Modular Level Design for Skyrim
Joel Burgess
Nathan Purkeypile
Bethesda Game Studios

Where We’re Coming From
●Bethesda Games are Big

Where We’re Coming From
●Bethesda Games are Big
●We value high-mileage

Where We’re Coming From
●Bethesda Games are Big
●We value high-mileage
● In our systems, art, team - everything
●Beliefs + Circumstance + Experience = Culture
●How can our culture benefit yours?

Case Study: Modular Level Design

What is a kit?
●Kits are Systems

What is a kit?
●Kits are Systems
●Typically snapped to
a grid
●More than the sum of parts

What is a kit?
●Kits are Systems
●Typically snapped to a grid
●More than the sum of parts
●In this context: architectural

“Modular Level and Component Design”
Lee Perry – Game Developer Nov. 2002

Terminator:
Future Shock
(1995)
Elder Scrolls 2:
Daggerfall
(1996)

Modular Level Design:
The Pros & Cons

Pro - Reusable Art is… Reusable
●Reusable Art Mitigates Scope

Pro - Reusable Art is… Reusable
●Reusable Art Mitigates Scope
●Skyrim Environment Includes:
●16 sq.mile Overworld ● 300+ Dungeons
●5 Major Cities ● 140+ Points of Interest
●2 Hidden Worldspaces ● 37 Towns, Farms & Villages

Pro - Reusable Art is… Reusable
●Reusable Art Mitigates Scope
●Skyrim Environment Includes:
●16 sq.mile Overworld ● 300+ Dungeons
●5 Major Cities ● 140+ Points of Interest
●2 Hidden Worldspaces ● 37 Towns, Farms & Villages
●400+ cells of traditional “level” gameplay

Pro - Reusable Art Mitigates Scope
●Skyrim: 400+ cells, 8 Level Designers
●Scope as Restrictive?

Beliefs
+ Circumstance
+ Experience .
Culture

Con - Art Fatigue
●Abolish copy/pasting

Con - Art Fatigue
●Abolish copy/pasting
●Disassociate setting from
inhabitants & gameplay
●Encourage Asset Mix-n-Match

Pro - Low Artist:Designer Ratio
TESV: Skyrim
2 Kit Artists
8 Level Designers
7 Kits
400+ Unique Cells
30 Months

Con - High Complexity
●Requires Art Talent & Technical Understanding
Aesthetics
Composition
Design
Art Workflow
Workflow
Modeling
Kit Logic
Snapping Rules
Grid Multiples

Con - High Complexity
●Requires Art Talent & Technical Understanding
● Basically: Unicorn Artist
●Bug-Fixing can be delicate

Pro – Instant, Game-wide Art Deployment
●Art changes propagate automatically

New Art
Incoming!
Yay!
kthx.
Whatever.

Pro – Instant, Game-wide Art Deployment
●Art changes propagate automatically
●Artwork viewable in “real” context
●Zero impact on Design workflow
●Keeps Cosmetic Control w/Art
●Aesthetic Process Not Rushed

Pro - Iteration Speed
●High flexibility &
agility
●Fastest Workflow Ever?
●No Turnaround Time
●1:1 Correlation w/Final Layout

Con - Total Dependence on Art
●Design empowered only if kits available and good
●Art/Design Relationship is Imperative

Common LD – Art Relationship
● Level Designers Build early version of level
● In-Editor: BSP, Graybox
● External Tools: Sketchup, 3ds Max, etc
● Abstract: Documents, Paper Maps
● Then: Hand off to art

LEVEL
DESIGN

Common LD – Art Relationship
● Art does a visual pass on the level
● Sends back to Design for markup, scripting, etc

ART

Art & Design Collaboration
● Can we improve relations?
● Kits May seem impersonal
● Process is collaborative in dev

How Kits Are Born

Main Steps For Kit Building
●Concept
●Proof Piece
●Graybox/Functional Core
●Build-Out
●Ongoing Polish

A Note on Scale
●Abstract Units (Commonplace)
●128 units ~ 6 feet ~ 2 meter
●This talk assumes Z as “up” axis
1
2
8
32

Global Standards
●Establish Global Standards
● Doorframe Dimensions
● Minimum Width
● Valid Incline Grading
● Gameplay-relevant metrics
●Jump heights
●Cover heights

Concept Phase

Where Do Kits Come From?
●Concept
● Visual Theme, Gameplay Goals, Scope & Sub-Kits

Concept
Phase
~1 week
}
Level Designer
Concept
Kit Artist
Concept

Before You Begin
●ArtConcerns:
●Visual theme? Visual goals?
●DesignConcerns:
●Expected usage? Gameplay role of kit? Story?

