What makes a good multiplayer level?
Back in the early 2000s, when the kings of multiplayer shooters were Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament, there was a site hosted by GameSpy’s PlanetUnreal.com called CliffyB’s 0wnage. CliffyB is also known as Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer of the Unreal series, and his site was dedicated to reviewing some of the thousands of custom Unreal Tournament maps released by map designers (a.k.a. “mappers"). Map design in Unreal Tournament was one of the game’s greatest strengths, and for a custom map to receive the blessing of none other than the creator of the game was every mapper’s dream. One of my favourite UT maps was the excellent Affinity Complex (DM-Affinity) by Richard “Lord Heisher" Black. This 6–8 player deathmatch map is perfectly balanced, with careful consideration given to the placement of every weapon, and minimal dead-ends and chokepoints. In 1-on-1 duels it was a tense battle of skill, while with eight players it was frantic carnage. CliffyB himself praised this map, going as far as to say that it deserved to be considered an official UT map.
What was so good about Affinity Complex, or really any multiplayer map? There are several elements, some not so obvious, but all equally important. I will frequently refer to Unreal Tournament for examples, because with over 100 maps from several different authors, there’s good examples of everything. However, I’ll try to draw on other games too.
Know your Medium
The most important part of map design is knowing your medium. Something rather common in the mapping scene is “porting” — taking popular maps from one game and recreating them in another. This was quite common practice, during the heyday of multiplayer arena shooters; many Quake maps are available in Unreal Tournament, and vice versa. Sometimes it works, but it often doesn’t, and this is because direct ports don’t take into account medium: the game itself.
Game design and subsequent balancing is a long and delicate process of trial and error, and iteration. Game designers work within the mechanics of their game engine, so things such as jumping distance or weapon features are considered when creating a map. Halo’s Blood Gulch is so fondly remembered because it complemented the game mechanics.
Some levels are designed with a particular weapon in mind. Ice Station Zeto (DM-Zeto) by Alan “Talisman" Willard in Unreal Tournament consists of long, narrow, curving corridors — perfect for the Ripper, a weapon that fires razor sharp discs that bounce off walls. Good players will fire a barrage of discs around corners at head-height, and watch the “HEADSHOT!” announcements roll in.
Another great example of maps designed around a single mechanic is the deceptively simple “Aim" series for Counter-Strike, such as the classic “aim_map”. These maps were little more than a long corridor or wide open arena, with scattered obstacles and teams spawning at either end of the map. Gameplay centred around each team showcasing their “aim" skills, and sniper rifles feature heavily.
As far as technical design goes, the Aim maps were about as simple as it gets. If you could draw a box, place some assets and a few textures, you could make a map. Aim maps highlighted another important factor in map design — to keep things simple and effective. Technically complex levels might look impressive, but if they aren’t designed with gameplay in mind, they are little better than tech demos.
Simplicity is the reason why maps from the Nintendo 64’s GoldenEye 64 still hold up today. Unlike Aim maps, GoldenEye 64 levels were simple by necessity, as the N64 had very limited memory to work with. The bland textures somewhat offset the fact that all players were on the same screen, and often only experienced players could tell the difference between two rooms.
In Facility, one of the most popular multiplayer levels, the main sections of the level are separated by heavy metal doors that open and close very slowly, and make a lot of noise when they do. Nearby players have immediate audio feedback on where their opponent is, but have to consider that clever players may in fact use this effect as bait for a trap.
GoldenEye 64’s levels have been ported to other games, like Counter-Strike and Unreal, but they don’t work. Without the N64’s short draw distance, players can engage from longer range, and the low resolution textures lack purpose when players are all on different computers.
Level designers should always consider their medium, and work with the tools they are given. If Michelangelo had a box of crayons, there is no doubt that he could still create beautiful art, but he certainly wouldn’t have attempted the Sistine Chapel.
Know your Loot
This isn’t a factor in all shooters — games like Battlefield and Counter-Strike have weapons choices made at the start of the match — but in arena shooters like Quake, weapon and power-up placement can make or break a level.
The rocket launcher is the classic “holy grail” weapon in most arena shooters — high-impact splash damage lowers the requirement for accuracy, and reduces kill time. The rocket launcher in Quake in particular was noted for being extremely powerful, and any player that got their hands on the weapon was at a major advantage.
Placement of the rocket launcher, or any powerful weapon or power-up, is critical in level design. Ideally, there should be either significant risk or significant difficulty in obtaining the weapon. The damage amplifier power-up is the most powerful offensive item in Unreal Tournament, and in the map Conveyer (DM-Conveyer by Shaun Caudle), the damage amplifier is only accessible by crossing a narrow walkway over a pit of molten metal, with no cover from enemy fire.
