Quantitative Analysis of Visual Guidance in Level Transitions Using Multimodal Visual Metrics

Visual guidance plays a crucial role in level design, while prior work has largely relied on qualitative observations. This study presents a novel quantitative framework for evaluating visual guidance during level transitions in 3D role-playing games. By integrating analyses of depth maps derived from raycast grids with high-resolution RGB image sequences from our primary dataset in Dark Souls III, we quantify metrics such as luminance dynamics, chromatic complexity, and spatial depth distribution. This bimodal analysis separates geometric factors (from depth) and perceptual factors (from color), thereby clarifying how specific visual cues consistent with design principles such as spatial funneling and chromatic contrast-influence player navigation and immersion. Our initial empirical findings, derived from strictly quantitative and numerical analyses, suggest that the synergy between geometric constraints and perceptual cues provides an effective framework for both validating design principles and identifying navigation pitfalls in level transitions. These results not only provide a formal, data-driven understanding of level design but also offer actionable insights for creating more intuitive virtual environments and establishing evaluation criteria for future procedural level generation.