How do you go about designing a level for a game? I mean for something like a flash adventure/platform game where you regularly can only see a portion of the entire level at a time how do you go about linking all of those great ideas in your head which are exploding to get out together? I've been pondering the different ways I could do this, the easiest ways to see all my work at once rather than singular pieces at a time. The need to see the whole picture has always been important and it is the same here for this. As I was trying to work out the best possible design route to go down I remembered something from my childhood. If anyone remembers they used to do these awesome guides to games in CVG magazine and one in particular struck me back then as much now as the easiest and most logical way to design a level or a world. The guide was for the almighty "flashback" and essential was each level sprawled out on a 2 page spread in the same format you would see the map in castlevania but with all the detail imprinted onto each screen. A great way to link earlier ideas into later ones. With such complex things as puzzles and game mechanics and story progression seeing the entire world at once will help me focus upon the structure of the worlds so it can be tight and functional. Happy dance for all!

Another thing I have been pondering is an interview I read in Edge magazine this month with the head of thatgamecompany, Jenova Chen. Forever as I was growing up I wanted to design computer games and make interactive stories for people to enjoy as much as I did. Mosy of my influences to date have been from the genre in which i wish to progress. Somewhere along this interview Mr Chen talks about not playing to many games as he likes to take inspiration from other mediums to avoid gaming cliches. If anyone who is interested gets the chance pick the issue up its an excellent interview if you are interested in games and also has a comprehensive industry guide too. Anyways the interview has giving me a whole lot of inspiration to work as well as explore those dark and spooky alleys in your mind which you know you should go down but don't dare.

On top of that life is amazing at the moment, best house mate (the ever famous "westykid" [link] ) , best girlfriend, best friends. Just got to work hard now and get that dream job right?