Level Design Lobby

By Max PearsLeisure Video Games Games

Level Design Lobby episodes

October 06 Level Design Lobby - Reading Materials #74
October is here, so let us not wait around & get some incredible resources avalible to you lovely people.

join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

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Resources

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Onimusha Director Interview: https://youtu.be/o3CqZXKDjRw?si=e6bl7h27S13mf03U

Rebel Wolves Interview: https://bit.ly/4y5vJ61

Mafia the Old Country: https://bit.ly/4y1freo

Narrative Pro 2: https://fab.com/s/6c8d84c8b1aa

Star Wars Zero Company: https://bit.ly/4z7xu3i

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Let's Design Books

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Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

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Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/

Email: [email protected]
19 min
September 15 Press Start: The Alejandro Arque Story
In this episode, we sit down with Creative Director Alejandro Arque. Alejandro shares his journey through the world of game design from discovering his creative voice to leading the vision behind games and experiences that engage players. We dive into the craft of building worlds, developing ideas, balancing creativity with practical challenges, and understanding what makes a game truly memorable.

join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

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Contact Alex

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Linked In: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alejandro-arque-gallardo

Twitter: https://x.com/DarkVegetaMad

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alejandroarque/

Email: [email protected]

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Let's Design Books

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Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

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Level Design Kit

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Purchase now: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

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47 min
September 08 Branching Out: The Art of Skill Trees
Back again but with a different look of something that we have not touched on before, yet an aspect that is still engaging. I am talking about Skill Trees. Going back to a classic of Final Fantasy X I have been caught up in that of its skill tree (Sphere Grid) We will be going through skill trees and aspects that really make them engaging across different mediums.

join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

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Let's Design Books

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Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

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Level Design Kit

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Purchase now: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

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Research on Skill Trees:

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Keys to Meaningful Skill Trees: https://gdkeys.com/keys-to-meaningful-skill-trees/

Skill Tree Itteration: https://medium.com/@thomas_1379/game-design-is-easy-2f8150a82734

Skill Tree Debate: https://www.reddit.com/r/RPGdesign/comments/1haj3zy/skill_tree_design/

Skill Tree Video Essay: https://youtu.be/r4IkgYQc4Os?si=aEeC6gsDQaHbUAOC

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Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/

Email: [email protected]
38 min
September 01 Level Design Lobby - Reading Materials #73
Back at it again with more incredible resources to help you all learn & grow as developers! I have found some incredible game dev info whcih I want to share with you all, so sit back, relax and let us get educated!

join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

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Resources

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The Art of Game Design: https://bit.ly/45ZTUas

The Game Narrative Toolbox: https://bit.ly/4zNjIEf

Level Design Kit: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

Build a Second Brain: https://bit.ly/3V5AHSd

Silent Hill Townfall: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-silent-hill-townfall-gets-deep-into-its-protagonist-s-headspace

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Let's Design Books

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Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

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Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/ Email: [email protected]
22 min
May 05 Global Play: The Craft of Game Translation
What does it take to make your favourite game feel "just right" in another language? In this episode, Yana, a game localisation specialist, takes us behind the scenes of the gaming industry. We chat about her career path, the surprising challenges of translating games, and why localisation is about so much more than just words. If you've ever wondered how games travel across cultures, this one's for you.

Join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

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Contact Alconost Inc

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Website: https://alconost.com/en

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Level Design Kit

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Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

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Level Design Books

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Let's Design Books

---------------

Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

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Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/

Email: [email protected]
22 min
April 08 Bricks, Spells & Storytelling: Crafting Game Worlds with Raphael Kidd
Joining me for this episode is Senior Level Designer Raphael Kidd, who has worked on an incredible range of titles including LEGO Horizon, Hogwarts Legacy, and LEGO DC Villains.

Raph shares insights into his journey, along with his unique design approach across such a diverse set of projects. We'll also take a deep dive into his work on Hogwarts Legacy, exploring his creative influences and the perspective he brings to game design.

