Ever wondered how level designers plan out vast, sweeping levels without getting lost in a labyrinth of their own making? Well, thanks to the Blocktober hashtag, all your dreams are about to come true.
Naughty Dog game designer Michael Barclay started the hashtag on Twitter to celebrate the art of 'blocking out' levels.
If you've never come across the term before, it's a bit of jargon that describes the process of roughly mapping out a level using crude blocks that can easily convey size and scale.
It's one of the earliest stages of the level design process, and lets creators visualize how players will move through and interact with a map or stage before it's filled in with juicy detail.
The hashtag quickly gained traction, and thanks to the openness of devs from around the world, we've been given a behind-the-scenes look at a plethora of games, including blockbuster titles like Uncharted, Gears of War, and Titanfall.
We've posted some of our favorite examples below, but you can sift through the entire hashtag by checking out Barclay's Blocktober archive on Twitter.
What's up level designers. Level blockouts are art. #blocktober should be a thing. #leveldesign #gamedev #gamedesign #inktober #animtober pic.twitter.com/UkjjzlrCsv
— Michael Barclay (@MotleyGrue) October 1, 2017
Iterations on Uncharted 3's Chateau. #Blocktober #leveldesign pic.twitter.com/JPyS4EMFe9
— Em Schatz (@thegreatbluebit) October 3, 2017
Some of my early iterations of Prologue and the Swarmak battle from Gears 4. #Blocktober pic.twitter.com/Na3B4Nv8Hf
— Nic Wechter (@NicWektar) October 2, 2017
Loving #Blocktober where LD's show early blockouts! Here's WarGames from #Titanfall. The orange/green area was a "Lagoon" style that was cut pic.twitter.com/gaGDXVfFLD
— Jason McCord (@MonsterclipRSPN) October 2, 2017
More of Echo 11 from Star Citizen for #Blocktober #gamedev #leveldesign pic.twitter.com/Zff5pMMt6i
— Sean Noonan (@SeanNoonan) October 2, 2017
Here's a peak at the blockmesh for the #Uncharted4 clock tower alongside concept paintover by Nick Gindraux #Blocktober pic.twitter.com/WtWh5QY08F
— James Cooper (@_James_Cooper) October 2, 2017