Before You Begin
●How widely-used?
Skyrim Kit Usage
Cave
Mines
Ice Cave
Nordic
Fort
Dwarven
Ratway

Skyrim Kit Usage
Cave
Mines
Ice Cave
Nordic
Fort
Dwarven
Ratway

Before You Begin
●What “Sub-kits” will be made?
Cave – Used 200 times Ratway – Used Twice Nordic – Used 150 times
Small Hall Hall Small Hall
Large Hall Circular Room Large Hall
Small Room Square Room Small Room
Large Room Large Room
Epic Room Temple Room
Shaft Stairwell
Balcony

Proof Phase

Where Do Kits Come From?
●Concept
● Visual Theme, Gameplay Goals, Scope, Sub-Kits, etc
●Proof
● Build out prototype pieces, test major concepts

Concept Proof
Phase Phase
1-3
weeks
} Level Designer
Concept Stress Test
Kit Artist
Concept Proof

Pick Your Grid Footprint
●Grid Size is the Foundation of your Kit

Footprint Sizes
●Equilateral Sizes are common:
●512x512x512

2
5
6
256

Footprint Sizes
●Equilateral Sizes are common:
●512x512x512
●Play with Proportions
●256x256x768

7
6
8
256

Footprint Sizes
● Equilateral Sizes are common:
● 512x512x512
● Play with Proportions
● 256x256x1024
● Sub-Kits on same grid size or multiples of it.
● 256X256x256 can match 512x512x512
● 256x256x256 cannot match 384x384x384

Keep Your Grid Snaps Large
(unhappy LD)
(happy LD) Grid Snap Size

Common Footprint Problems
●Non-uniform XY sizes can be problematic
Kit Kit Kit
Piece Piece Piece
Kit
Piece
Piece
Piece
Piece
Piece
Piece
Piece
Kit
Kit
Kit
Kit
Kit
Kit
Kit
Piece

Common Footprint Problems
●Non-uniform XY sizes – use sparingly.
●Don't tile on all six axes.
●Huge Increase in Complexity

Understanding Footprint
●Footprint = full bounds of a piece
●Including Negative space
●Pieces should exist within the footprint
● Footprintis not the traversable space
● Avoid temptation to build outside footprint

Stay Inside the Footprint

Stay Inside the Footprint
Outside Footprint!

Stay Inside the Footprint

Stay Inside the Footprint
Overlapping Parts

Stay Inside the Footprint

Graybox/Core Phase

Where Do Kits Come From?
●Concept
● Visual Theme, Gameplay Goals, Scope, Sub-Kits, etc
●Proof
● Build out one or a small number of prototype pieces
●Core Pieces
● “Graybox” versions of high-use pieces in all sub-kits

Concept Proof Graybox
Phase Phase Phase
1-4
weeks
Concept }
Stress Test
Concept Proof Core

“Graybox” Core Pieces

“Graybox” Core Pieces
●Create a graybox of your primary sub-kit
●Figure out problems early on
●Focus on function, not aesthetics

Naming Conventions
●Be Consistent w/other Kits
●Balance Brevity & Meaning
●Avoid over-abbreviation
●But keep names recognizable
●Decide early - Difficult tochange
●Use “01” as a suffix to allow for variants

● Utility Kit
● Bay Sub-Kit
● Corner (Inner)
● Mid/Tiling Piece
● WTF?
Utl BayCorInMid PRTT01L01

