Level’s Main Areas:
     To ensure every area of Foray was balanced for all game modes, I took a lot of time designing the flow of each significant section of the level. From the paper concept of the level, I designated each area of the map to have a function based off my references. For example, there was the dirt dumping grounds, management offices/trailers, half-built car garage, and so on.

     This initial break up and real-world purpose for each section not only helped me make my level’s environment grounded in reality, but it also helped me plan out what kind of props would fit in each area. This knowledge allowed me to research more specific references for each area and decide how props could help shape and balance the area’s flow.

     I spent a lot of time messing with the terrain to make elevation and player navigation balanced and fun. Once all the core paths were laid out and scaled properly, I then began adding surrounding structures to contain each section. I of course tested frequently during these stages as it was crucial every area of the map had to be fair and support combat. As I frequently tested the map's lines of sight and navigation with bots and other players, I spent a lot of time adjusting/redesigning some areas in order to support the best possible PvP experience.

     Once the level was fully blockedout, I spent the following months polishing and arting-up the level to my best ability. As well as revisiting earlier work to improve them, and sometimes that was done by starting over since my experience with Radiant's tools had expanded significantly by this point. I adjusted placeholder colliders/clips and added Caulk textures to unseen surfaces. This helped to optimize the map's performance and ensure player traversal along the map was always smooth and nothing ever snagged the player's movement. 

     (You can watch TDM gameplay of Foray on the map's dedicated page on my portfolio)

Fill Dirt (Domination “A” flag point/initial Team Spawn)

     ​This area is the Black Ops team’s initial spawn for most game modes. Its layout revolved around teams being able to capture and hold “A” flag in Domination fairly. I also wanted the area to offer places for safe respawns during games through good use of concealed locations. Especially since this area acted as the Black Ops team's primary spawn in most gamemodes.


     ​The large dirt piles block lines of sight and dictates players’ navigation as this area is a pretty open section of the map. The dirt piles also tighten sights on some of the critical entrances to the area from certain vantage points. There are multiple ways into this area. No one-vantage point overlooks all the entrances encouraging teamwork to both defend and capture “A” flag, and allowing players to safely escape in case spawn trapping occurs in this section.

There are several ways players can enter/exit this area:
  1. Entrances from the Main Street
  2. Doors from the building linking to the Divide
  3. Car Garage

     The center dirt pile has a path carved out of its center. This creates a crucial vantage point that has sights on most entrances into the area, but leaves the player very exposed. It also adds a shortcut to the “A” Domination flag, opening the options for offensive and defensive capabilities. As well as opens up navigational options for the area in general.

     There is also a blue tent near the “A” flag used to store equipment and supplies. For gameplay purposes, this tent helps defending players protect themselves from enemy airborne Scorestreaks while still being able to tactically defend "A" flag. The blue tent also leads to an isolated pathway that curves around a large dirt pile. This isolated path not only acts as a safe respawn location, but is also a flanking route for players coming from the Car Garage to get to sights on the “A” flag from a less-open, but easily defendable path.

     Inside the blue tent are some openings in the tarps acting as the walls. This allows player to be able to defend the “A” flag strategically with sights on some of the main pathways to the flag-point. Blue Tent is a point of interest for incoming offensive players as defenders are usually taking cover in there.


Foundation (Domination “C” flag point, Initial Team Spawn)


​     ​Like the Fill Dirt section, the upper part of the Foundation area has a few dirt piles placed to form a rounded barrier around the “C” flag point in Domination.

     ​I originally had the “C” flag placed closer to Main Street in attempt to make both initial Team flags even distance from the center of the map. However, during early playtesting, “A” and “C” flags were too close to each other. It led to all 3 flag points lining up and most combat occurring on the Main Street. This is not what I wanted as it led to essentially one way of winning the map through a push/pull gameplay experience. This design made more skilled players usually being able to capture the 2 flags quickly and spawn trapping other other team.
 
     To fix this, I moved the “C” flag to the upper part of the Foundation area. It resulted in more balanced gameplay and flow by having players utilizing more spaces around the map. This was a result of having both "A" and "C" flags on opposite corners of the map. As well as having the CDP's initial team spawn now offer more direct routes to critical parts of the map such as the Divide, opening up player tactics at the beginning of Domination matches. However, I had to adjust the new "C" flag area so the CDP players could reach “B” flag and other intended areas of combat at the same time as the other team.

