Originally, I was just a writer for the game, but for some reason (desperation?) the team finally named me as lead level designer and mapper. Will it last? Maybe…

There are a million how-to articles and videos that cover level design and mapping. While I’ll touch on these subjects, I see this post as an opportunity to share my unique perspective regarding my role. What’s it like doing this job? So, with tongue firmly in cheek, away we go…

Merry Christmas
Yes, that’s right, Merry Christmas! Uncle Tim bought you the brand new Earth Maze tileset to play with! Sure the wrap-job was meh (nonexistent), but you’d rather get a cool present rather than a crappy, exquisitely wrapped present. The tileset has everything you need to build a thrilling fantasy locale! Or so the big-letter marketing material claims…

You play with the Earth Maze tileset all Christmas Day. It’s so fun that when your parent (or significant other) tells you to go to bed, you throw yourself on the ground and kick your feet while screaming, “I don’t wanna! I don’t wanna!” It gets totally pathetic, and your dad tells you Santa just called and cancelled Christmas for next year.

Play Time
Surprisingly, your parents let you play with the Earth Maze tileset the next day. Anything to keep you out of their hair. This explains why you’re such a brat. You really go to town with that tileset though, trying to build all sorts of crazy things only to discover that you can’t! The tileset has some limitations! That’s ok, you’re a big boy(when you haven’t thrown yourself on the ground). Hell, you’re Ivy League! You put yourself through an Open Yale Course called Tile Editing 101 just last year (or was that a dream?). So you make some simple changes using GIMP and voila (“wah-lah” for non-Ivy Leaguers), you are able to achieve the look you want.

The Transition
You’ve spent every waking minute with the Earth Maze tileset. Your dad is convinced it’s a total waste of time (he thinks you should spend your time learning a “real skill” like electrical work or plumbing). You’re having one of those classic hero-questions-everything-he-believes-in moments from the movies (complete with a soul searching soundtrack) when you get a call out-of-the-blue from some hotshot computer game exec in Nashville named Tyler. He says he’s heard you’re “the shiz” with the new Earth Maze tileset. Apparently, in seismic super-trend shift, Earth Maze maps have replaced country music as the top Nashville export.

“I need ten chart-bustin’ Earth Maze maps ASAP!” He yells. “And a screenshot made of awesome-sauce before Saturday! Can you do it?!”

You smile.

(Tune in for the thrilling conclusion next month!)