Resolute – FPS Multiplayer Shooter

Level Designer

Explore the dynamic world of my latest FPS map, „Resolute”. Immerse yourself in the intricately designed urban landscape, drawing inspiration from the Asian-European cities. Navigate through strategically crafted environments that reflect the fallen ideals of old order. This map features carefully designed vantage points, hidden pathways, and iconic landmarks, offering players a diverse and challenging gameplay experience. Join me as I dissect the map’s layout, highlighting key areas and tactical opportunities. From the remnants of socialist strongholds to the bustling city centre, every element has been meticulously crafted to deliver a compelling and immersive gaming experience.

Platform:

Engine:

Unreal Engine 4

Level Design

Pen and paper layout design

The area is contained within a 200mx200m cube, ensuring optimal gameplay dynamics for this number of players. I have planned 6 key points on the map, between which players will navigate. I aimed to maintain a classic long, mid, short convention to diversify pacing and give players freedom to choose their arsenal.

As mentioned earlier, based on the sketched initial map layout, I marked six key points from A to F. Around these points, I drew circles loosely suggesting the planned extent of each point’s area, and the thickness of the lines connecting them indicated the straightness of the route.

The line thickness is correlated with the distance between the points. For example, between points A and B, the line is thick, so I had to design an underground parking connecting them to maintain a balanced travel time between spawn points. The orange points on the map denote areas where players can take significant risks to shorten their route from one point to another.

Due to map size restrictions, and balancing that is correlated with the scale of particular districts, I’ve drawn it on the millimeter paper to smoothly adapt it to Unreal Engine 4.

Rough blockout

Embarking on the map design journey, I initiated the process by crafting an initial rough blockout, a meticulous recreation of the earlier sketch. This foundational step served as the canvas upon which the intricate details of the environment would unfold.

Detail blockout

In the process of crafting a detailed blockout, my focus extended beyond the fundamental layout. I focused on making the design better by adding detailed elements and marking different sections of the map, highlighting its vertical aspects. I aimed to create a dynamic and visually compelling landscape that not only serves as a backdrop for gameplay but actively contributes to the overall narrative of the virtual world.

Technical Design

I’ve created tools that significantly optimized the level creation process. Specifically tailored for rapid building construction, these tools streamline and enhance efficiency in translating architectural concepts into the virtual realm. Given the modular nature of post-soviet architecture, this strategic approach not only accelerates my workflow but also ensures a cohesive and consistent design language throughout the virtual environment.

Mesh randomizer based on seed, with multiple hierarchical static meshes that could be placed

Spline mesh tool, which randomizes given mesh array along curve, with mesh count option and seed randomizer

Encounter design, plugins integration

Leveraging my expertise in game development, I seamlessly integrated the AIShooter with the Low Poly Shooter Pack, ensuring their cohesive collaboration. The end result is a seamless fusion that enhances the overall gameplay experience.

What I’ve done:

I’ve delivered level design to a playable state from pen and paper stage.
I’ve created and populated map with assets suitable for 10×10 deathmatch games (200×200 meters wide).
I’ve learned how to create tools, that allowed me to create detail level blockout faster, and set the scope for future production.
I’ve integrated various plugins into Unreal Engine 4 together, and then edited it for design purposes.
I’ve set an encounters, that let player feel how gameplay will look like.