UtlBayCorInMidRRRT01RL01 UtlBayGirderMountL01 UtlBayCorInBot01
UtlBayCorInMidRRTR01L UtlBayGirderMountR01 UtlBayCorInExSmL01
UtlBayCorInMidRRTR01R UtlBayGirderStraightReg01 UtlBayCorInExSmR01
UtlBayCorInMidRTPT01L UtlBayGirderStraightReg02 UtlBayCorInMid01
UtlBayCorInMidRTPT01R UtlBayGirderStraightSht01 UtlBayCorInMid01LR
UtlBayCorInMidRTRT01L UtlBayGirderStraightSht02 UtlBayCorInMidDbl01
UtlBayCorInMidRTRT01LR UtlBayGirderStrutSingle01 UtlBayCorInMidFull01
UtlBayCorInMidRTRT01R UtlBayGirderStrutSingle02 UtlBayCorInMidPRPR01
UtlBayCorInMidRTTT01L UtlBayGirderStrutSingle03 UtlBayCorInMidPRPR01F
UtlBayCorInMidRTTT01R UtlBayMidBot01 UtlBayCorInMidPRPT01FL
UtlBayCorInMidTRTR01L UtlBayMidTop01 UtlBayCorInMidPRPT01FR
UtlBayCorInMidTRTR01R UtlBayWallBot01 UtlBayCorInMidPRPT01L
UtlBayCorInMidTRTT01L UtlBayWallExSm01 UtlBayCorInMidPRPT01R
UtlBayCorInMidTRTT01R UtlBayWallMid01 UtlBayCorInMidPRTR01L01
UtlBayCorInTallBotL01 UtlBayWallMid02 UtlBayCorInMidPRTT01L01
UtlBayCorInTallBotR01 UtlBayWallMidL01 UtlBayCorInMidPRTT01R01
UtlBayCorInTallMidL01 UtlBayWallMidPR01 UtlBayCorInMidPTPT01
UtlBayCorInTallMidL02 UtlBayWallMidPR01L UtlBayCorInMidPTPT01F
UtlBayCorInTallMidR01 UtlBayWallMidPR01R UtlBayCorInMidPTTT01L01
UtlBayCorInTallMidR02 UtlBayWallMidPT01 UtlBayCorInMidPTTT01R01
UtlBayCorInTallTopL01 UtlBayWallMidPT01L UtlBayCorInMidRRPR01L
UtlBayCorInTallTopR01 UtlBayWallMidPT01R UtlBayCorInMidRRPR01R
UtlBayCorInTop01 UtlBayWallMidR01 UtlBayCorInMidRRPT01L
UtlBayCorInTopLR01 UtlBayWallMidRT01 UtlBayCorInMidRRPT01R
UtlBayCorOutBot01 UtlBayWallMidRTL01 UtlBayCorInMidRRRT01L
UtlBayCorOutEdge01 UtlBayWallMidRTR01 UtlBayCorInMidRRRT01LR01
UtlBayCorOutEdgeL01 UtlBayWallMidTR01 UtlBayCorInMidRRRT01R
UtlBayCorOutEdgeL02 UtlBayWallTallBot01
UtlBayCorOutEdgeR01 UtlBayWallTallCorInBot01
UtlBayCorOutEdgeR02 UtlBayWallTallCorInExSmL01
UtlBayCorOutEdgeSm01 UtlBayWallTallCorInExSmR01
UtlBayCorOutMid01 UtlBayWallTallCorInMid01
UtlBayCorOutPR01 UtlBayWallTallCorInTop01
UtlBayCorOutPT01 UtlBayWallTallCorOutBot01
UtlBayCorOutTop01 UtlBayWallTallCorOutMid01
UtlBayGirder3wayReg01 UtlBayWallTallCorOutTop01
UtlBayGirder3wayReg02 UtlBayWallTallExSm01
UtlBayGirder3wayRegFree01 UtlBayWallTallMid01
UtlBayGirder3wayRegFree02 UtlBayWallTallMid02
UtlBayGirder4wayReg01 UtlBayWallTallMid03
UtlBayGirder4wayReg02 UtlBayWallTallMid04
UtlBayGirder4wayRegFree01 UtlBayWallTallMid05
UtlBayGirder4wayRegFree02 UtlBayWallTallTop01
UtlBayGirderBaseFreeWall01 UtlBayWallTop01
UtlBayGirderBaseFreeWall02
UtlBayGirderBaseReg01
UtlBayGirderBaseReg02
UtlBayGirderBaseSht01
UtlBayGirderBaseSht02

Common Naming Conventions
Hallways Rooms Platform
1Way01 Corner01 Mid01
2Way01 Mid01 Corner01
3Way01 Wall01 ICorner01
4Way01 WallDoor01
DeadEnd01 ICorner01
1WayDoorL01 CornerDoorL01
1WayDoorR01 CornerDoorR01
1WayDoorB01 CornerDoorB01
DeadEndDoor01

Pivot Placement
● Consider designer workflow & usage of the kit
● Pivots at bottom-center are most common
● Exceptions exist, such as:
● Platform Kit (bottom of platform)
● Pipe Kit (hinge pivot)
● Alcove (edge of alcove)
Pivot

Sidebar: Stress Testing & LD Role

Stress Testing Kits
● Don’t test in ideal conditions – this proves nothing
● Consider all possible use cases, likely and otherwise
● Then decide which to support
● Have answers for later

Common Problems: Loopback Issues
• Double Kit on itself
• Look for Gaps
• Avoid Patch Pieces
• Find Footprint Issues

Common Problems: Loopback Issues
Bad! Good!

