Duel Map of Highrise Guardian
This level is for my project Highrise Guardian, I highly recommand you to check it before reading this.
As the designer of the team, I create the first map. The map is for a small number of players to have fast-paced combat. And the layout of the level allows and encourages players to move frequently in combat. Based on this vision, I have some ideas and rules in its design.
Ideas and rules:
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Several areas in the level.
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Clear paths between different areas, and each area has two to three paths to other areas, and no dead ends.
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Travel across the map in under 15 seconds.
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Make a good flow of movement. Fewer snags on the main path of the level.
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Use landmarks or unique terrain to make different areas easy to be distinguished.
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Distribute resources evenly in the whole level, and put some of them in corners to make every position of the level worth going to, and put some of them in chokepoints to trigger combats.
Inspiration:
After some research, I got some inspriations and references from maps of other arena shooters, like "Blood Run" and "Insomnia" of Quake Champion, and "DM-ASDF" of Unreal Tournament.
Molecule Map:
First step was to make a molecule map, which decides how many areas in the map and their navigation and line of sight.
Blockout with Navigation and Resources:
Because the vertical layout is a requirement of the level design, we have incorporated multi-layered vertical layouts in approximately half of the area, and created paths and connections between different areas through jump pads and portals. We have ensured that there are varying line-of-sight connections between choke points in different areas, allowing players to experience the diversity of layout styles and enabling weapons with different ranges to be effective.
Finish with environment art assets:
