Warehouse Deathmatch Arena WIP

Shadowliger

Taking a break from my TRON environment to work on something a little different. This time it's a Warehouse Deathmatch Arena (working title). Right now it's just an open sandbox as it was just started.

I'm not working from any particular concept art, just some referances that I googled up of real warehouses. That's probably part of my problem. Right now I'm feeling the environment is a little...generic. And I'm at a loss as to how to make it more visually appealing as well as fun to move around it. I don't want to go the cliche root of futuristic and/or post apocalypic/abandoned warehouse. But other than that I'm at a loss, or an artist block, or both.

I've built a Capture the Flag map that people have very much enjoyed but I know that Deathmatch is a different game type and therefore requires a different formula for creation.

This is what I have so far:



The Breakdown:

Gridscale: 256 UDK units
Time taken (so far): 2 hours
Programs used: 3ds Max 2013, Unreal Developement Kit

I'm going to continue working on it but any inspiration or critiques you guys have are welcome.

King Mango

Not much to critique here. You've shown us a cube. Make it less cube-y would be a start.
Don't forget about Z-axis design. Multiple levels. It's really flat right now. Look at some old UT maps if you need inspiration.

Shadowliger

Thanks for the feedback King Mango, I didn't think of that looking at those. And I'm trying really hard to have a proper technique amile duan so I'm thankful I'm doing well so far.

cholden

As someone that's made a ton of levels...it's a box? Any plans on actual design or just a big open room?

Shadowliger

At that time, yes, it was just an empty UDK box cholden, I had just started when I posted it. It was originally going to be a warehouse but its slowly evolving into something else. As for concept designs I'm currently working on them now. I was just starting this tread to get some feedback on my idea. I hope to have some design images up by the weekend.

Avekt

As everyone has said before me, this level seems rather barren. The addition of walls and props to fill the area will help make the level both look and feel more alive. I have one question though. The second level walkways, I am curious about their purpose. Are they essentially means to travel around the arena more conveniently, or will there be rooms branching off of them.?

If they are means of a quick and convenient to traverse the arena, I can see a problem arising (If This arena is designed to be an FPS arena. IF not ignore this). Because there is only two of them, there is a chance of them becoming clustered and easily camp-able for. one solution to fix this could be to add a basement level below the floor. This would help with the possibility or narrow pathways across the arena as well as add a new dynamic to it. You can also add a floor above the walkways, but they might require you to redesign them, you could also add an exterior, but once again that would require you to create some large design changes.

At the moment though I'm liking the look of this and am curious to see where you going to take it.

Avekt

As everyone has said before me, this level seems rather barren. The addition of walls and props to fill the area will help make the level both look and feel more alive. I have one question though. The second level walkways, I am curious about their purpose. Are they essentially means to travel around the arena more conveniently, or will there be rooms branching off of them.?

If they are means of a quick and convenient to traverse the arena, I can see a problem arising (If This arena is designed to be an FPS arena. IF not ignore this). Because there is only two of them, there is a chance of them becoming clustered and easily camp-able for. one solution to fix this could be to add a basement level below the floor. This would help with the possibility or narrow pathways across the arena as well as add a new dynamic to it. You can also add a floor above the walkways, but they might require you to redesign them, you could also add an exterior, but once again that would require you to create some large design changes.

At the moment though I'm liking the look of this and am curious to see where you going to take it.

Shadowliger

Yea, it was a quick block out. It all likelyhood I'll be redesigning the entire thing (that's not a bad thing.) I've actually altered the upper pathways a bit and changed one to being a conveyer belt. I'm adding a basement and some hallways branching off to make it less of a square.

And Avekt, it is supposed to be an FPS deathmatch arena so yes, I'll have to take a second, third and possibly fourth look at the design so that camping is not an option.

Once I have a more stablized blockout I'm going have some of my gamer friends playtest it to check for flow and things like camping spots.

GrimFiction

To mix it up you could have a full walk way system on the second level which weaves in out. Its fairly basic at the moment but I'd add some floor indentation as well to those huge middle squares. I hope it turns out well!

Shadowliger

Okay, here's an update. So far the level is still very sparse as a basic blockout but I was focusing for now on adding more paths of different heights. The basement area will eventually have walls and the building will have a roof. As for things filling up the space I will have crates/barrels and other props to help break up the big open areas.


Critiques?

Shadowliger

Its been a while since I updated this thread. And in that intermission a lot of it has changed. First off it has evolved from being a warehouse into a foundry-like area. It's now called The Furnace and is a 10 player Deathmatch arena. It's semi-finished but I'm always open to new critiques that you have.

I was going for a Borderlands-like texture style but I think a fell a bit short on that. The Furnace has 3 levels of height as well as a lot of accessability to get between them easily. there are 4 stairwells to get from the lowerest level to the main level as well as for 4 stairwells to get from the main floor to the catwalk. There are also 2 telaporters to allow players to telaport between the lowest level to catwalk.


The lowest level area. The lava on the walls is "animated" using a panner and an Emissive Map in the texture.


Molten metal pit 'trap' located in the center of lowest area. The crossbrace is animated and spins. There is a funnel hole from the main level that will drop you onto the center of the crossbrace. The lava is set up to be an instant death if fallen into (and I've fell into it more than once... :poly141: )


Shot of the main floor. You can see the lowest level through the grates on the main level but you cannot shoot through them. Some of the grates are popped up and spun slightly, this allows players to run and slip through them to get away from people shooting at them. (the playtesters enjoyed this. )


One of the 4 stairwells that lead from the main floor to the catwalk.


Shot of the level overall from the catwalk.


Another shot of the level overall from the opposite side of the catwalk.

Comments and Critiques are welcome.

King Mango

It still seems really boxy. Catwalks and interior office structures would be a start in breaking this up. A foundry would have many discrete areas. A loading bay, a smelting area, welding and finishing area, most likely offices built inside (hard to explain but this type of thing is quite common in industrial/warehouse structures. The main building is a concrete tilt-up and the offices are made of temporary design and built by the owner or lessee once they set up business)

It doesn't appear that you have done any photo referencing. It seems like you made a room and then set about making it look like what you thought a foundry should look like.

Do some google searching for foundry interior and you will get a TON of great results. I almost did a foundry style map once myself.

JoshWilkinson

One problem I have is that catwalks are nice because they add more depth along the Z axis, they are very narrow as well. I like Mango's idea of an office. cubicles just high enough to cover all of the body but the head could provide some interesting gameplay; especially if the cubicles are destructible. Did you play Batman: Arkham Asylum? One of the predator arenas is very foundry-eque but still has an admin office and some corners for various things. I'd examine how that room came out.