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Contact Raph

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Website: https://www.raphael-kidd.com/

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/raphael-kidd-9b6b6630

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Level Design Kit

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Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

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Let's Design Books

---------------

Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

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Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/

Email: [email protected]
47 min
January 27 Building the Raid: Designing the World of Arc Raiders
In this episode, I'm joined by Tim Spaninks, level designer on Arc Raiders, for a deep dive into his journey through the game industry and the craft of designing immersive worlds. We talk about how Tim broke into game development, the lessons he's learned along the way, and how creating content on his YouTube channel has shaped his approach to both learning and teaching game design.

The heart of the conversation focuses on level design in Arc Raiders how levels are planned, iterated on, and balanced to support exploration, combat, and player choice. Tim shares his design mindset, practical workflows, and what it really takes to build spaces that feel fun, readable, and alive in a large-scale multiplayer experience.

Whether you're an aspiring game developer, a level design nerd, or just excited about Arc Raiders, this episode offers a thoughtful behind-the-scenes look at how great game worlds come together. Sign Up to News Letter: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

-------- Contact Tim

-------- Website: https://www.timspaninks.com/ X: https://x.com/TimLevelDesign Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timdoesleveldesign/

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Level Design Kit

-----------------

Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

-------------

Let's Design Books

---------------

Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS -

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Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/

Email: [email protected]
54 min
December 09, 2025 Entering the Fog: Al Yang Talks Story, Fear, and the Making of Silent Hill F
In this exclusive interview, Creative Director Al Yang takes us deep into the unsettling world of Silent Hill F, offering a rare look into the creative vision behind the next chapter of the iconic horror franchise. Al discusses the narrative themes, artistic inspirations, and emotional core shaping the game's haunting atmosphere. He reveals how the team approached psychological horror in a fresh, culturally rich way, and what fans can expect from its setting, characters, and disturbing new creatures.

From story philosophy to visual design and the challenges of reimagining Silent Hill for a new generation, this episode is a must-watch for horror fans, game developers, and anyone curious about the craft of building fear from the ground up. Sign Up to News Letter: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

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Contact Al Yang

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Twitter: https://x.com/QQBert

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/qqbert.bsky.social

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Level Design Kit

-----------------

Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

--------------

Let's Design Books

---------------

Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

-----------------------

Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: https://x.com/MaxPears

Bluesky: https://bit.ly/42HX9Tt
1 hr 10 min
November 11, 2025 Designing for a new Frontier - Prashant Patil
First ep of Nov and we are kicking off with a great interview with Co-Founder/Art Director Prshant of 'Look North World'. Formed of incredible industry Vets who are taking their skills and designing for a new space for Fortnite's User Generated Content.

join the Mailing List: https://bit.ly/4eNPm8X

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Contact Prashant Patil

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LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashant-patil-6028401b

Website - https://looknorth.world/

------------------ Level Design Kit

----------------- Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

--------------

Level Design Books

--------------

Let's Design Books

---------------

Ebook - https://bit.ly/39BakJD

Physical Books - https://bit.ly/3mfOsbS

-----------------------

Contact Me

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Website: https://www.maxpears.com/

Email: [email protected] Twitter: https://x.com/MaxPears

Bluesky: https://bit.ly/42HX9Tt

41 min
October 13, 2025 Blocktober Starter Pack
Hey All, Thank you for all reaching out and supporting the Level Design Kit. I have heard the cry for a better understanding of how to use these tools. I wanted to give a bit more of a deatiled break down so please enjoy.

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Level Design Kit

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Buy Here: https://bit.ly/4gYaJ9d

Low Poly Shooter: https://fab.com/s/578036b16d6c

Advanced Locomotion: https://fab.com/s/0eb8afffb774

46 min

About Level Design Lobby

From the publisher's feed

The Level Design Lobby, breaks down game and level design techniques, showing how they are used within games, as well as how we can improve upon them. It also shares reading material to its audience, while providing interviews with industry professionals.