1) Countdown:
Countdown was the first successful POI I blocked out for this Map Update. Utilizing the Risible Wall prototypes and some early Large Fortress designs I was toying with, I created an elevated, fortress-style POI where Drill Site used to be, near the center of World's Edge.
This POI acted as a test bed for all the designs and structures I would use for this map update.
Countdown replaced a smaller POI called Drill Site, which was a cluster of buildings surrounded by elevated terrain on all sides, creating a crater-designed POI that felt dangerous and hard to hold from within. I wanted Countdown to make this area feel more welcoming and interesting to drop at, control, and navigate thru.
Below is a before & after of Drillsite (left) and Countdown (right):
This POI acted as a test bed for all the designs and structures I would use for this map update.
Countdown replaced a smaller POI called Drill Site, which was a cluster of buildings surrounded by elevated terrain on all sides, creating a crater-designed POI that felt dangerous and hard to hold from within. I wanted Countdown to make this area feel more welcoming and interesting to drop at, control, and navigate thru.
Below is a before & after of Drillsite (left) and Countdown (right):
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Drill Site being a central POI in the map, it was perfect for a significant change that would be felt in most games on World's Edge, allowing me to drastically change a heavily travsered area of the map. Countdown would take some pressure off of Train Yard's control over this open, center field area as well as introduce new ways for players to navigate and engage in this area, connecting surrounding POIs together better.
Countdown's Flow:
For Apex, we design POIs with the following:
I wanted Countdown to play like an imposing, elevated Fortress with a dynamic environment for players to interact with. I wanted players to fight along and across from Countdown's elevated platforms for ideal medium/long range encounters along the linear platforms until you can close the gap for predicable CQC fights, where utilizing the low ground to escape/heal would be a viable strategy.
Countdown's design was to create clear and understandable fights and help see enemy squads coming into the POI, allowing more time to heal and hold off teams during and shortly after finishing another fight. Designed to alleviate the frustrations of spontaneous 3rd parties in Apex.
Countdown has 3 Rising Walls, which is MU2's new map mechanic, that players interact with to raise and connect the elevated areas of Countdown together, creating a fully connected Fortress wall once all activated (more on the Rising Walls later).
Below, I've highlighted the 4 core looting/landing areas in the POI and how they create a diamond-shaped flow based on the looting routes between the 4 areas.
This design created the push/pull fights I wanted along the linear platforms (like fights across bridges) and better balance the drastic high-ground with the low ground for unique and interesting engagements.
Countdown's design was to keep players moving between the 4 main areas below, either by moving towards or away from the action while still keeping high-ground. Countdown's massive size also made squads have to commit to one side or another to defend it from within, allowing for more spread out fights in and around the POI, especially during late circle closures around this POI. Rewarding squad play and strategy more.
For Apex, we design POIs with the following:
- Where do players land (where's the core loot)? How can squads land together? Multiple enemy squads?
- How do players loot/flow through the POI?
- Where are the frontlines for engagements? Where do players defend the POI from?
- How and where do squads enter/exit the POI, and how does that feed into the POI's engagement areas and other parts of the map?
I wanted Countdown to play like an imposing, elevated Fortress with a dynamic environment for players to interact with. I wanted players to fight along and across from Countdown's elevated platforms for ideal medium/long range encounters along the linear platforms until you can close the gap for predicable CQC fights, where utilizing the low ground to escape/heal would be a viable strategy.
Countdown's design was to create clear and understandable fights and help see enemy squads coming into the POI, allowing more time to heal and hold off teams during and shortly after finishing another fight. Designed to alleviate the frustrations of spontaneous 3rd parties in Apex.
Countdown has 3 Rising Walls, which is MU2's new map mechanic, that players interact with to raise and connect the elevated areas of Countdown together, creating a fully connected Fortress wall once all activated (more on the Rising Walls later).
Below, I've highlighted the 4 core looting/landing areas in the POI and how they create a diamond-shaped flow based on the looting routes between the 4 areas.
This design created the push/pull fights I wanted along the linear platforms (like fights across bridges) and better balance the drastic high-ground with the low ground for unique and interesting engagements.
Countdown's design was to keep players moving between the 4 main areas below, either by moving towards or away from the action while still keeping high-ground. Countdown's massive size also made squads have to commit to one side or another to defend it from within, allowing for more spread out fights in and around the POI, especially during late circle closures around this POI. Rewarding squad play and strategy more.
