# The Level Design Book

{% hint style="danger" %}
**This book is heavily under construction.** Structure may change a lot, and some pages may have little / no content yet.
{% endhint %}

## Recent updates

* November 2025: minor cleanup of [Tools](https://book.leveldesignbook.com/appendix/tools) / [Trenchbroom](https://book.leveldesignbook.com/appendix/tools/trenchbroom)
* January 2025: added [Recommended talks](https://book.leveldesignbook.com/appendix/resources/talks)

## Read the book

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="files"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>What is level design?</strong></td><td>Start reading here!</td><td></td><td><a href="introduction">introduction</a></td><td><a href="https://1666186240-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LtVT8pJjInrrHVCovzy%2F-MaE772K0MViEPpgnix1%2F-MaE7KkewAoItNRLzmYC%2FLDB_AndrewYoder_doorproblem_foothold_mapcontrol.png?alt=media&#x26;token=760dc20b-ee3d-407b-ae72-6db411790c6f">LDB_AndrewYoder_doorproblem_foothold_mapcontrol.png</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>How to make a level</strong></td><td>Overview of the process</td><td></td><td><a href="process/overview">overview</a></td><td><a href="https://1666186240-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LtVT8pJjInrrHVCovzy%2F-LtwoKZ58xOGNTn9g_Qy%2F-Ltwq-JcDDEN7UHH9OLR%2Funcharted4_blockout_em_schatz.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=fe61470c-d734-4540-ab8e-a83eb330da7d">uncharted4_blockout_em_schatz.jpg</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Studies</strong></td><td>Critical essays &#x26; design analysis of levels.</td><td></td><td><a href="studies">studies</a></td><td><a href="https://1666186240-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LtVT8pJjInrrHVCovzy%2Fuploads%2F71IOKqvDrGKYrwOpgaAA%2FLDB_DarkSouls_UndeadBurgDiagram1_path1-2.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=12284585-6d1e-4d0c-9e37-223372bf79f8">LDB_DarkSouls_UndeadBurgDiagram1_path1-2.jpg</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Tools</strong></td><td>List of level editors and moddable games</td><td></td><td><a href="appendix/tools">tools</a></td><td><a href="https://1666186240-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LtVT8pJjInrrHVCovzy%2F-M2UXP5KgHS8jIc1HmOj%2F-M2UpvIOHBKtFSvq_cGL%2FLDB_ValveHammerEditor35_ValveWiki.png?alt=media&#x26;token=ffaee266-e14a-4007-af38-539663a2a5fa">LDB_ValveHammerEditor35_ValveWiki.png</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Assets &#x26; resources</strong></td><td>Links to free 2D/3D assets, info, other books, etc.</td><td></td><td><a href="appendix/resources">resources</a></td><td><a href="https://1666186240-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LtVT8pJjInrrHVCovzy%2F-MbP02oa-qIyy5tjCgbG%2F-MbP6Rdo6HOddzlUrPo1%2FLDB_ModularGraybox_Transparent_JoelBurgess_Skyrim.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4a1cd17d-c36a-4edd-bb5f-2c457385153c">LDB_ModularGraybox_Transparent_JoelBurgess_Skyrim.png</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Notes for educators</strong></td><td>Advice for teaching, how to use this book in class</td><td></td><td><a href="learning/notes">notes</a></td><td><a href="https://1666186240-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LtVT8pJjInrrHVCovzy%2Fuploads%2FUZYFaPCUFEvOrKvMlMSe%2FLDB_PinupPhoto_SarahLeClerc_PrattArchitecture.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=4d449dba-77c8-41e5-9257-5d87ba76dba9">LDB_PinupPhoto_SarahLeClerc_PrattArchitecture.jpg</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

*This online book is free to read forever, under a* [*Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)*](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) *license. We will never sell or paywall access to this book. If you translate parts of this book, you may not sell copies or access to the translation. For more info, see our* [*license and copyright* ](https://book.leveldesignbook.com/appendix/license)*page.*