Level Design - Assignment 4?

I'm not sure yet whether this is an assignment or not. But I might as well assume so, dohoho.

I took my Friday off, and it was good, and today I've started working on this paper level design... or rather, I'm indulging in a spot of ideas generation and research. Time off made me realise what I was doing wrong on Thursday and why I didn't feel like I was performing well... I was trying to make something without giving due thought to the mechanics we had been given, and how they could be used to influence the overall level structure.

So that is my first port of call, given that I already know where this level is going to be set. I'm presently giving consideration to making use of the Sonic the Hedgehog school of level design... meaning multiple paths, with higher areas of the level proving quicker but more difficult to stay on, and lower areas that are easier but take longer to get through. I'm also considering how sprinting and sliding can be used for accessing different areas and shortcuts, and whether I need more open areas for enemy placement.

Lastly, because I'm either wandering off track or because I'm hoping to be helpful to those who read this blog, I'm going to dump a couple of links I'm going through at the moment. 

http://games.soe.ucsc.edu/sites/default/files/smith-sandbox-08.pdf 

http://www.significant-bits.com/what-made-those-old-2d-platformers-so-great 

I'll stress that these things are not about paper level design, but rather talk about what makes for good level design in older games... chiefly, that in a good game, the levels will take the player abilities/movesets into account and let them use them to explore and interact within the environment. I really want to be keeping that in mind when I reattempt drawing up a stage.