Dear Travellers,

As you may know, the Book of Travels experience is one of immersion and discovery, so it makes sense that in this game, level design is as much the work of the art team as Narrative Designers. Here were sharing a little bit about our approach to designing levels and the intended play experience we hope to create.
Passing place or site of hidden loot? Working to a fairly wide brief, artists design spaces where players will discover items, lore or story fragments while taking a rest or cooking up some roots. This means they must take into account both aesthetics and gameplay, so crafting a location that is as intriguing as it is beautiful is just one part of their work.

Where set design and gameplay come together

Of course levels in the game vary greatly in size and scope; some, such as cities and towns are bigger and more interactive, while others, like the one above, may appear to function as a passage or an interlude. But this being Book of Travels, the best things can happen off the beaten track, and all levels are designed to enrich your journey, often in unexpected ways...
Hints of blue behind these trees hint that theres more to discover.

Creating curiosity in different spaces

Working with narrative components as well as items and NPCs, our Level Designers task is to ensure that there's not only a good degree of activity and discovery in all areas of the world, but that the experience of exploring them is rich and rewarding. In areas where the players field of vision is limited such as the one above, that means revealing small parts of hidden things - they might be spirits, bandits, buildings or beasts - to prompt further investigation. In areas where land is open and a long field of vision is available, levels must work to suggest possible pathways, challenges and rewards.
Obstacles, pathways and discoveries are hinted at from afar.

Levels that feel like a painted world

A large part of this work involves decorating the world with hand painted props made by the 2D art team. These props work to reinforce the feeling of walking around in a painting. Since we dont have full control over where players will go, the goal is to make every place one where a beautiful view can be enjoyed.
A village will likely have more NPCs to meet, but isn't necessarily where the most interesting things happen, and a quiet pathway might not be as empty as it looks. But its not all about the woods and wilds - following the main road will eventually lead you to one of Braided Shores more populated areas where you can find buildings to rest in, goods to trade with and hear a tale or two.
Making a journey at night can be beautiful, magical, dangerous or simply peaceful.

Balancing design with open play

Weve often said that Book of Travels doesnt set your direction for you - youll be free to go where you wish, unbound by linear narrative or pre-planned player paths. However, levels are designed to offer suggestions to where you could go next. A fork in the road, a structure looming in the distance or dialogue with a passerby are among the many things that might alter your path. The goal of designing to reward exploration is to have the player find something wherever they decide to go, be it an item, a lurking spirit or just a silent clearing to play an instrument or sit and take stock But to find what secrets hide in this world youll need to take risks and steer away from the roads - we think that youll be enticed by the levels that await you! We hope this gives you a little more sense of how it will feel to roam free in Braided Shore. Please drop your thoughts in the comments right here, and tell us what kind of exploratory games youve enjoyed most... Olle, our Level Designer will pop in and respond next week. Best Wishes! Helen & the Dev Team https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/

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Revealing the Early Access World

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region the city of Kasa. Read more here.

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