This is the core of strong multiplayer FPS level design. Each moment should consist of snap risk assessments, as it is this unpredictability and excitement that makes multiplayer what it is.
Another danger with item placement in multiplayer maps is the risk of creating unassailable positions, and this effect is most frequently demonstrated with maps featuring a long range weapon, like a sniper rifle. Facing Worlds (CTF-Face by Cedric “Inoxx” Fiorentino) is one of the greatest multiplayer maps ever made, and shows how to overcome this.
Facing Worlds features two tall towers overlooking open ground that is a sniper’s playground. However, this deadly advantage is not only offset by the fact that snipers on both sides have clear shots at one another, but also the fact that access to the roof is from a portal that is behind the sniping positions, so that an opposing player that makes it to the enemy base is likely to surprise a sniper that is too focused on gazing down their sights. It’s a very small detail, but an important one that prevents Facing Worlds from becoming a shooting gallery.
Many maps in the Quake series employ similar methodology. Access to the railgun in Quake III Arena’s The Longest Yard (Q3DM17) requires the player to navigate a series of jump pads that leave them exposed to enemy fire, and while they might be in a strong firing position, they need be prepared that they may share the platform with an opponent at a moment’s notice.
Know your Players' Psychology
In Counter-Strike’s Italy map (cs_italy by Jaison Green and Glen Cooper), the terrorist position has two good sniper positions covering the two main avenues of approach, but each position leaves the sniper exposed from their flank if the other position isn’t covered. If both positions are covered, then the terrorist team is two players down in the field.
Much like Facing Worlds, this map exploits player psychology and the tendency towards tunnel vision — or in this case, scope vision. The inexperienced sniper will become so focused on chasing that kill streak, they won’t even register when an opponent eliminates them with a carefully placed shotgun to the back of the head.
Player psychology is a major factor in weapon and power-up placement. As with the damage amplifier in Conveyor, good item placement should be accessible but dangerous, coaxing players into making that snap decision in the heat of the moment that could swing a tight match either way. It’s what makes multiplayer so enjoyable as opposed to facing AI-controlled players — human decision-making is far less predictable.
The X Factor
Not all levels have it, but those that do truly shine — the proverbial “X factor". This can take all manner of forms, but it is usually some sort of feature or mechanic that makes a level truly stand out. The diverse selection of maps in Unreal Tournament provides several examples of this.
The first examples are levels with some sort of gimmick —HealPod (DmHealPod, by Cliff Bleszinski) in 1998’s Unreal (also remade for Unreal Tournament) lacks any health packs, but has a healing pod in the centre of the level. Healing carries a risk though, as anyone in the heal pod can be crushed when an opponent presses a nearby button. Similarly, in Unreal Tournament’s Pressure (DM-Pressure, by Juan Pancho “XceptOne" Eekels), the powerful shield belt power-up is inside a pressure chamber than can be activated from a nearby window, causing anyone inside the chamber to explode in a bloody mess.
However, the best implementation of a gimmick by far has to be from Half-Life — Crossfire, by Dario Casali. At any point, a player can activate a nuclear test from within a secure bunker, but the bunker takes approximately a minute to close. Thus begins a tense king-of-the-hill style fight to retain control of the bunker and not be eliminated in the nuclear blast outside.
It’s not always an interactive gimmick that defines a unique and memorable level. Morpheus (DM-Morpheus, by Dave Ewing) is one of Unreal Tournament’s most beloved mid-sized deathmatch levels. It takes place on top of mega-skyscrapers that are so high there is low gravity at the top (let’s not examine this premise too closely). The low gravity and deadly drop is what defines this level, and sharpshooters will shine. A well-placed Shock Rifle blast might not kill your opponent, but it will hit them with enough force to send them sailing off into the distance to fall to their death. The shield belt and Redeemer also appear in this level, but acquiring them requires the player to leave themselves exposed. This map is also very popular when using the Instagib mutator (kind of like a miniature mod). Instagib removes all the weapons and gives each player a high-powered Shock Rifle that instantly obliterates anyone it hits.
0wnage
These elements are, in my opinion, the key elements of good level design, but designing a good level is nowhere near as simple as simply excelling in one of these areas —there is a complex interplay of factors, and sometimes it simply comes down to trends, and what gamers currently enjoy. Still, if you are designing levels (or looking to enter the world of game design), keeping these concepts at the front of your mind will set you on a good path.
