Level Design -- Design Translation Patterns

Prerequisite skills: unity-scene-assets (additive scenes, Addressables), unity-async-patterns (async loading, cancellation), unity-game-architecture (SO events, bootstrap)

Claude treats levels as static scene files with no contract layer between level designers and gameplay programmers. Triggers are one-off scripts with game logic jammed into OnTriggerEnter, encounters are hardcoded spawn sequences, and checkpoints break on scene reload because nobody thought about what state needs to survive. These patterns establish the translation layer: designers author intent through data assets and Inspector configuration, programmers provide the systems that honor that intent.

PATTERN 1: Trigger & Event Architecture

DESIGN INTENT: Level designers place trigger volumes in the editor that fire game events -- spawn enemies, play dialogue, open a door. The trigger is a generic, reusable component; the response is wired in the Inspector via ScriptableObject event channels.