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The Right Way is the Wrong Way: Dead-End Theory in Level Design
By: Robert Gee
Supervisor: Jonathan Skinner
Master of Interactive Technology degree conferred July 12th, 2008
Thesis / Project completed July 7th, 2008
This project examines the application and use of dead-ends for practical level design. Additionally it looks at several reward systems associated with dead-end areas and the effectiveness at different level design techniques to lead players into certain areas. This thesis includes a test level created using the Hammer editor in Half-Life 2: Episode 2. The choice of this editor is due primarily to its frequent use in other non-related projects and the large amount of online and offline support provided for troubleshooting.
The results of this thesis suggest that dead-end gameplay is not detrimental to overall gameplay experience, but instead that the amount of interactivity the player experiences with the dead-end area is the important factor. Results further suggest that players tend to respond more strongly to scripted events and items than factors such as lighting or open doorways.
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