Level Design Framework

Taking inspiration from The First Tree, I made a simple framework for the mechanics of the levels of the game

Meditation Mechanics

Using the knowledge gained from the research done, I knew that the meditation mechanics had to have scaffolding mechanics, shouldn’t feel too forced, and has to be short and simple, to keep the user’s attention.

The meditation window would be prompted in the hub, when the user goes to the temple and sits under the tree.

The user would be given two options – meditate with scaffolding, or meditate for level progression.

Through the game, the user would have to meditate only 3 times to progress through the game. But if they wish, they can meditate more using the scaffolding

Overarching Design

The overarching design was going to be a hub and spoke design, with influence from Super Mario Odyssey.

I was quite heavily influenced by Super Mario’s hub being a ship who’s sails need to be built with each passing level.

My game’s hub was going to be a dry landscape with a boat. The player would have to navigate through the various levels to be able to build the ship to travel to Yama (god of Death).

Level 1 – Tamas

Tamas gives the feeling of inertia, darkness and Ignorance.

The following mechanics were implemented to reinforce that feeling:

1. Player can only walk, no sprinting
2. Mud slows the player down
3. Heavy silences, unsettling sounds
4. Player has to collect orbs – not too many, but not too little
5. Player could have a sprint timer, like in breath of the wild
6. Player would have to activate beacons – each beacon increases the player’s sprint ability

Level 2 – Rajas

The level design for Rajas was going to have to include fast movement, parkour elements a n d solid goals to reinforce the feeling of growth, energy and restlessness.

The following mechanics were implemented to reinforce that feeling:

1. Arrangement based puzzles (creates frustration, and satisfaction on achieving a goal)
2. Parkour based platforming
3. Linear level design

Level 3 – Sattva

Sattva breaks the loop of the last two levels. Sattva is meant to be different, since it is the closest to moksha (liberation) player would have to walk in a loop following other NPCs.

The only way to stop the loop is for the player to step away from their computer. If the player steps away for about 7 seconds, the level changes to one that shows just their souls moving around in a loop, with the player in the centre.

To exit this level, the player would have to meditate, and after meditation, they would be transferred to the ship that takes them to Yama’s abode.

Level 4 – Primordial Matter

This is the conclusion of the game. Nachiketa mysteriously wakes up on Yama’s abode, his ship broken.

Upon meeting Yama, a dialogue scene is triggered where Yama tests the user after Nachiketa asks him “what happens to the soul after death?”.

If the user passes the test, the player is transported to a primordial material loop level.

Here, the user is an orb in a dark environment, representing a soul, searching for anything, any trace of anything.

In the distance is an abstract form, upon going near, they are given
a body, and shown a life. This represents the line from samkhya,
“The universe begins when primordial material comes into proximity
with nature”Here, the user is an orb in a dark environment, representing a soul, searching for anything, any trace of anything.