The Grand Library

2024

Map Timelapse

Walkthrough of Map

My Design Process

Part 1: Goal

My goals for the project were the following:

1.Design the map to fit my game concept for Blink

2.Design the map to have verticality around the map to challenge players line of sights

3.Make the map feel like a “Grand” location

4.Design the map to being playable for multiple different game modes like Search and Destroy, Conquest, CTF, etc

Part 2: Research and Inspiration

When starting my design process for this multiplayer map I had a few ideas and concepts that inspired me. But really it was this idea of having this “Grand” location. I understood that it might mean it will have be a bigger map which I have not always been a fan of when playing FPS games. Outside of a few occasions. However, I knew that with the movement mechanics in my new game idea Blink that players would still be able to get back into the action as quick as possible. I look to some inspiration from a Black Ops 4 map called Casino which I felt did a really good job at capturing a “Grand” location. And although I think its good to look at maps from other multiplayer FPS games I still want to get my ideas from something personal or from a different perspective if I can.

Another aspect that drew me to designing this map was just my personal love for libraries. I always loved going to the library in college to study or just enjoy the quiet moments of solitude of a library. And whenever I start a design concept it usually involves a place that I have been or would like to be. And to bring that into a game and play in that location is something that really makes me enjoy the design process.

I took a different approach on my design process with this map. Usually I start with a 2D top down sketch of my maps but on this one I just started building the map in Unreal Engine just from my the idea of what I wanted the map to focus on when it came to the verticality that I would be adding around the map. That can sometimes be hard to portray in a top down sketch.

However, by doing this I did not feel as restricted when trying to stick to and original 2D design. I had the ability to change or remove parts of the map because they did not flow with the rest of the map or it was just wasted space on the map.

I will say this did also increase the development time of the map. Having to find solutions for problems I was creating in that moment well blocking everything out.

Similar to some of my other maps this location does revolve around that center location known as Mid Steps. However the verticality around the map allows for more routes then the traditional 3 lanes. If players want to get a higher vantage point then they can head to Second Floor Study where they can use it as a flanking route or they can use at as a power position over the mid map or Bottom Courtyard areas. And going with the teleportation of my game Blink it allows players to use their abilities or get kills and to move to and from these spots quickly, Making it so a usual power position cant be held for too long.

Part 3: Map Layout

Towards the top of the map is also one of my favorite areas to have gun battles at. This top connector area near the Coffee Shop can really impact other players on the map from either escaping their spawns or getting access to that mid map area. It has also shown to be a good area to place a bombsite for a game mode like Search and Destroy.

When it comes to the spawns of the map they do mirror each other to an extent. Both the Gate Spawn and the Computer Spawn give players a safer place on the map when spawning in. The gate spawn allows more options like accessing the underpass location when leaving the spawn. However when players leave the spawns they have to be aware of the long lines of the sights from the Underpass or from Long Hall.

Part 4: Blockout and Iteration

The original layout and design of the library has not changed too much from the original blockout of the map. The main points of change and iteration have revolved around the follwoing few areas:

  1. Courtyard and Planetarium

  2. Underground and Archives

  3. Underpass and Gate spawn

Those are the areas that I have been constantly working on the make sure they flow well together from lane to lane on the map. Making sure players have enough routes and connections to move through the map fluidly. Or having enough angles to challenge players holding certain locations.

One of the main areas that I have wanted to get to work the best was this courtyard area. I originally had a planetarium in this area as a POI on the map for players to fight over well also allowing players to challenge someone on the second floor window. And although the planetarium fit the “Grand” idea I wanted but I could not make the routes flow through that at area to make the map feel good. So I changed the elevation and created a top courtyard route that could also do the same role of the planetarium in giving players an option to directly challenge a player posted up in the second door window

Another section I had to iterate on was the grand mid stair case. I originally had another route that went under the building called Archives. But after some early playtest all the feedback I was getting was that this section of the map was unnecessary. There was nothing really to fight for in this location and it was pretty much doing the same thing that the second floor study had already accomplished. So I just ended up closing each entrance and exit to this area off. Which made the top lane of the map by the coffee shop a lot more impactful to fight over well also not having to worry about this underground route.

The last area that is still going through iterations and playtesting is on the Gate Spawn side of the map. I originally had this idea of an underpass area that would add another area for change in verticality. However well doing playtest and also removing the underground path that may have played a role in players using the route. However, players found that using the underpass route was mostly dependent on timing when coming in contact with an enemy player. For instance one of the conquest flags was on the bridge so using the underpass could allow them to flank or get a different angle to approach capturing that point. So to try something different I covered the underpass and just added a front yard to library which will be something I will get comparisons on during the next play test to see if players prefer one design over the other.

Part 5: In Correlation With Blink

Since this was also one of my first maps I was designing with the Blink teleporting mechanic in mind. I understood that how I designed the map to fir with that mechanic would be very important. I would need players to be able to use their abilities to move around the map efficiently, or get out of a trap, during a gunfight or just moving around the map.

For instance:

  1. When it came to the shapeshifter ability where I would place the objects around the map would be very impactful for that player to be use that ability properly and purposeful.

  2. When it came to the teleporting grenade I knew it could be impactful when it came to the verticality changes around the map. Allowing the player to move higher or lower quickly to attack or even escape a bad situation.

  3. And when it came to something like the dash ability I knew the player would need enough open space around the map want to use it during gunfights or move through spaces quicker then other players.

Part 6: Conclusion

I worked on this map for roughly 2 months. From concepting to play testable gray box. I have still not had time to set up playtest for this map. Therefore, I assumer there are still problems I have yet to find out because of that. I expect to update this map after the playtest once I learn more about the map. I do feel confident with the map. Although it is a typical 3 lane map in a lot of ways I am curios to see how certain game modes play on the map. I feel confident in game modes like CTF, Search and Destroy and Hardpoint/King of the Hill to play quite well on the map. I am also confident in the 3 main weapons of choice to all be very effective in their own ways on this map. But once again I expect to learn a lot more in play test.