Fusion

Overview

Multiplayer PVP Map Design

Created a 4v4 objective-based multiplayer map as a natural progression from Crane.
Applied knowledge from various shooter subgenres: hero shooters, tac shooters, arena shooters, and large-scale sandbox shooters.
Focused on reinforcing core multiplayer PVP map design principles while evolving my design process.

Work Summary

Addressed concerns that Forerunner-themed interior maps in Halo Infinite felt less effective for multiplayer.
Researched how Forerunner architecture influences level flow, noting its openness suited single-player more than PVP.
Focused on crafting a compelling lower section, an aspect often underdeveloped in student multiplayer maps.
Chose Capture the Flag and King of the Hill to emphasize teamwork within a 4v4 environment.

Planning & Research

Analyzed top-down layouts of Halo Infinite maps: Aquarius, Bazaar, Catalyst, Forbidden, Live Fire, and Streets.
Studied lane structures to inform my own layout design.
Developed a top-down layout based on research findings.
Gathered feedback from peers and professors before moving forward.

Planning and Playtest Documents

Lane Design & Objective Placement

Designed three primary lanes to support Capture the Flag and King of the Hill, inspired by Aquarius and Catalyst.

Studied how these maps structure lanes to allow multiple routes to objectives.
Created a variation of the "cross" map shape, distributing objectives across all three lanes instead of a single central lane.
Encouraged movement and exploration by integrating objectives into different areas of the map.

Lower Area & Player Engagement

Designed a lower section to add depth and strategic value.
Initial playtests revealed players ignored the lower area in CTF due to the direct central route.
Iterated on the design to make the lower section more viable in both modes.

Expanded Route Options & Dynamic Play

Increased King of the Hill capture points and provided multiple ways to reach them.
Integrated launch pads to enable flanking opportunities from spawn.
Ensured Capture the Flag routes encouraged teamwork and movement variety.
Promoted engagement with map-specific equipment and weapons by distributing objectives strategically.

Playtest Changes and Iterative Process

Throughout the development process, the playtest phase helped push me to create a map that was a refined and cohesive experience. Below are the before and after changes that I made with the map based on user feedback with explanations of my thought process for said changes.

Initial Spawn and Equipment

Initial Issues:
- Limited weapon options at spawn.
- Players disliked seeing enemies across the map immediately after spawning.
Solutions
- Added more weapons, equipment, and grenades to encourage short-to-medium-range combat.
- Introduced floating hexagonal pillars to break direct sight lines between spawns.
- Positioned pillars to require movement before engaging in long-range fights.
Result:
- Improved weapon variety at spawn.
- Reduced immediate visibility of enemies.
- Created a more dynamic flow for early-match engagements.

Navigating the Lower Area

Initial Issue:
- Players ignored the lower area in CTF matches, as moving through the space took too long to be viable in matches.
- In KOTH, players only used the lower area when the objective was located there.
Solution:
- Added a drop-down from the spawn/flag location to the lower area.
- Introduced grav lifts from the center to make exiting the lower area faster.
Result:
- Improved accessibility to the lower area, encouraging engagement in both game modes.

Light Bridge Traversal

Initial Issue:
- Players avoided using light bridges due to long travel time.
- Only one route led to the light bridges, requiring players to backtrack to spawn.
Solution:
- Implemented teleporters based on playtester feedback to reduce travel time.
- Positioned teleporters to move players laterally, maintaining balance in CTF.
Result:
- Players could reach the light bridges via the original route or teleporters.
- Improved usability for both King of the Hill and Capture the Flag without disrupting objective balance.

Adjusting Forerunner Aesthetic for Guidance

Initial Issue:
- The uniform lighting and symmetry, combined with the uniform Forerunner geometry, made the map challenging to navigate, as there were no distinct signifiers to indicate which side players were on.
Solution:
- Reduced the intensity of the Forerunner aesthetic.
- Split the map’s lighting into two distinct colors (yellow and blue) to aid navigation.
Result:
- Players could easily orient themselves and use callouts based on the color-coded sides of the map.

Ending Notes

Learning Outcomes

The main takeaway from this project was that adding more doesn’t always solve problems. I spent more time on this project than expected and felt dissatisfied as the constraints introduced new challenges. My initial reaction was to make drastic changes to the map, but after discussing it with my professors and peers, I realized complex solutions weren’t the answer.

Instead, I focused on elegant solutions that kept the map’s core aspects intact, like adding teleporters to make light bridges more accessible and color-coding the sides to help players orient themselves. This experience taught me that frustration can cloud judgment and that seeking feedback is crucial to finding simple, effective solutions without overcomplicating things.

Complications/Issues

The constraints I worked under were a great challenge, but testers revealed core issues with my map that were difficult to change. That was because, in the early stages, I designed my map for the constraints, but I built my geometry in a way that was extremely difficult to make major changes to.

It became a back-and-forth of trying not to remake the entire map but to address issues users had with my constraint-driven design. Designing for the constraints put me in a challenging position since adjusting geometry in Halo Infinite Forge is difficult once there are a lot of objects. Through this project, I learned that creating a map is easily modular via organization in order to mitigate the challenges of Forge and to make maps that can easily be edited.