Common Problems: Unable to Stack
• Uses full Vertical Footprint
• Floor/Ceiling Co-Planar

Common Problems: Unable to Stack
• Leave A Gap
• Space for holes, gaps, partitions, triggers

Common Problems: The “Hall Room”
Hall “3-way” Pieces
Hall Corner Pieces
Unintended Pillars!

Common Problems – The Hall Room
● Somebody tries it eventually
● Like, every time.
● Sometimes it’s ugly
● Decide – support it or no?

Stress Testing Is Teamwork

Building Out the Kit

Where Do Kits Come From?
●Concept
● Visual Theme, Gameplay Goals, Scope, Sub-Kits, etc
●Proof
● Build out one or a small number of prototype pieces
●Core Pieces
● “Graybox” versions of high-use pieces in all sub-kits
● Building Out
● Push for Functionally-Final, Begin Sharing w/Team

Concept Proof Graybox Build Out
Phase Phase Phase 4-8 weeks
Additional
Level Designers
Concept Stress Test Educate
Concept Proof Core Build Out

Start Making It Real Art
●Art worries about this part - Design can start building
●Doesn't impact the flow/design of the level.
●Can be swapped out seamlessly.
●One “Visually Final” piece before building whole kit.

Building Out the Kit

Avoid Hero Pieces
Which
Matters
more?

Helper Markers

Polish Phase

“Ongoing Polish”
●Review Usage Cases in Real Levels
●Respond to bugs, usability, special requests
●Continual visual refinement & development

Establishing The Kit
Build Levels
2-5 Months
Build Levels
Build Levels
Concept Stress Test Educate Build Levels
Concept Proof Core Build Out Polish

Establish
Building Real Content With Kit
1 2 3 4 Ongoing Polish

Going Off the Grid:
Advanced Kit Building

What You Can Do So Far

Always Looks Like A Kit

Learn the Rules, Break the Rules
●With Fallout3, we begin bending our own rules
●Always keeping in mind the ideas behind them
● Choose and acknowledge logic quirks.
● “This one tiles vertically.”
● “These floors are placed independently.”
● “The halls in this one are curved.”

Rule-Bending: Always Remember the Cost
●Art/Design compromises
●Art –Looks better, takes longer
●LD – Harder to work with
●Worth it? Case by case

Snap-to-Reference
●Key technology
●Select any object, editor treats as origin

World
Grid
New Snap Reference

Snap
Ref’s
Grid

Snap-to
Reference

Pivot and Flange
●Used for the Ratway in Skyrim
●Pivot actsas a hinge
●Allows for organic flow

Pivot and Flange - Organic Flow

Pivot and Flange - Archway

Pivot and Flange - Downsides
●LD build process is more linear
●Introduces non-obvious errors
● Be aware and communicate this to LDs
●Bad for Highly Specific Architecture

Looks fine...

…Holes!

Shell-Based Building: Skyrim Cave “Rooms”

Shell-Based Building: Skyrim Cave “Rooms”
●Organic Space + Orthogonal Kit = Problem
●Skyrim Caves used large “shells”
●Inset with tiling wall sub-kits
●Adds very few pieces

Directionally Restricted Kits
●Snap together only in certain rotations
●Some Examples:
● Unique in every direction
● “Front/Side” pieces
● Asymmetrical halls

Asymmetrical Hall
A B A A

Asymmetrical Hall
A B B A
A B A B

Asymmetrical Hall “De-twist”

Platform Kits
● Add “Planes of Play”
● Low Piece Count
● Bite-sized “LD art”
● Works with all sub-kits.

Kit Mashups
● Remember: Encourage Mix-n-Matching Kits
● “Glue Kits” – small kits made for blending
● Multiplier on visual variety options
● Requires compromise on art & design

Wrap Up

Compromise versus Choice

Games Are Made By People

Thanks For Listening!
joel@joelburgess.com
lplasma@gmail.com
Additional Reading:
● Modular Level and Component Design -Lee Perry
http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/rsrc/Three/ModularLevelDesign/ModularLevelDesign.pdf
● www.CreationKit.com