Multiplayer FPS
Unreal Tournament 2k4
Snowed In
| Map Type |
CTF |
| Players | 6 to 10 |
| Walk Through | Design Breakdown of the map. |
| Download Link | Snowed In |
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I set a goal for myself with this project to create my first ever retail grade Multiplayer FPS map using UT2k4’s Unrealed. I spent the first 3 or 4 months of this goal working on multiple proof of concepts. Some of those concepts were the speed mapping that is mentioned below. The other portion of that initial time with the editor was spent on multiple detail testing maps. This work was to prove to myself that I could do the many things needed to make a map using Unrealed. Once I felt I was ready I began work on Snowed In.
I’m very proud of this map. As I’m not an artist, it was my first attempt at making something that was both functional and pretty. In the end, I think it turned out wonderfully. It’s completely built from brush work and stock map pieces. It also contains some special code objects that I created for it as well as jump pads, lifts, blocking volumes for smooth gameplay, zone portals, antiportals, bot-pathing, terrain, etc. Most importantly, I’m extremely pleased to say that it’s a ton of fun play. I hope you feel the same way. Be sure to check out the Design Breakdown of the map to catch a glimpse of how it came together.
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Speed Mapping
As mentioned in the Snowed In blurb above, these speed maps were created during my initial ten weeks of working with Unrealed. They are in no way complete maps but instead represent the equivalent of figure drawing for a traditional artist. Some coworkers and I would regularly set aside one night a week to make a map start to finish. Each time we did this guidelines were provided. These would be things like:jump pads must be used, at least x lights must be present, only weapon a and weapon b can be placed, the end map must have 3 levels of verticality, etc. The general rules that applied to every session were that you had one hour to complete the map start to finish. By the end of the hour your map had to have placed player spawns, weapons, lighting and it had to be playable. The following is the fruit of those sessions.
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Session 1 DM-Speed_RockHard01 |
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Session 2 DM-Speed_RockHard02 |
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Session 3 DM-Speed_RockHard03 |
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Session 4 DM-Speed_RockHard04 |
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Session 5 CTF-Speed_RockHard05 |
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Building Blocks
| Map Type |
DM/TDM |
| Players | 4 to 8 |
| Download Link | Published Source |
| Documentation | Homemade Flow Chart of Map Pipeline |
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After doing a quick detail test to learn about lighting, terrain, bsp editing and model placement I created Building Blocks. This map was built with almost no aesthetic consideration. Its main purpose was to help me learn the CoD4 multiplayer map process. In the end I think I hit on everything. The map has a nice circular flow with cover filled lower areas and very porous high grounds. Spawn points are spread along the outside of the map with multiple entry points into the innards of the map to prevent spawn camping. The mini-map is also working along with the helicopter kill streak paths. The only thing I’d say that’s missing (outside of the pretty) is strong consideration for the bullet penetration mechanic. The materials used were chosen more to give the entering players a sense of location and not so much to control where bullets could and could not penetrate. The map was tested and iterated on for about 3 days with groups of 4 to 6 players in free for all and team deathmatch.
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