LEVEL DESIGN - THE HIDDEN VALLEY

- level design -

the hidden valley

STEP ONE: THE IDEA

MAP_CONCEPT-1.png

MY PROCESS

For this project, I chose to focus on Overwatch’s asymmetrical map type, which is best suited for the attack and defense style game play that Overwatch is famous for. These maps commonly contain a few recurring characteristics:

  • One or multiple choke points (Often unavoidable to an extent) that serve as a rally point for the defenders and a hurdle for the attackers to jump. Well placed chokes and clearings can greatly sway the pacing of battle, and hold a lot of influence on player satisfaction.

  • A semi-centered control point (Control One) where the first half of the match is fought. Often placed slightly closer to attack, due to the defending team being offered an earlier start time and beginning control of the first choke point.

  • A control point centered at the defending team’s base (Control Two) that serves as a strong last stand for the defenders.

  • At the time that control 2 is the main focus of battle, the attacking team spawns at a new location, so they are not required to run the length of the map every time the respawn. For this map I chose BG 5 as the second attack spawn.

Above is my first draft of the floor plan of the map, drawing inspiration from my favorite Overwatch map, Hanamura.

 

step two: cONCEPT

I wanted this level to share the aesthetic of Hanamura with a touch of the overgrown nature of Eichenwalde. As such, I started my process like I always do, by gathering references and making reference sheets.

step three: pre-vis

I chose to take this opportunity to learn Unreal Engine 4, and began by making a simple previsualization with the main landmarks. This was meant as a test to see how the level flows and to see if anything may need alteration.

In the above photos, two issues became immediately apparent:

  • The cave only serves as a diversion of the choke point, and as a result, stacks the game too much in the Attacking team’s advantage.

  • The Defending team’s base being elevated causes a clear line of sight for sniper characters to have free range of the enemy team.

Swapping out the cave for an alternative route from Control One to Control Two, and having the platform be raised to cause a break in the line of sight from Control Two.

I then added some more buildings to give the level more of a town feeling.

With some textures and geometry, some of which I modeled and some free assets provided by the Unreal Engine, the scene comes together.