GDC 2025 Session Viewer
Level Design Summit: How Narrative Design Can Align Level Design and Art Around Themes/Tone/Plot
Lauryn Ash (Narrative Director, Undead Labs)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Design
Format: Lecture
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: Intermediate
In this session, Lauryn Ash (Narrative Director) explores the role of narrative design in game development, emphasizing its importance in bridging the gap between level design, narrative, and art. She will delve into defining the 3 key concepts of Theme, Tone, and Plot, and reframe them as essential game design tools that align the team throughout the development process. We'll explore the challenges of team dynamics, when disciplines say the same word but mean completely different things, walk through specific games (Far Cry, Unfinished Swan, and Fallout) to understand what and how theme, tone, and plot can help us all create engaging and cohesive level design.
Takeaway
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of Themes/Tone/Plot as game design tools for levels and worldbuilding, and how to use them to collaborate effectively in cross-discipline game development environments.
Intended Audience
This presentation is primarily intended for designers and artists who want to learn new ways of effectively communicating cross-discipline with narrative designers and writers and vice versa. With multiple visual aids and memes, the speaker will make an attempt to make the talk approachable and fun.
