Overpass — Mihir Srivastava
Mihir Srivastava
Level/Multiplayer Designer
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Overpass

Overpass

4v4 multiplayer Capture-the-Flag map developed for Unreal Tournament 4.

Quick Summary

Design Goals

  • Focus on teleportation as the way to traverse between bases and mid section.

  • Skill Progression that allows for advanced play such as Rocket Jumps, Translocation, and Wall Run.

  • Deathmatch style mid section

  • Space map, so falling off is instant death.

  • Narrow base design for faster, reaction based gameplay.

 

Development Facts

  • Engine: Unreal Engine 4 (Unreal Tournament editor version)

  • Responsibilities: paper design, blockout, gameplay implementation, aesthetics, lighting, and audio implementation

  • Development Time: November 20 - December 7, 2017

  • Game Mode: Capture the Flag game mode in Unreal Tournament

 

Gameplay Snippet

 
 

Implementation

Top Down Overview

(Detailed Breakdown of each section available below)

Overview.jpeg

+ Details (click to expand)

Top Down Design

  • Symmetrical, I shaped design

  • Bases are symmetrical and near identical. This was done to reduce the cognitive load on players as the map is fast paced with many close range weapons.

  • 3 distinct areas: Blue Base, Red Base, Mid section

  • 8 teleport stations, 2 in each base and 4 in the Mid section

  • Power weapon spawn, Rocket Launcher, in the center of the Mid Section

Room Breakdown

Base

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Drawing inspiration from older unreal tournament maps and games like Quake, I wanted the combat of this map to feel reaction based. The way this was achieved was through not only creating narrow spaces, but by providing defined combat scenarios and completing them with weapons that supported close quarters combat.

Base
Base Design

  • Tight sightlines that are divided by multiple levels of verticality.

  • 2 teleport locations that are the only way enemies can enter or exit the base, located on the far extremes of the base.

  • Health Pack placement that guides the players through the space to important areas.

  • 6 spawn points for a 4 person team.

  • 2 jump pads, located on either side of the flag, that lead to the sniper tower. This was chosen over using a lift as it proved to be more fluid during combat situations during playtesting.

  • Supports wall run as designated by the Health Packs. The wall run mechanic allows for players who have a mastery of this maneuver to quickly transition from one end of the base to the other very quickly.

Sniper Room

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The sniper room not only gives access to a strong weapon that can support and help control the mid section, but it also provides access to faster exits to the teleports, increased visibility, and ample room to use the advanced movement mechanic of the Translocator.

Sniper Room

Sniper Room Design

  • Increased sightlines to the Mid section and to the opposite base’s Sniper Room.

  • Accessed through jump pads on the first floor of the base on either side of the flag.

  • Alternative vantage point over the teleport locations using the two side exits (marked in yellow on the image to the left)

  • High-risk-high-reward situation as there is also increased visibility into the sniper room from the Mid section and opposite base

Mid Section

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The Mid section is designed to be fast paced and is the pivotal area for a team to control. Because it is designed to replicate a tight deathmatch arena, control of this area is pivotal to controlling the teleport locations into the bases.

Mid Section

Mid Section Design

  • Power weapon, Rocket Launcher, spawns in the middle of the map

  • Medium armor spawns underneath the rocket launcher in the middle of the map

  • Health Packs are increased to Medium sized instead of the standard small due to the combat intensive nature of this section

  • The entire length of the outer wall that gives the octagon shape can be wall ran, allowing for an advanced maneuver of traversal to the teleport as well as an advanced evasion technique.