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Multiplayer Project
InOrbit Systems

Role:

Level Designer Intern

Date:

May-August 2024

Engine:

Unreal Engine 5.3.2

Genre:

First-person tactical pvp shooter

Description:​

A summer internship where I was brought on as a level designer to help with development of an ongoing project. I was responsible for creating a new map with from concept to creation and overhauling another existing map to better fit with the tactical shooter genre and update the visuals.

My Contributions:
  • Enhancing a pre-existing level utilizing UE Landscape Tool, Landscape Materials, Geometry Brush Tool, and Material Editor.

  • Overhauling a map created by previous contributors, enhancing the level geometry to better fit with the tactical shooter genre.

  • Creating a new map obstacles and paths to accommodate a small combat arena.

Updating Existing Level

Before

After

I was brought on to a project that had been in development before I joined. I was onboarded and read through some documentation to get a better idea of what was expected of levels in the game.

My first task was to take a map that was out of date and touch it up to bring it to the new standards management expected. I was assigned to updated the first Team Deathmatch map that was created, and it really needed a new coat of paint.

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​A lot of the initial work was organizing the level's hierarchy and renaming some assets to make it easier to navigate. 

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I had then trimmed down the landscape around the outside of the level, as a player would never see it, as well as gaining slightly more performance due to getting rid of unnecessary geometry. 

Before Continued

After Continued

The first thing I did to the map was update the Landscape Material to get rid of the obvious tiling and add some more variation in the ground. I then moved on to updating the post processing to make it look less like Mars and more like a desert on Earth.

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Taking a broader look at the map, it felt very empty, it needed more obstacles and cover for a player to use. So I went ahead and condensed the map, bringing the game objects closer to the middle so they get more play. I then added more game objects to add more cover in the places they needed it most, going as far as to modify the landscape itself to create specific sightlines.

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If I had more time with this map, I would have tried to playtest it with other people, as during development I was stuck with working around bots that had been created prior to me joining. I also would have spent more time finetuning the cover and going more in depth with the UE Geometry Brush tool than the just the centerpiece I made for the map.

Creating My Own Level

First Floor V1

First Floor V2

Second Floor

Once I was done with the opening section of the map, I worked on the vehicle section slowly by adding more sections until the length and variety of obstacles felt right. With this being the first time I had ever made a level specifically for vehicle movement, trial and error were the best way for me to determine what felt right.

After updating a pre-made map, I was ready to create my own.

 

I began by collecting reference art that captured the mood I aimed for, focusing on neon and cyberpunk aesthetics.

My assignment was to design a Team Deathmatch map, and as someone experienced in PvP first-person shooters, I understand that smaller maps tend to be the most popular because they allow for quick re-entry combat after respawning.

Wait... That Looks Familiar

Before starting my work, I received a map that I could use as a foundation for modification.

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The level assigned to me was the initial map from Unreal Engine 5 Lyra, which serves as the multiplayer shooter template for this project.

 

Although I felt uneasy about using this map, I was instructed to proceed with it, so I did my best to alter it significantly to create a different gameplay experience.

Unreal Engine 5 Lyra Map

image.png

Space Station Map

Space Station Map Continued

What I Modified

  • Removed the central bridge

    • This change improved sightlines, reducing awkward gameplay.

  • Added cover to the center floor area

    • The new cover enhances safety during ground traversal, encouraging players to engage through this route.

  • Incorporated cover on all catwalks

    • With the added cover on the center floor, players are now to adopt a more defensive strategy on the upper level or to attack from the lower level.

  • Introduced a nearby star and updated the skybox

    • The material simulates a realistic star appearance, offering extensive customization for effects and colors.

  • Changed materials on all metallic surfaces and boosted lighting intensity

    • This adjustment gives the level a grittier, more industrial feel, aligning with the cyberpunk aesthetic.

If I had more time with this map I would have gone deeper into cleaning up the unnecessary meshes and overlapping UVs for better visual fidelity. Like the first map I made, I should have also taken advantage of the UE Geometry Brush tool to create custom geometry that I could not make with preset static meshes.

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