There are a ton of articles on this subject on Gamasutra. Trust me, this topic has been covered. I have 3 quarters of level design classes and I had to bring in an average of 2-3 articles a week for 30 weeks total.
Search under level design too. If you use Gamasutra, search for architecture and then sort by relevance. There are some code "architecture" links you'll need to sift through, but you'll see plenty there.
@Sentientv2: Wow! Gamasutra has some really good articles. Their articles seem to be a notch above other gaming sites. I never paid much attention to GS before, thanks for linking the site! Bookmark'd
Don't we already appreciate environments for themselves, instead of merely as levels?
Whether we marvel at breathtaking vistas, admire the varied textures in a large mansion or take in the detailed façade of a building before climbing it, aren't we appreciating the environment, and not simply what-you-can-do-in-it ?
Be it a war-torn middle-eastern town in MGS4, Jerusalem's spires in Assassin's Creed or the vast expanse of Shadow Of The Colossus, I think most gamers initially appreciate the design as a spectacle in itself, before thinking of how it factors into the gameplay.
(Maybe not to the point of pondering on the structural integrity and stress tests, but you get the idea.)
@Antiterra: You are not far off base at all, however, I think the interesting thing would be a serious look at gaming architecture/landscape architecture. While people see the architecture in a game, and it effects the way they perceive things, just as it does in real life, most people don't notice that they feel different, or that the tall main hall of this building is why they suddenly feel so small, and that that makes it the perfect place of an ambush. The interesting thing would be to have architects, landscape architects, planners, etc comment on the level design as architecture, not as a joke- talk about the helgahn architecture in Killzone 2 with its heavy facist design elements, or even about how in inFamous the same city block exists like 5 times, but slightly changed to not make you get lost.
08/31/09
[xspblog.com]
We've come a long way from the first Sim City...
08/31/09
Search under level design too. If you use Gamasutra, search for architecture and then sort by relevance. There are some code "architecture" links you'll need to sift through, but you'll see plenty there.
08/31/09
[www.gamasutra.com]
[www.gamasutra.com]
[www.gamasutra.com]
[www.gamasutra.com]
08/31/09
06/24/09
Not dissect them. Not try to extract meaning and artistic statement where there is none.
I'm going to play them. For fun.
:D
06/24/09
06/24/09
Whether we marvel at breathtaking vistas, admire the varied textures in a large mansion or take in the detailed façade of a building before climbing it, aren't we appreciating the environment, and not simply what-you-can-do-in-it ?
Be it a war-torn middle-eastern town in MGS4, Jerusalem's spires in Assassin's Creed or the vast expanse of Shadow Of The Colossus, I think most gamers initially appreciate the design as a spectacle in itself, before thinking of how it factors into the gameplay.
(Maybe not to the point of pondering on the structural integrity and stress tests, but you get the idea.)
06/24/09
hmmm... i think i smell a blog post coming on...
06/24/09
*Secret Architect Handshake* sshh
I await this blog post you speak of~
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
(what does naff mean?)
06/24/09
06/24/09
It easily pwns Jet Set Willy.
06/24/09