Devlog #3: Beat Maps

What are beat maps?

To put it simply, beat maps are tools used by game designers to map out the events of a game. They are charts that can be used to map out different moments, or "beats", in an experience. This way, plans can be made nice and early on in the game's stages of development, and prevent confusion in the future.

How can they be used?

Beat maps are able to be used by a wide variety of roles in game development. For example, a game designer could use a beat map to map out the experience they want players to have throughout the whole game. They can note the state in which they want the player to start the game, how they want them to end the game, and the steps they must take to reach it. For another example, a level designer could use a beat map to lay out the series of events that could play out in a level, and in turn find good ways to add teaching moments, obstacles, downtime, and other pieces to that level. As a final example, a narrative designer could use beat maps to design interesting story beats or questlines, to make sure they receive desired reactions from players and keep them engaged narrative-wise.

What makes them cool?

I believe the coolest aspect of beat maps that makes them work really well as tools for mapping out game events is how they can be applied to events of pretty much any scale. For example, you can have a beat map for a game's full experience, or you could narrow it down to one level or area, or one quest, or one combat encounter, or even one single action a player could take. If it provides an experience to the player, and if there are tangible things that can provide them with said experience, then it can be mapped out. This makes beat maps a highly versatile tool for designing pretty much anything in a game.