through making it look nice and smooth! :) Creating one room like this takes about 60 minutes and there are about 600 rooms in the game.[10/11]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmYrjOmWMAAqX0f.png "Here's the final room in the game. We have a dark overlay on all the dungeons and then allow different items and art to shine through making it look nice and smooth! :) Creating one room like this takes about 60 minutes and there are about 600 rooms in the game.[10/11]")
And that's it! Level Design and styling of rooms in 2d pixel art games is one of my favourite things to do. Here's the game if you want to check it out. It's also available on Switch. Thanks everyone for reading! :) https://store.steampowered.com/app/1205900/Alwas_Legacy/
