Level Design and The Hub

After much postulating about the feedback I've been seeing, I've decided to do some exploration of a different approach to level design, starting first with what is arguably the most important level to many games that choose to use them: the Hub map.

My previous approach, particularly with the V2 demo's map, has proven to be...haphazard and extremely poorly coordinated/balanced.  That's not much of a surprise, considering that the map really was just cobbled together at near random.   The intention with it was to act as an internal experiment to see how city streets with tall buildings and sloped roofs would even remotely be able to work, or if I'd have to scrap that and choose some entirely different approach (specifically, one that didn't involve streets).  I ended up losing track of this goal as the sheer building of that large map started to take a toll on me, so when the map 'worked' (as in, people of my skill level or above could relatively comfortably get around),  I decided to stop thinking about it.  This was quite a bit of a mistake, since the released version of the map is really just not up to snuff, since it really doesn't really encourage the use of the game's mechanics very well at all.

So instead, as I went back to the drawing board and evaluated what to do next, I've thought about how what specifically is wrong with the map that currently exists, comparing it to the previous map, and I've now determined that I need to go and really start small.  VERY small, and focus more on smaller subtle details that help to advance the player through the level in various ways that involve more basic platforming.  I'm also going to be thinking a lot more about how to guide the player through exploring the various movement mechanics.

As a result, I've started with creating the relatively small and simple area that you see here.  I hope to use this area at the start of the game to box in a relatively simple but open area so that they can get used to the game's controls and the way the character moves in 3D space.