Let's look at what the Lock and Key Design pattern is, and try out some principles, tips and tricks while building a simple platform game level in Unreal Engine 5.
While attending Game Design school our instructors liked to use the terms Gates and Valves. Gates are anything that prevents the player from progressing until they do something first, so it can be a literal key, an upgrade, hitting a switch, finding a way around. etc. Valves are the opposite, they prevent the player from backtracking. The most common Valve found in games is a simple drop off of a ledge down into a new area where the player can't go back up the way they came. You can also combine them like in Zelda games where the doors behind Link will lock before he clears the room. This uses both Gates and Valves in that both progression AND backtracking are blocked until the player completes a task. Also definitely Liked, and I was already Subscribed lol. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much! Indeed "gates" is a term we use a lot! I'd say everything I discuss in this video is a gate, but I think gating can be a lot broader than just this pattern. Valve is actually a cool term for what I usually refer to as one-way-gates. The way I placed the wall slide/jump upgrade in this blockout would actually count as a "skill gate" in a way. The player can only progress when they've mastered to do something, in addition to simply having unlocked something.
What an incredible video, thank you for sharing!! The way you explain and teach makes the content very clear and easy to consume. Already following you for more videos like this!
Good stuff! :) I'll rewatch it when continuing work on my platformer. Btw, how do you turn a level that's been made for specific platforming abilities look authentic? In many platformers I feel the levels look very artificial, if you know what I mean. I'd really like to avoid that feeling.
While attending Game Design school our instructors liked to use the terms Gates and Valves. Gates are anything that prevents the player from progressing until they do something first, so it can be a literal key, an upgrade, hitting a switch, finding a way around. etc. Valves are the opposite, they prevent the player from backtracking. The most common Valve found in games is a simple drop off of a ledge down into a new area where the player can't go back up the way they came. You can also combine them like in Zelda games where the doors behind Link will lock before he clears the room. This uses both Gates and Valves in that both progression AND backtracking are blocked until the player completes a task.
Also definitely Liked, and I was already Subscribed lol. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much!
Indeed "gates" is a term we use a lot! I'd say everything I discuss in this video is a gate, but I think gating can be a lot broader than just this pattern.
Valve is actually a cool term for what I usually refer to as one-way-gates.
The way I placed the wall slide/jump upgrade in this blockout would actually count as a "skill gate" in a way. The player can only progress when they've mastered to do something, in addition to simply having unlocked something.
Hey Tim, please continue to make your videos
amazing demonstration! the way you describe your process is extremely helpful and easy to follow. thanks for making this! 👏
Clear demonstration of concepts which can't be taught easily. Congratulations.
What an incredible video, thank you for sharing!! The way you explain and teach makes the content very clear and easy to consume. Already following you for more videos like this!
Great explanation
Phenomenal Video , Great Content, Amazing Demonstration .... To keep it simple you're of the best channels on YT that Talks about level design.
Great video! Love that you put so much effort into the prototype with different enemies and everything! Would like to see more of this in the future
love the new format of using that template!
Yay. Glad you're back.
That's incredible. I love it
Loved it, awesome explanation with very clear examples. Great stuff. Hope the algorithm gods bless you soon, your videos are always super quality.
Nicely put together! Hope you do more content like this. 💪
Good stuff bob.
Love and blessings!
fantastic video! I never was into metroidvanias but I understand their appeal now.
Great work man!
Thanks Max
Great video.
Great video, great topic, great engine choice. Subbed for sure. : )
amazing thanks for content
we're getting outta room with this one 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Keep that stuff going!
Awesome !!
Love your content !
Good stuff! :)
I'll rewatch it when continuing work on my platformer.
Btw, how do you turn a level that's been made for specific platforming abilities look authentic? In many platformers I feel the levels look very artificial, if you know what I mean. I'd really like to avoid that feeling.