Outland
Game: Doom (2016)
Game Mode: Deathmatch, four players
Level Design Goals and Objectives: To create a level that contains two very different experiences by having two areas of the map separated and isolated from each other except by portals and have the players frequently travel between the two areas The two areas should offer different gameplay experiences such as one of them being short range and the other long range, or one being high-risk, high-reward, and other the opposite with players teleporting in and out of either area for either the specific drops or as a flanking route
Overview: The level takes place on an UAC research ship amongst a fleet poised to invade a hell world. They are conducting research on portal technology to land on the world. The level consists of two arenas on the ship connected by a single, short hallway. This area is focused on close-mid range combat and the verticality in it involves climbing and stairs. The drops available in this area are defensive ones (health, armor) and the occasional ammo. This is the area where players can spawn. The two arenas also have portals that lead to a separate arena which is on the hell world itself. Players will notice an immediate difference in atmosphere, look, and feel. The hell arena acts as a pathway between the two ship arenas since there are two one-way portals in the hell arena, each one leading to one of the two ship arenas. Players cannot spawn in the hell arena. This area is focused on mid-long range combat and has the verticality focused on platforming. It has more offensive drops (super weapons, power-ups, and ammo) and rewards high risk play and movement. The best drops are in hard to reach platforms.
Game Mode: Deathmatch, four players
Level Design Goals and Objectives: To create a level that contains two very different experiences by having two areas of the map separated and isolated from each other except by portals and have the players frequently travel between the two areas The two areas should offer different gameplay experiences such as one of them being short range and the other long range, or one being high-risk, high-reward, and other the opposite with players teleporting in and out of either area for either the specific drops or as a flanking route
Overview: The level takes place on an UAC research ship amongst a fleet poised to invade a hell world. They are conducting research on portal technology to land on the world. The level consists of two arenas on the ship connected by a single, short hallway. This area is focused on close-mid range combat and the verticality in it involves climbing and stairs. The drops available in this area are defensive ones (health, armor) and the occasional ammo. This is the area where players can spawn. The two arenas also have portals that lead to a separate arena which is on the hell world itself. Players will notice an immediate difference in atmosphere, look, and feel. The hell arena acts as a pathway between the two ship arenas since there are two one-way portals in the hell arena, each one leading to one of the two ship arenas. Players cannot spawn in the hell arena. This area is focused on mid-long range combat and has the verticality focused on platforming. It has more offensive drops (super weapons, power-ups, and ammo) and rewards high risk play and movement. The best drops are in hard to reach platforms.
Design Process: To create a level that has two drastically different area, there were many decisions made to do so. The first major decision was art and theme of the level. I normally do this later in my design process but the pipeline for the Doom Snapmap editor calls for this step first. The “main area” where players spawn in is themed to be on an UAC ship, with indoor lighting, man made hard surfaces, lots of high tech, and tight corridors. The area players teleport to is a hell themed area, with open spaces, natural lighting and objects (rocks, trees).
The second major decision was to determine what kind of gameplay and experience the different areas would provide and how they contribute to the overall goal of the game. The theming of the areas led to my decision of making the ship arena to be close-mid range combat oriented and be focused more on climbs and stairs because of the tight corridors while the while the hell arena is more open for mid-long range combat.
The third major decision was where to place pick ups.To get the player to traverse between the two areas frequently, I seperated the offensive and defensive pick ups in each in a different area. I placed all the offensive pickups (super weapons, power-ups, and ammo) in the hella arena because the open area allowed for more risky platforming, allowing for me to make that area the high risk, high reward area by placing the super weapons and power ups in hard to get to platforms. All the defensive pick ups are placed in the ship area to be opposite the hell area.
To give the level more flow and player options for routes, I divided the ship area in two different arenas with a small hallway connecting the two. With deliberate portal entrance and placement ,the hell area then acts as a second path between the two ship arenas.
The second major decision was to determine what kind of gameplay and experience the different areas would provide and how they contribute to the overall goal of the game. The theming of the areas led to my decision of making the ship arena to be close-mid range combat oriented and be focused more on climbs and stairs because of the tight corridors while the while the hell arena is more open for mid-long range combat.
The third major decision was where to place pick ups.To get the player to traverse between the two areas frequently, I seperated the offensive and defensive pick ups in each in a different area. I placed all the offensive pickups (super weapons, power-ups, and ammo) in the hella arena because the open area allowed for more risky platforming, allowing for me to make that area the high risk, high reward area by placing the super weapons and power ups in hard to get to platforms. All the defensive pick ups are placed in the ship area to be opposite the hell area.