There are several ways players can enter this area:
  1. Dig Site
  2. Ramp from the Divide
  3. Lower foundation area (building, ramp, hole in wall)

    Players that take the hole shortcut from the lower foundations area have to jump-boost through it (making them visible on the radar/making noise), but players will have immediate sights on the “C” flag.

     To make that opening fairer for the defending team, I created a shed structure with sides high enough players can crouch behind for cover (lower-right structure on image above). Within the shed is a forklift further breaking up lines of sight and offering another object players can take cover behind. However, when players are watching the hole entrance, they are exposed from other directions.


Main Street/Bridge (Domination “B” Flag, Center of the Map)


     ​The bridge acts as the map’s center point of contact for teams to combat around and where the neutral “B” flag point in Domination is. It was crucial I balanced the navigation and lines of sight around this area as it not only held a very important objective point, but was also where the entire level flowed around.

     To encourage combat on the bridge but ensuring snipers couldn’t unfairly pick-off players from across the map, I curved the bridge and street. The curve on the bridge made placement of cars believable while also conveniently blocking the lines of sights for snipers. But to also allow snipers to have fun on the map, the street offers lines of sights to key areas of the bridge and opposite side of opposing team's street. This allows for engaging sniper/long-ranged combat, while also balancing it for other players of varying playstyles/loadouts.
Images above are lines of sights from the back of truck's bed creating tight lines of sights from Black Ops team's side of the Main Street to the CDP team's side.

     The placement of destruction and vehicles also designed a “V” shape funneling both team sides of the street towards the center of the bridge (where “B” flag point is located). This helped players that are both defending and pushing for the bridge to know exactly where enemy players can come from while also creating choke points. Players had to be cautious while fighting on the bridge as players can jump-boost onto the top of vehicles for shortcuts.
 
There are several ways players can enter this area:
  1. Black Ops Team side (Main Street and Hole in Wall)
  2. CDP Team side
  3. Destruction platform from Divide

     With the bridge’s destruction creating a pathway up to the bridge from the Divide, it allowed traversing the map much smoother and opened up gameplay options around the bridge. For example, it allowed players defending the “B” flag in Domination to quickly take cover under the bridge from Scorestreaks but have a direct route back up to the bridge quickly.
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     Across from the destruction platform is a flipped car leaning against the bridge’s fence where it acts as a ramp. Players can climb it and get a clear view down into the Divide and around the immediate area. However, players on top of the car are extremely exposed which balances the key lines of sights the vantage point offers. Players in the Divide can toss a well-thrown grenade over the bridge’s fence to clear enemies out too.

     ​From the destruction route, players have 2 paths to get onto the bridge, one facing the Black Ops’ side and the other facing the CDP’s side. It balanced players from immediately having sights on the “B” flag within a second of getting onto the bridge from the destruction route. This layout also further supported the “V” shaped choke points I initially designed for the bridge.

     I wanted the center of the bridge (and “B” flag point) to be concealed by lines of sight from down the road and surrounding structures/vantage points. This way players had to be on the bridge to successfully hold control of it. Forcing defending players to be exposed a little and use the cover points on the bridge to successfully maintain control of the “B” flag. This was to help reduce matches from being sitting-games where campers benefited while opposing players desperately tried to capture objectives.

     With the game’s futuristic abilities, players could get on top of vehicles I placed and get unintentional lines of sights on players. Forcing me to adjust some of the placement of vehicles and the types of vehicles as some vans and trucks gave players more of a vantage point over a regular car.

     ​I also had to get clever with the usage of destruction and debris to cover up unfair lines of sights players got when they prone under cars. I tried to have the line of sight blockers look believable and not out of place. Based on testing and after much reiteration, the bridge’s lines of sights are very tight and balanced.


Large Crane (SnD Bombsite “A”):


​     ​Designed to act as the stronghold for the offensive team on Demolition, this area has entrances to the two paths leading to Bombsite “A” in Demolition. It offers a half-built structure that the surrounding space wraps around to create a circular flow. This area has the base of the large crane players can see above the map from almost anywhere on the map. It acts as a nice visual marker for players to orient their current location (players cannot climb the crane or its base).

