The Importance of a Video Games First Level Not Sucking

Unfortunately it’s all too common for video games, sometimes even the really good ones, to have crap opening levels. This is a major design mistake that often comes about when developers incorrectly identify the goals of the first level. Far too often the first level has the player reading endless dialogue boxes about what each button on their controller does or sitting through a long backstory that preludes the game (hint: they’d rather be playing that backstory). The first level is the most important level of the entire game, period. It needs to be treated as such.

First Impressions are Everything!

Although I think it should be obvious, developers seem to often miss this point. The first level of a game is the face of the game itself. It alone can determine whether the player continues on in the game or simply moves on to another title altogether. What does it matter how great the later levels of a game are if the player never bothers to get to them? The first level of a game should be the level with the most effort put into it, yet this is often not the case. Developers often get caught up designing “epic” fights for the end of the game and neglect the importance of the first level. While the closing levels of a game are important and often memorable they can, at best, be only second most important next to the opening level.

After the first level, players will have decided if the game is worth continuing. For instance, if the first level was too difficult or frustrating they will assume the entire game will be difficult and frustrating and may not wish to continue. After all, games are supposed to be entertainment, not work. If you have been playing games for a while, think about how many games you gave up on after the first level, never progressing beyond it, versus say, the second level. The chances are good that you’ve run into games where the initial level was too difficult, boring, had poor gameplay or controls, and otherwise turned you off and you never bothered to give the second level a chance.

What the Goals for the First Level Should Be

#1 – Have the player want to play the second level

This may sound trivial but if the player stops playing after the first level then any work developing later content was entirely wasted. The single most important function of the first level is to entice the player to continue playing the game. Ideally, after the first level the player should be committed to playing the game through. This can be done in many ways, here are a few ideas:

• Get the player excited about what’s to come in the game’s story. Hooking the player is extremely important and the first level is often the only chance this has of happening. Introduce an interesting plot and characters where the player will want to see what happens next.
• Showcase the best features of the game. There is no point in saving that great mechanic which sets your game apart from the competition until the very end of the game. Put it front and center! If they player thinks it’s cool, they will still think it’s cool a few levels later on. If the game is supposed to be fast paced and action packed, start with the first level!
• Do not make things too frustrating or difficult! If the player has too much trouble passing the first level, chances are they won’t. Remember, they are not yet invested into the game and the goal is to hook them in, not have them break down in tears.

A good and somewhat common approach that utilizes all three examples can be found in Metroid games. Samus begins the game as a badass, highly powered up with many of her suit’s upgrades which are lost after the first level and later reclaimed throughout the game. This approach is extremely effective as it foreshadows some of what is to come for the player and at the same time makes the first level far more forgiving due to how overpowered the player is. By giving the player power and then taking it away, the player is enticed into playing on in order to get it back.

#2 – Familiarize the Player with the Basic Controls & Mechanics of the Game

For whatever reason, it’s become common practice for developers to make this the only goal of the first level. The result is that the first level is often the worst level, extremely boring, and will have you mashing the A button trying to get through it as quickly as possible. How devs remain oblivious to how poor this approach is I have no idea. One of the dialogue pop-ups usually tells you how to skip to the next dialogue – you’d think that would be a gigantic red flag that what they are having you do isn’t fun.

Often this approach destroys level design. If the game requires climbing there will be a climbing segment in the first, “tutorial”, level even if it serves no other function.

While it is important for the player to become familiar with how the game is played early on, give us some credit! If we want to move our character the first thing we will try will be the D-pad or analogue stick. We won’t wrap the cord around our neck if you fail to enlighten us that we have to press a direction on the d-pad to move, honest! There are only a few buttons available and if left to our own we can press each one to see what happens. If you absolutely need to tell us how to control the game, why not consider a simpler control scheme instead?

Familiarity with how the game is played will happen naturally, please, for the love of god, stop forcing us to sit through a few dozen pop ups!