To give the level more flow and player options for routes, I divided the ship area in two different arenas with a small hallway connecting the two. With deliberate portal entrance and placement ,the hell area then acts as a second path between the two ship arenas.
Maplayout: Blue are teleporter entrances, Red is teleporter exits.
Area A: This is the hell area, while large in size, has about the same playable area s arena b because of the floating platforms and lack of overlapping verticality. (Dark grey shows fall area into killbox). Area B and C: These are the ship areas, with a small hallway connecting the two main arenas. This area has much overlapping verticality and stairways. |
Ship area: Each level of verticality here has at least 3 ways up to it, both climbs and stairs. One arena has the mega health pack and the other one has the large armor and large health pack. The portal entrances and exits are close to small health and armor pick ups so players can teleport in for a quick heal or armor before teleporting back into the hell area.
Hell area: With the teleporter entrances on mid ground level in area A and B, the areas of combat pertaining to verticality is set up in lanes, with C is the low ground; D is the mid ground, and the middle platforms as the high ground, save for one low platform. The sides are not fully symmetrical, with side B having no gaps in the floor but also very little cover while side A has gaps in the floor you can fall in, requiring more jumping, but has more cover on that side. The superweapons are located at the very top of the middle platforms, requiring risky platforming to get to, and the power-ups are in a similar high risk area below it.
Steamed
Steamed
Game: Doom (2016)
Game Mode: Deathmatch, four players
Level Design Goals and Objectives: To create a level that has an equal mix of long range, mid range, and close range combat.
Overview: The level takes place in an UAC facility that in charge of supplying heat to the rest of the compound during the cold Martian winters. The level consists of two arenas, a boiler room and a control room with long and short hallways connecting each. The mid range combat is centered around these two arenas while the long and short range combat takes place in the hallways The boiler room is designed for mid-close ranged combat and vertical climbing and platforming, with the power up spawn being located in this room on a platform. The control room is the other arena and is focused on mid -long range combat, with 3 levels of verticality, the topmost one on accessible by using stairs around the side or the hallways or through very skillful platforming on the side ledges. The super weapons spawn is in the middle of this area, in the most exposed area.
Game: Doom (2016)
Game Mode: Deathmatch, four players
Level Design Goals and Objectives: To create a level that has an equal mix of long range, mid range, and close range combat.
Overview: The level takes place in an UAC facility that in charge of supplying heat to the rest of the compound during the cold Martian winters. The level consists of two arenas, a boiler room and a control room with long and short hallways connecting each. The mid range combat is centered around these two arenas while the long and short range combat takes place in the hallways The boiler room is designed for mid-close ranged combat and vertical climbing and platforming, with the power up spawn being located in this room on a platform. The control room is the other arena and is focused on mid -long range combat, with 3 levels of verticality, the topmost one on accessible by using stairs around the side or the hallways or through very skillful platforming on the side ledges. The super weapons spawn is in the middle of this area, in the most exposed area.
Design Process: The first step was to create the two main arenas, the control room and the boiler room.
The boiler room was built to be the smaller room for the mid-close range combat, with a good amount of walls for cover to break up the space. Originally this room had little verticality with only some ledges on the wall. After some playtest and feedback, I iterated on this room by swapping out the middle walls for large boxes that had room to platform on top, and raised floor on the corners of the room with boxes for more climbing points. This was done because the room lacked player choice, there weren't many movement choices that were available during duels with opponents because of the walls and close quarters. This also provided a place for the power-up spawns.
The control room was designed with mid-long range combat. The area is divided into three levels of verticality. A is the upper area that was only accessible by hallways or the staircase next door, but that lead to very slow gameplay after playtest. I then added some ledge platforms on the side that left players exposed and out in the open in order to give the players a quick but dangerous route to the top area. This also provide a location for the mega health spawn (E). The mid ground (B) is there the super weapons spawn(D) and where the platforms can be accessed. The low ground (C) is the way to the other path.
These two arenas are connected by hallways, whihc provide the extremes of the combat ranges. They are either very long or very close range areas. The doors to the close range hallways open and close when players enter and leave them (the red lines). This provides a break in line of sight and encourages players to turn on their opponents in these areas for clsoe range combat.
These two arenas are connected by hallways, whihc provide the extremes of the combat ranges. They are either very long or very close range areas. The doors to the close range hallways open and close when players enter and leave them (the red lines). This provides a break in line of sight and encourages players to turn on their opponents in these areas for clsoe range combat.