Level design complexity in match-three games: a study of level design structural complexity in modern, casual, mobile match-three puzzle games
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
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Author
Date
2020
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Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
124
Series
Abstract
Despite the financial success of casual mobile match-three games and the consistent engagement of millions of players on a daily basis, there is little public research concerning their level design. Commonly casual games are perceived as lacking challenge, depth and complexity of level design. However, my professional experience as a match-three level designer indicates otherwise. In fact, the simplicity of their core gameplay interaction; connecting three or more similar elements in order to make them disappear, permits the combination of multiple variations of the main interaction, thus enriching the player experience. The aim of this thesis is to examine the level design of top-grossing, casual match-three mobile games and specifically in what ways the structural complexity of their level design varies along different player progression points. My hypothesis is that their level design becomes more complex over time, with the complexity increase being related to the matching system and the amount of gameplay elements introduced during onboarding. To evaluate this hypothesis, the level design properties of ten top-grossing, casual match-three mobile games were studied. The research was conducted by the examination of video footage of gameplay, uploaded on public social media platforms by players. A framework was developed to categorise and analyse the material, focusing on tracking gameplay elements that could signify variations on the structural complexity of the designs. Three brackets of ten levels were examined per game, specifically levels 1-10, 101 - 110 and 1001 - 1010. The accumulated material was analysed both in comparison to other studied games and each section studied in comparison to the other sections of the same game. The framework used yielded valuable information on which design elements can affect a design’s complexity. Indeed, it was proved by the study that the complexity of levels increases over time. There are indications that the matching style affects the degree of complexity, however more research is needed. Likewise, the sample size is not sufficient to fully confirm a correlation of mechanics introduced and future complexity. It is recommended to conduct a larger study in the future, potentially utilising automations to assist the accumulation of information. Potentially interesting areas of research would be the level design of a whole game, as well as a comparison of a larger games’ sample. Furthermore, the framework itself can be used as an assessment tool while studying or designing future content.Description
Supervisor
Junnila, MiikkaThesis advisor
-, -Keywords
game design, level design, match-three games, mobile games, casual games, free-to-play games
