The first concepts for island shapes often include color-coding, where we block out construction areas, mountains and other obstacles. Do we need a few larger but easier islands or are we talking about a design which should test the skills of our veteran players? Beginner islands should not have overly complex structures, mountains or other obstructing details as these terrain elements can determine the difficulty level. We are always on the hunt for the right middle ground between interesting shapes, a good challenge and gameplay freedom.It also depends on the type of island currently needed for the game.
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It usually starts with a shape: Ideas for the look and form of an island come often from different sources, sometimes just creative brainstorming in the team full of crazy ideas but we also spend time researching satellite data or photos from real islands as an inspiration. Okay, let us see how our level team actually creates and shapes that playground for you.
Overcoming that limitations feels rewarding and often results in a more organic and beautiful city layout. We call that “Creative Constraints”, where limitations result in solutions and interesting designs in order to overcome that challenge. The specific features and difficulty level of an island has a strong impact on the gameplay. Islands in Anno come in various shapes and sizes, some of them making it easy to expand and to grow your city while others have a higher difficulty, challenging the player to optimize and deal with the situation at hand.
It’s a creative puzzle you need to solve as you alter and shape the game world surround you. In the game, islands are more than just a blank space, islands have personality, add to the feeling of the game and even create gameplay challenges, as players have to work within the given space. I started to play around with level editors to create my own levels and with that, to become the writer of my own environmental stories.Īnno 1800 is in fact the first strategy game I’ve worked on. That enthusiasm allowed me to experience games beyond gaming. Questions like, “is there something hidden behind that mountain?” or “look at that landslide, is there a story why it collapsed?” was probably even the driving factor for me to become a level artist. Becoming an explorer of the game worlds around me, always on the hunt for hidden secrets and stories, fueled my passion and creative investment in videogames since I was a kid. Playing a game is more than progressing in the campaign or advancing your city. Islands are both the playground to let your creative energy loose and the challenge which stands between your goals, such as expanding your city’s population by just a few thousands citizens. But at one point in any discussion about the series, you will be able to hear players talking about another really important element of the game: the islands themselves. I joined the team here in Mainz roughly a year ago and today, I would like to give you some insights into my job- both what motivates me and how us Level Artists shape the world of Anno, one island at a time.Īt its heart, Anno is about vast cityscapes, ships on high waters or citizens roaming through narrow streets. Hi, my Name is Simon Wolf and I am a Level Artist on Anno 1800.
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