Cut The Rope Level Design Training

In this presentation of the 2012 GDC, Matt Rix of Magicule and Semyon Voinov of Zeptolab share the game design ideas learned in creating Trainy and Cut The Rope.

Rix and Voinov discuss their proven principles of level design, data-driven decisions, and game options.

Explain how these exciting games have gathered dozens of enthusiastic fans and gained great popularity.

It was a revealing speech that is still worth seeing, so developers should not miss the opportunity as it is now freely available on the official GDC channel on YouTube!

Also, Semyon Voinov will discuss their experince in Cut The Rope level design!

In this course you will find the explanation of below titles:
– Level design = Teaching
– How to consider the target audience
– Explain Types of Level Design “Micro” and “Macro”
– Definition and feature of Macro Level Design
– Add elements progressively, one at a time
– Compounding elements in your levels like A -> A+B -> A+B+C
– Treating Combination as new elements like A -> B -> A+B -> C -> A+C -> B+C -> A+B+C

Instruction of Teach How to Play The Game

• • If you are trying to teach something complex to the player, show the game being played.
  • Only teach the player what they need to know right now.
  • Make sure the player has to use every skill you teach them.
  • Give players an option to unlock all the puzzles.

Consider having a “main game” and “bonus levels”

Casual Completionist Hard Core

Do not put nearly-impossible levels in your game.

Each level should have a purpose

Aim for symmetry and balance, everything should be intentional.

A Player should never say “I do not know how I did that” after solving the puzzle.

Amplify the player’s internal joy.

Discovery of untaught mechanics leads to play delight.

Level Design Case Studies: Cut The Rope

What is Cut The Rope?

• Initially released on October 5th 2010 in Apple App Store.
• Average game session length: 3 min
• Average user rate in Apple App Store: 4.86/5
• Over 100 million downloads (free and paid combined)
• Om Nom eats an average of 24 million candies per day.

Cute The Rope GamePlay

The goals in level design

• Make player feel smart
• Appeal both to casual and advanced player
• Keep player hungry for more

Cut The Rope Level Design Team Principles in level design

1. Positive reinforcement
2. Self manageable difficulty
3. Enable planning (not trial and error)
4. The solution of the level should look logical, elegant and reproducible
5. Level design should not uncover the weaknesses of the game or engine.
6. Tutorial level should not be passable without using the principle it explains.
7. It’s Ok to break those rules.

Level Order:

Adding new gameplay elements

Data driven decision

Cut The Rope Level Design Result So Far

• More than 900 levels created, around 400 used in the games (CtR Original & Experiments)
• Around 22 gameplay elements created.
• Players want more!

Watch the video and gain more useful information about how to create game, how to design game, how to design levels for your game and more.

Also, find out how the Cut The Rope level design team, design levels for this popular game.

You can play Cut The Rope, Cut The Rope Time Travel, Cut The Rope 2, Cut The Rope Experiments and Cut The Rope: Magic in play.gameiino.com Now!