     Players can jump-boost into the building's 2nd floor where openings in the walls offering players different vantage points. One window has sights into the Demolition choke point and another window's opening looks onto the part of the Bridge and through the CPD’s Bridge vantage point. Both these vantage points offer longer-ranged combat scenarios. However, the building’s layout has openings that help restrict players from camping in this building (as some players did in some playtest sessions).
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     The building is missing parts of its roof over the vantage point covering the bridge allowing Scorestreaks and well tossed equipment to kill pesky campers there. There are also holes for vents so advancing players can toss flash bangs and/or grenades into the building before entering.

     To further restrict players from camping and constantly controlling this area in TDM, I created multiple ways for players to infiltrate the area and flush out hardcore campers:
  1. Main Street (Hole in the Wall from bridge)
  2. Ramp from the Divide/critical path to Demolition “A” bombsite
  3. Flanking route for Demolition/SnD “A” bombsite 
     ​As the “A” bombsite for SnD is located on flanking path near this area, the building acts a nice spot to try and pick off offensive players, but forces players on defense to leave the comfort of the build to get sights on/advance towards to “A” bombsite. I like objective layouts for game modes like SnD where defender players have to use tactics and can’t just camp in a corner to pick off opposing players to win. 


Car Garage (SnD Bombsite “B”):


     ​The Car Garage (which is the most built structure in the level) acts as a visual landmark for players around the map since its 3 stories tall. The Car Garage is a close-quartered space that offers different styles of play as the rest of the level is outdoors/spaced out. The darker interiors of a half-built Car Garage would prove to be a great space for me to get some experience with Radiant’s lighting and texturing in different lights, as well as provide a stand-out area on the level.


The balanced ways players can enter the garage:
  1. Black Ops Team side
  2. CDP Team side (+ side entrance for flanking)
  3. Divide Entrance

     I spent a lot of time designing and balancing the interior of the Car Garage. I knew I wanted an entrance from each Team’s side that connected to a main ramp that led down to the Divide. I eventually designed the interior to be symmetrical down the center. The center path is a 2-lane ramp and on the sides are the Team entrances. With large walls wrapping around the side entrances creating a half-circle pathway, it successfully blocks lines of sights and balances navigation/choke points in the garage. This restricts players from unfairly killing opponents before they can even enter the car garage, as well as helps reduce players from successfully camping the car garage and slowing the map's flow.

     It took a lot of time balancing/tightening the lines of sight from all the entrances to other parts of the car garage. For example, at first, players could sit on one side of the Car Garage and see across right through the opposite team’s entrance, which was bad.


     I turned the Car Garage slightly at a 45-degree angle to restrict lines of sights from the garage’s center ramp to see through to the pathways under and on-top of the bridge. Previously snipers could kill players from an unfair distance away under the bridge's underpass to the garage’s main ramp (and vice versa).
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     To fix the unfair lines of sights and critical corners players camped in, I placed varying props that fit the car garage setting. This not only tightened lines of sights, but also tightened player navigation. For example, I placed large utility lights in the corners that had sights on key paths in the garage, restricting players from corner camping in a corner near a critical path.

     I also placed construction crates, pallets, and other props to offer cover positions and block lines of sights. With designated areas for cover and defending points, it made navigating the Car Garage much less of a coin-flip of where enemies could be and allowed skilled players to clear halls one at a time as they progress through the structure without looking the wrong way and getting shot in the back. Which is something that really frustrates me as a player.

     At the top of the car garage ramp there is a utility truck placed at a 45-degree angle. It created nice cover while having key vantage points around the Car Garage. Despite having various directions that could counter camping around the truck, more skilled players who camped the truck had control of the garage, slowing down the map’s pace on TDM. To fix this, I opened the roof above the truck to allow Scorestreaks to be able to take out/scatter campers in the crucial part of the garage. The removal of the roofs above not only helped gameplay, but fit nicely with the construction aesthetic. Which is fantastic!

