
NON-LINEARITY
=============

Dew:

how about this definition: take a map considered as linear and
remember hub rooms in your copy&paste clipboard. you will be
very likely able to move&stretch the whole level into one long
line. there might be optional rooms going sideways and there
might be two parallel ways from one room to another, but it will
still look like a line. a non-linear level will have unavoidable
circles in this diagram, because there will be too many joints
between areas to create a line. or perhaps you could draw it as
a complicated tree structure...


Jodwin:

Really, that's the simplest possible "formula" for a non-linear
map: Have a "hub", with X paths going away from it that you need
to finish all to reach the exit, but you can pick the order of
playing them freely.

Putting non-linearity into a nutshell isn't exactly easy, but I
guess you could say it means "having a map where the player is
GIVEN CHOICES to make, and the choices he makes EFFECT HOW THE
GAMEPLAY WILL PROGRESS."


NaturalTvventy:

So maybe we should go a bit further and not only try to define
non-linear play but also why exactly it's desirable in a map. I
think the greatest benefit to non-linear design is replayability.
At the risk of blatantly self-promoting, I think the nonlinear
gameplay of Awakening and similar levels extends the enjoyment
of the DOOM experience. In Awakening the player eventually finds
he has 5 different paths to choose from, and each has it's own
benefits and drawbacks. Some provide ammo, some armor, some new
weapons, some health, etc. Each time a player plays through the
level he can choose a different order to play through and
experience each with different amounts of ammo, health, and
firepower. It's fun to try to figure out the 'best' order to
complete the five sections, or challenge oneself on the tougher
areas with less firepower.

With linear levels everything feels planned and once you've done
it once, that's it. No need to go back. You may have missed some
secrets, or a side room, but if you survived the level it
doesn't feel all that important to search out more. 


The Ultimate DooMer

Yeah, after all it's so difficult to THINK when playing Doom
maps as opposed to following the only available path. God forbid
we have to actually SEARCH for weapons, ammo, keys etc. instead
of them being put in front of us as we follow said path.


Snakes:

the ability to enter a room from more than one angle causes
different things to happen, the way it all unfolds is more
unpredictable. The ability to explore different areas early on
means the player can have a new experience every time. 

