Abstract
This thesis explores how design strategies influence player engagement with vertical spaces in combat-focused level design. The researcher applied strategies such as enemy density, cover placement, supply placement, and ranged enemy pressure to encourage players to move upward during combat. To examine this, the researcher created a custom single-player level in Dying Light using the developer tools to test multiple vertical routes and compare player behaviour across different spatial conditions. The researcher recorded player navigation patterns and spatial choices to evaluate how these strategies guided vertical engagement. The results indicate that all four strategies successfully encouraged vertical engagement, with cover placement and enemy density producing the most consistent outcomes.
Degree Date
Spring 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.I.T.
Department
Level Design
Advisor
Katie Wood Clark
Second Advisor
Karl Steiner
Third Advisor
Mike Porter
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my advisor, Professor Katie Wood Clark, for her guidance and support throughout this research process. I would also like to thank Professor Mike Porter and Dr. Karl Steiner for their advice and feedback. Special thanks to all playtesters for taking the time to play the level and helping me collect research data. Finally, I would like to thank my cats, Eevee and Cookie, for their companionship throughout this project.
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Lin, Hangtao, "Best Practices: Encouraging Player Use of Verticality in Level Design" (2026). Level Design Theses and Dissertations. 32.
https://scholar.smu.edu/guildhall_leveldesign_etds/32
