# level-design

Walks through level structure, pacing, difficulty curve and storytelling through environment. Useful when you are still at the paper sketch or whitebox stage.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 563 installs · ★ 45
- Author: pluginagentmarketplace
- License: LicenseRef-Proprietary · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer/tree/HEAD/skills/level-design/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-01-05
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/pluginagentmarketplace-level-design

## What it does

The skill lays out five pillars of level design: flow, pacing, discovery, clarity and challenge. It then compares common layouts — linear, hub and spoke, and metroidvania — with their trade-offs and the genres each one suits.

Two sections go deeper. Pacing gets an intensity graph that alternates build-up, peak and rest, plus a breakdown of what belongs in each phase. Environmental storytelling covers abandoned objects, lighting, sound and three layers of discovery: surface, hidden and deep.

The workflow starts on paper with a rough layout, key beats and the player path. Then comes the whitebox pass in the engine: blocking out with primitives and testing scale and timing. The skill takes two optional parameters, `level_type` and `game_genre`. If your level is already past greybox into detailed geometry, most of this is behind you.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer --skill level-design -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/level-design/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/level-design/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer --skill level-design -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/level-design/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer --skill level-design -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/level-design/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer level-design
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/level-design/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer --skill level-design -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer --path skills/level-design
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/level-design/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer --skill level-design -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer/tree/HEAD/skills/level-design/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- pick a level layout that fits the genre
- map intensity across build-up, peak and rest
- tell story through the environment instead of cutscenes
- plan the player path from start to finish
- move from a paper sketch to an engine whitebox

## Example prompts
- plan a metroidvania layout: where to grant ability X and what it unlocks
- sketch an intensity curve for a linear FPS level
- spread the story of an abandoned station across props and lighting

## Similar
- [team-level](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/team-level.md) — skill · 447 installs
- [game-ui-design](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/game-ui-design.md) — skill · 3900 installs
- [roblox-game-design](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/roblox-game-design.md) — skill · 1300 installs
- [design-game-encounters](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/design-game-encounters.md) — skill · 1300 installs
- [game-design-document](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/game-design-document.md) — skill · 1100 installs
- [design-system](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/donchitos-design-system.md) — skill · 484 installs

## Other versions with the same name
- [level-design · gamedev-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/level-design.md) — 7800 installs

From the same set: [pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/pluginagentmarketplace/custom-plugin-game-developer.md) — 2 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md