Measure

Critical path

You might say: golden path, main route

The critical path is the main intended route or procedure for completing a single-player level while encountering its important beats.

What it does

Communicates progression and helps scope optional spaces against must-see content.

Ask

What ideal route should carry the player through the level's key beats?

Typical

A minimum route to complete a level through a golden path with numbered beats; it is an ideal, not a prediction of every player's route.

Trouble

The main route is unclear, optional content hides the required beats, or the map's scope exceeds the experience goal.

Sources

1. The Level Design Book, Critical path, Critical pathThe critical path (or golden path) is the main intended player path / procedure to complete the level and progress.

Use it on your project

teardown-apply: hold "Critical path" (level-critical-path) from the teardown at https://teardownatlas.com/game-design/ against my project

Paste it into a coding agent that has the teardown skills.

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