Abstract
This thesis investigates the integration of the Denial and Reward principle into landmark design to enhance player motivation and spatial navigation. By employing pre-arrival obstacles and proportional feedback upon reaching a goal, designers can create a curiosity-driven attraction loop. To demonstrate this, an artifact level was developed in the Skyrim Creation Kit, featuring a hierarchy of global, regional, and local landmarks within a semi-open environment. The level implements four best practices: hierarchy of landmarks; create effective denials; pacing denial–reward loops; and using visual conveyance, to pace the player’s journey and reinforce engagement.
Degree Date
Spring 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.I.T.
Department
Level Design
Advisor
Myque Ouellette
Second Advisor
Aleshia Hayes
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my thesis advisor, Professor Myque Ouellette, for his thoughtful feedback and insightful guidance throughout this research. I also wish to extend my thanks to Dr. Aleshia Hayes for her valuable suggestions and academic insights.
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Hua, Ziyi, "Best Practices of Landmark in Level Design: Maintaining Player Motivation Using Denial and Reward" (2026). Level Design Theses and Dissertations. 44.
https://scholar.smu.edu/guildhall_leveldesign_etds/44