     The “B” Bombsite for SnD is placed against the utility truck at the top of the ramp as it is a center point of the car garage. The tight, darker corridors of the garage’s interior emphasizes the nerve-racking tension that SnD offers. With this area being a crucial spot for SnD, I had to make sure each line of sight was extremely balanced, which playtests have proven to be true for the garage’s current state.
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Dig Site (Demolition Bombsite “A”):


     ​In Demolition, bombsite “A” is located in a hole (a dig site preparing a foundation for construction). The offensive team has 2 direct paths to the bombsite originating from the Large Crane section. Both teams have access to the alternate route that wraps around from the Divide to flank the opposing team if they don't have someone watching their backs. 


     This area is designed for offense vs defense combat in Demolition as the bombsite is in a half-crest structure allowing a skilled defensive team to plant themselves in the bomb’s location and push the offense back. The offensive team uses flanking routes to combat the defense team from behind/different angles. Since the Defensive team usually respawns in the lower foundation area (which is fairly close to the bombsite), it balances the major pushes the offensive teams can make as the area's design tests each team's ability to successful control and hold the area until the objective is done. 
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There are 2 entry ways into this area:
  1. Offensive Team side (with Divide flanking route)
  2. Defensive Team side

     Along with the dig site hole, props played a large role in defining the flow and points of cover in this area. There is a long blue tent for players to take cover in but can’t climb on-top of. There is a small crane structure (between “A” bombsite and blue tent in picture above) surrounded by construction equipment that restrict players from climbing over the crane. This design also creates a “T” structure that emphasizes tight lines of sights for both teams on both sides of the area (as it is symmetrical).
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     ​A crate hanging from the small crane blocks lines of sights from different angles but opens lines of sights from others. This helps dictate placement of the players on both sides for unique engagement tactics and not allowing one spot to see everything.
 
     With this section being on the outskirts of the map and one of the furthest points from the center of the map (where most of combat occurs), this area proves to be a safe spot for respawns as little combat occurs when there is no objective to be fought over.


Management Trailers (Demolition Bombsite “B”):


     ​Dedicating this area to be the Management Office section, I created and placed big office-style trailers on the outskirts of this area to help enforce the corner piece flow to the area. The porch areas outside the front of each office trailer also offers some nice cover for advancing players coming from the Car Garage’s main entrance/exit.


     ​Having this area hold the “B” bombsite for Demolition, I needed to make sure the defense had places to set up their defenses and the offense had chokepoints to push through while the area still supported engaging combat in other game modes. I placed a fenced off space in the center of the area to create a game space that naturally flowed in a circle no matter which entrance the player came through from. Although players can't enter the fenced off area or shoot through it, the use of the fence texture and props within allows players to see through the other side for tactical enemy position call-outs.

     There is a truck container players can get into that offers a slightly covered vantage point facing the entrance from the Car Garage. However, the truck is exposed from behind the vantage point and to the side of truck, allowing players willing to traverse on the Main Street to sneak up on any players held up in the truck from 2 different locations.
​This is the view from the truck container’s vantage point
(truck container left) Rear of the truck is open, as well as the wall behind the vantage point window, allowing players to clear players out of the truck through flanking routes

There are several ways for players to infiltrate this area:
  1. Main Street
  2. Car Garage (and side entrance)
  3. Side area connecting to the Divide
  4. Truck Container (to show its line of sights + entrances)

     Originally, I planned on having the "B" bombsite for Demolition be in side area (3 in image above). However, as I further developed and built this section, I found this space was too tight quartered for teams to fight over a timed-objective in. I moved the "B" bomb to the outer section by the office trailers where it suited offense vs defense gameplay better. This removal of the objective in the side area also helped me design that area to be an alternate route to the divide, main street, and the office trailers better. Allowing me to create a tighter space meant for tactical traversing rather than objective control, which worked out very well.

     Thank you for reading. If you want to find out more about my level design thought process, feel free to contact me. You can find my contact info and Foray's page on My Portfolio. On Foray's page, you can find links to downloading the map and playing it for yourself.
CDP side of Main Street (left = Lower Foundations, right = Management Offices)
Hole in the wall leads to Main Street from Large Crane area (left = building with missing roof)