So Long GDC 2025!
About:
Struction is a 2v2 deathmatch map for the "Elimination" game mode made using the Unreal Engine 5 Lyra starter project. Set inside an under-construction skyscraper, the Site Managers have to duke it out with the construction site Squatters in a three-story build site to see who truly owns the building.
Role: Level Designer
Team: Solo
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Platform: PC
Dev Time: 2 Months
Timeframe: Jan - Mar, 2023
This was my first time designing levels in Unreal, let alone the Lyra starter project. I was excited to design for a classic shooter environment, which was the type of game that first interested me in game design. My goal was to create a looped multi-floor layout focused on vertical engagements, which would decrease the time between enemy engagements and ensure a consistently paced match for players.
From the word go, I knew that I wanted the map to focus on a three-tiered layout where players would be given a greater variety of weapons as they ascended the map, forcing players to play with a “king of the hill” mindset in order to deny other players access to the better weapons on the upper floors.
In my initial design of the map, sightlines were meticulously arranged so players could only see certain floors from specific angles. But after some playtesting, I realized that this only led to increased complexity and in turn increased confusion among players. I then revitalized the map by decreasing the amount of cover each floor would have as the player ascended and in return, opening up and giving access to better sightlines compared to those below.
Much like classic fps titles from the 90s, included in the Lyra starter project are a handful of weapons and entities that were used to aid in the variety of the map’s combat, and open multiple playstyles for players.
With the lower floors of the map being more dense in cover, shotguns were placed on the first and second floors to allow players to snake around and catch unsuspecting players by surprise. In turn, rifles were placed on the top floor, but in limited numbers to act as power weapons to make up for the sparse cover. To transition between floors jump pads at strategic locations allows players on lower floors to catch those higher up by surprise, often putting players at a height advantage; portals were used to give players quick access between the top and bottom floor, however since players would be teleporting blind, they would have to risk being caught off guard but someone in front of the portal exit.
With this project, I learned a great deal about iteration and how to properly playtest a project to receive constructive and beneficial feedback, although this project only had two months of development. Through Struction I also gained a great deal of understanding in utilizing the level design tools within Unreal, which has opened the door for me to become more efficient at mesh-based editing.
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