Structure spaces and encounters to deliver on pillars and pacing. The craft of "what happens where and in what order." Use this skill when: (1) designing level layouts, encounter sequences, or scenario structures, (2) building pacing curves (tension/release patterns), (3) defining encounter composition (enemy mix, challenge types, resource pressure), (4) choosing spatial flow models (linear, hub-and-spoke, open, gated), (5) planning difficulty ramping across a game, (6) designing for replayability through encounter variation, (7) mapping narrative beats to specific encounters or locations. Medium-agnostic — works for digital levels, tabletop scenarios, and hybrid encounters.
Levels and encounters are where design meets the player. Vision, pillars, loops, and narrative all converge into "what actually happens during play." This skill structures those moments.
Level — A bounded play space with a beginning, progression, and conclusion. A dungeon. A mission. A board game scenario. A chapter.
Encounter — A discrete challenge or interaction within a level. A combat. A puzzle. A social negotiation. A skill check.
Levels contain encounters. Encounters express the core loop. The level's job is to sequence encounters to create pacing, variety, and emotional arc.
How the player moves through a level:
A → B → C → D → E
Player progresses through a fixed sequence.
A → B → {C or D} → E → {F or G} → H
Player chooses between paths at decision points.
┌→ B ─┐
A → HUB ─┼→ C ─┼→ HUB → FINALE
└→ D ─┘
Central area with radiating paths the player can tackle in any order.
┌─────────────┐
│ A B C D │
│ E F G H │
│ I J K L │
└─────────────┘
Player can go anywhere, encounter anything.
A → B → [GATE: requires key] → C → D → [GATE: requires boss kill] → E
Linear or open with progression gates that require specific conditions.
The tension/release pattern across a level or session:
INTENSITY
5 │ ╱╲
4 │ ╱╲ ╱ ╲ ╱╲
3 │ ╱╲ ╱ ╲ ╱ ╲ ╱ ╲
2 │ ╱╲ ╱ ╲╱ ╳ ╲╱ ╲
1 │╱╲ ╱ ╲╱ ╲
0 └──────────────────────────────────
START END
↑intro ↑build ↑peak ↑climax ↑resolution
Pacing principles:
Pacing template per encounter:
ENCOUNTER # TYPE INTENSITY DURATION PURPOSE
────────────── ──────────── ────────── ────────── ──────────────────
1 [type] [1-5] [minutes] [Why is this here?]
2 [type] [1-5] [minutes] [Why is this here?]
...
Define the building blocks of encounters:
ENCOUNTER TYPE: [Name — e.g., "Ambush", "Puzzle Gate", "Resource Trove"]
CHALLENGE TYPE: [Combat / Puzzle / Social / Exploration / Survival / Hybrid]
DIFFICULTY: [1-5 scale relative to player's expected capability]
DURATION: [Expected time to complete]
RESOURCE PRESSURE: [What resources does this encounter cost the player?]
REWARD: [What does the player gain?]
PLAYER COUNT: [Solo / Small group / Full party / Scalable]
FAILURE STATE: [What happens if the player fails? Retry? Consequence? Bypass?]
PILLAR SERVED: [Which design pillars does this encounter deliver?]
Encounter variety checklist:
How challenge escalates across the full game:
SEGMENT DIFFICULTY NEW ELEMENTS INTRODUCED PLAYER CAPABILITY
──────────────── ──────────── ────────────────────────── ──────────────────
Tutorial 1/5 Core mechanics only Baseline
Early game 2/5 First system combinations Learning
Mid game 3/5 Full system depth Competent
Late game 4/5 Mastery-required encounters Skilled
Endgame/Bonus 5/5 Creative challenge Expert
Difficulty sources (not just "enemies hit harder"):
How encounters stay fresh across multiple playthroughs:
Procedural variation:
Player-driven variation:
Structural variation:
Complete blueprint for a single level/scenario:
LEVEL NAME: [Name]
LEVEL TYPE: [Main path / Side content / Optional / Bonus]
SPATIAL FLOW: [Linear / Branching / Hub / Open / Gated]
DURATION TARGET: [Expected play time]
DIFFICULTY BAND: [Where in the difficulty curve]
NARRATIVE ROLE: [What story does this level tell?]
EMOTIONAL ARC: [What should the player feel at start, middle, end?]
ENCOUNTER SEQUENCE:
1. [Encounter — type, intensity, duration, purpose]
2. [Encounter — type, intensity, duration, purpose]
3. [Encounter — type, intensity, duration, purpose]
...
RESOURCE ECONOMY:
Starting resources: [What the player enters with]
Resources available: [What can be found/earned in-level]
Resources consumed: [Expected expenditure]
Net result: [Player should exit with more/less/same as entry?]
KEY MOMENTS:
[The 1-3 moments that make this level memorable]
AESTHETIC NOTES:
Visual: [How should this level look?]
Audio: [How should this level sound?]
Feel: [What's the kinesthetic/tactile mood?]
This skill produces:
These outputs feed into: