Introduction
The different types of levels in games design are alley, hub, maze, island, and path. I will be giving examples of these being used in games and explain the pros and cons of each of them.
Alley
An alley based level will involve running down straight/narrow areas with the occasional cut-scene. This type of level design is common for larger studios as they can add a lot of detail to these areas. Usually, they will give the allusion of large open areas when in reality the only playable areas are along one path. They may also make the player think that they have a decision when in reality its the same level. An example of this game would be Call of Duty.
A pro of this design is that the game-play can see more intense if the players fighting in these more compact areas. Another pro would be that the areas can be more detailed and no empty spaces. A con would be that if the level is not detailed then it can be seen as boring with little to do. Another con would be that combat may become repetitive as the player is moving to different area’s fighting waves of enemies.
Maze
A maze based level involves making the player explore the whole map in search of the exits or something they need. This type of level design can confuse players and frustrate them if this is done wrong as it can become just a mess. A good maze based level will reward players for searching every bit of it and offer hidden secrets that the player can explore. A maze base level also has to be the right length as it is too long it may become boring for the player to explore. An example of this game would be Wolfenstine-3d.
A pro of this level design is that the levels can be repayable and fun to find the secrets hidden in it. A con of this design is that the player can become lost and confused if the level is too large. Another con would be that the player can become bored if every part of the level looks the same and there are little variations.
Hub
A hub based level is set up so that the player will use the hub as a level selector. This way of level design can work well depending on the game and its game-play. As the player can use the hub to upgrade or sell their gear. But the hub work can become boring for the player to come back to so that’s why some games make their hub word evolve as the player does things in the story. This area has to be interesting and fun to explore because a basic hub world it makes the game look bad. It can also be seen as pointless to have a hub world so there needs to be a point to it. An example of this game would be God of War.
A pro of the hub world is that the developers can easily add extra content and secrets to the game. Another, pro of this method is that the players can use this area to upgrade their gear and meet their friends. A con of this method would be that the hub area can become annoying for players to come back to if it is not set out right.
Island
An Island-based game is where the game is only set on that specific island. They have a natural barrier to stop the player from escaping the island. An island has a limited amount of room so game developers have to be careful when thinking about their space management. An example of this game would be Fortnite.
A pro of this method would be that you can explore and create a verity of different area in the game. A con of this game would be that the player can get bored when walking to different areas if places are not spaced out correctly. Another con would be that there can be a lot of bugs and glitches because its harder to test every area of the game.
Path
A path-based level relies on multiple ways to complete the level. This method offers the player two or more ways to complete some of their objectives in the level. This is a great method as it offers great replay-ability to each level. This method can be used in many different ways as some of the other types of levels use some kind of this method but it ends up leaving the player in the same place either way they went. An example of this game would be Hitman.
A pro of this method would be that each level can be replayed multiple times to try out the different ways to do the level. A con of this design would be that each of these levels would take longer to create each level. Another con of this method would be that each way to complete the level would have to be balanced.
Conclusion
One of the game levels that I would use as may level in my environment would be a path based game. I choose this type of level because it would be easier to add extra small branching areas if I have spare time. I also choose this type of level because my survey suggested that I use this type of level. I could also add extra gameplay elements to my game. If I wasn’t on a time constraint I could have chosen a different type of level and create a much larger environment.
Games Design 