The best way to design multiple levels?

[BloodRedDragon]

I was just wondering, since there are several different ways to design a level, what is the best way for you? I know a few ways of doing it.

Designing one file for each level, using the 'load game' function to switch between them (This can have disadvantages, such as transfering score and health and collectible data from one .ged file to another)
or....
Designing all the levels in one file, which can get clogged up and means you will have to make shorter levels.
or...
Another way that I don't know of.

Purely asking this question beucase at the moment I am planning and designing graphics for two huge adventure games (one not so huge)
and was wondering how you all do it

Thanks for reading

[Game A Gogo]

My method is for more advanced users I suppose...
But I make a level editor that saves to a custom file with the fopen and related functions. Then I make my level ged load those files depending on which one needed. So it enables me to be more straight foward with level editor, and I like to release level-editors to some people as a bonus exemple is my P2040 demo!

[AnarchCassius]

Method 1 seems awkward, wouldn't that require each level be made from the final base game? So you couldn't easily make game play changes after you reached level design step.

Method 2 seems just as bad for the reasons you describe. After having discored GE there are only a couple features I miss from GM and Rooms are one of them. Some way of tying blocks of clone location information to a main game that stores the info on how those clones work would be great.

Of course that's basically what it sounds like Games A Gogo did. Good job there! I hadn't even thought of something like that. But as you say, only advanced users could do this on their own.

Finally there is the solution my current game uses. I don't have levels, I have functions. At Game Start the LevelMaker object checks what level type is to be drawn and then begins running the nested functions that make the level. If you've ever played a Rogue-like (hint: Diablo) you'll have some idea what I mean. The upside is that your game can have effectively unlimited levels... and you can even store them using something like Games A Gogo did if you want them to stay fixed after generation. The downside is that it takes both some programming skill and a good bit of creativity and reasoning to make a function that will draw levels that are interesting, logical and don't repeat patterns overly much.

[BloodRedDragon]

Point for you Game a Gogo, you're so helpful I have also had a look at you P2040 demo, but since its only pixel drawing, i will be using proper bitmaps
Also, i have found a way of making the single file method work much better, it would simply involve not creating every actor at startup, then when the player enters a level, all the level actors are created through the script editor, and when the player exits a level, all the actors are destroyed.

And i really like your idea AnarchCassius, but yeah, i'm not the best programmer which is why I think I'll be using a different method.

Thanks again

[Game A Gogo]

well there IS another way, for different kinds of games, using clones. I'll post a demo in the demo section check it out if you want

[BloodRedDragon]

Cool, will do