- Green Circle: POI's main looting areas
- Yellow Arrows: POI's main flow
As the POI's elevated platforms is the main gameplay focus, I made Countdown's center pit an open, lower no-man's land to discourage players from wanting to be down there too long. But as Apex is all about options and risk/reward plays, I wanted the center area to act as a more direct, but riskier way to traverse between key areas of the POI, as well as hold a high-tier looting area acting as a honey pot that encouraged players to play the POI in different ways and interact with the environment for better loot.
I designed Countdown so there were always options to get between the 2 drastic elevations at every main looting area via ziplines. This made for clear, predictable ways to play and navigate the POI. Balancing the high ground with the low grounds and ensuring they connect in clear ways for fun cat-and-mouse pursuits during CQC engagements and risky flanks.
I designed Countdown so there were always options to get between the 2 drastic elevations at every main looting area via ziplines. This made for clear, predictable ways to play and navigate the POI. Balancing the high ground with the low grounds and ensuring they connect in clear ways for fun cat-and-mouse pursuits during CQC engagements and risky flanks.
I placed an interactive platform that rises out of the blast doors in the center of the POI. There are 2 panels that can open the High-tier loot center. Both panels are circled in red in the image below (only 1 panel needs to be activated for loot to rise):
- Red Circles: Panels players activate to open Center Blast Door, revealing high-tier loot + additional cover
- Green Circle: Center Blast Door (Raiseable High-Tier Loot Platform)
As the opening Center Blast Door was an unique feature for Countdown, I quickly prototyped a simple version for testing, furthering the dynamic environments for players to engage with in this area.
Below you can see my prototype (top) and the final version (bottom) of the Center Blast Door opening:
Below you can see my prototype (top) and the final version (bottom) of the Center Blast Door opening:
Countdown's New Routes:
As Countdown was in the center of the map and was surrounded by other high-traffic POIs like Trian Yard, Skyhook, and Lava Fissure, I didn't want Countdown to overtake the area's presence, but rather connect them together better and play differently than before.
As Countdown was in the center of the map and was surrounded by other high-traffic POIs like Trian Yard, Skyhook, and Lava Fissure, I didn't want Countdown to overtake the area's presence, but rather connect them together better and play differently than before.
Drill Site POI
Opening up the super narrow choke that connected Lava Fissure and Drillsite made for a more breathable space that led and engaged nicely from Lava Fissure and Countdown's Large Fortress I placed in the cliffs. This created som cool routings and fights in and around Countdown's parameter.
Before (left) and After (right)
Before (left) and After (right)
Before MU2
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After MU2
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The wider choke on the backside here helped against being third-partied as unexpectedly as players could now see through the choke and get a better sense of the area's activity before committing too far in without many ways out like before. Also made for cleaner combat engagements between these POIs and more balanced late circle rotations thru this area.
With MU2, I tried to make this open hill area between Train Yard and Countdown offer cleaner combat and traversal options as it was a central, high-traffic area. By having clearer high-ground and frontlines to fight between in this area with Countdown's geo, it made for a more balanced area to engage in, allowing for more predictability and combat clarity
With MU2, I tried to make this open hill area between Train Yard and Countdown offer cleaner combat and traversal options as it was a central, high-traffic area. By having clearer high-ground and frontlines to fight between in this area with Countdown's geo, it made for a more balanced area to engage in, allowing for more predictability and combat clarity
Routing Skyhook and Bloodhound Trials to Countdown up that hill was a bit tricky as players already on Countdown's elevated walls could dominate any players pushing from that direction out of Skyhook. I didn't want that fear to deter players from rotating from there as that was a main path out of Skyhook towards circle.
I created a ramp leading from the main path of Skyhook leading up to Countdown's elevated level. This created a balanced choke to defend and push from, with enough cover and visual space to help against unexpected 3rd parties and have some engaging fights around.
I created a ramp leading from the main path of Skyhook leading up to Countdown's elevated level. This created a balanced choke to defend and push from, with enough cover and visual space to help against unexpected 3rd parties and have some engaging fights around.
Ramp (on left) leading from Skyhook to Countdown
Below are some images from my final blockouts of Countdown (the Big Fortress has already begun to be arted tho):