2) Staging:
Staging replaced a small, no-named town at the bottom of the springs under the tracks with an elevated POI that incorporates the elevated train track that wraps around the space.
Using my Rising Walls and Small Fortress instances, I made this new POI that created new gameplay space in the corner against the cliff that worked well with and helped balance the area's existing elevation and train track geo. Allowing me to significantly change this part of the map within our schedule through smart designs and reuse.
This area has always been a high-traffic area, but was really prone to unexpected 3rd parties and could be tough to get out of fights safely with the drastic elevation and super open tracks. I wanted Staging to have more predictable fights with better frontlines to engage from, mainly between the Small Fortress across to the train tracks wrapping around the area for a really unique combat space.
Using my Rising Walls and Small Fortress instances, I made this new POI that created new gameplay space in the corner against the cliff that worked well with and helped balance the area's existing elevation and train track geo. Allowing me to significantly change this part of the map within our schedule through smart designs and reuse.
This area has always been a high-traffic area, but was really prone to unexpected 3rd parties and could be tough to get out of fights safely with the drastic elevation and super open tracks. I wanted Staging to have more predictable fights with better frontlines to engage from, mainly between the Small Fortress across to the train tracks wrapping around the area for a really unique combat space.
With the removal of the fan favorite Mirage Voy'age, Mirage's Town Takeover I designed for original World's Edge & MU1, I wanted to keep that area of the map interesting as a viable landing spot via with another named POI as the Mirage Voy'age helped connect this part of the map together better.
FYI: The Mirage Voy'age was removed due to memory limitations, not design choices :(
FYI: The Mirage Voy'age was removed due to memory limitations, not design choices :(
- Red Circle: Mirage Voy'age area needing replacement POI
- Green Circle: Staging's location
Below are some comparison shots of the area Staging replaces between World's Edge MU1 (left) and MU2 (right)
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Staging's Flow:
Similarly to Countdown's design, I wanted push/pull engagements along linear areas for more fair fights where squads would fight along the track, Small Fortress, and the Rising Walls for a well-connected circuit around the POI unique to this MU's designs. These designs worked really well for Apex's combat and sandbox.
I wanted players to fight across from the train tracks and Small Fortress so it was engaging for aggressive and defensive squads. Two Risible Walls connected the Small Fortress to the Tracks creating a "V" shaped flow. With the new open space to fight across, it made easier to see enemies coming and offer some cool medium range engagements as teams tried to close the gap between each other.
Similarly to Countdown's design, I wanted push/pull engagements along linear areas for more fair fights where squads would fight along the track, Small Fortress, and the Rising Walls for a well-connected circuit around the POI unique to this MU's designs. These designs worked really well for Apex's combat and sandbox.
I wanted players to fight across from the train tracks and Small Fortress so it was engaging for aggressive and defensive squads. Two Risible Walls connected the Small Fortress to the Tracks creating a "V" shaped flow. With the new open space to fight across, it made easier to see enemies coming and offer some cool medium range engagements as teams tried to close the gap between each other.
- Green Circle: POI's main looting areas
- Yellow Arrows: POI's main flow
For a quick way between the Small Fortress platform and Train Tracks, a zipline connects the 2 via a hanging train car on one of the cranes in Staging (pictured below). Allowing for some exposed, but quick pushes and escapes around the POI without losing the high-ground.
The hanging train car also acts as a defendable vantage point in the POI, drawing people from several angles to control as connects nicely along the tracks.
The hanging train car also acts as a defendable vantage point in the POI, drawing people from several angles to control as connects nicely along the tracks.
I designed the lower center of Staging to support quick escapes so players could drop from the elevated play-spaces of the POI to temporarily take cover under/around the structures and cover I've placed. This design allows more fair engagements between the 2 elevations than before as there is more open space, forcing squads to drop down or move around the elevated level to regain LoS on enemies before they can heal and potentially reset fights they were losing. Creating cool combat scenarios and repositioning plays.
I added 3 lootbins directly in the open of the lower center to encourage these kind of plays, as well as help players who need to scatter off hot drops and allow them to loot something on their way to regrouping with their teammates in the POI.
Vertical ziplines, staircases, and climbable rocks allow players to get back up to the high ground around the POI, balancing the elevation and routing for this POI so it is fair for engagements and repositioning plays.
I added 3 lootbins directly in the open of the lower center to encourage these kind of plays, as well as help players who need to scatter off hot drops and allow them to loot something on their way to regrouping with their teammates in the POI.
Vertical ziplines, staircases, and climbable rocks allow players to get back up to the high ground around the POI, balancing the elevation and routing for this POI so it is fair for engagements and repositioning plays.
With the moving train being removed from the map in this MU, I added static train cars, cover props, and lootbins onto the tracks around Staging. That way, Staging had a solid flow for looting and cover for interesting fights along the tracks and between the POI's 2 main positions (Small Fortress and train tracks).
Staging's positioning on the map makes for a frequently visited POI in most matches, it was crucial for Staging's design be balanced and able to support balanced fights between multiple squads at any stage of a match.
Despite Staging's smaller size compared to other POIs, its loot placement, flow, and LoS engagements create a visually open and predicable POI that seems to be viable for hot drops, mid-game looting, and intense final circle fights. Staging's design creates a solid, gameplay focused environment for Apex that blends it's new MU2 geo with World's Edge original, surrounding environment.
Staging's positioning on the map makes for a frequently visited POI in most matches, it was crucial for Staging's design be balanced and able to support balanced fights between multiple squads at any stage of a match.
Despite Staging's smaller size compared to other POIs, its loot placement, flow, and LoS engagements create a visually open and predicable POI that seems to be viable for hot drops, mid-game looting, and intense final circle fights. Staging's design creates a solid, gameplay focused environment for Apex that blends it's new MU2 geo with World's Edge original, surrounding environment.
Staging's New Routes:
With the addition of the new elevated areas against the cliffs in this area, I had to design the ways in and out of Staging with this new elevation so it connected smoothly with World's Edge original area (especially as I had to revert this area back to World's Edge original state with Mirage Voy'age gone).
On the North side of Staging, towards Train Yard and Countdown, I created a terrain ramp leading up to the new elevated area, creating better overall combat spaces in this area.
I also added a new zipline connecting the base of the new ramp to the train tracks for players to be able to get between the 2 elevations and get around this area better. As this was a problematic area before with the drastic elevations and the lack of routing here, I wanted to help reduce those frustrations.
I also added generous cover at the top of the zipline at the tracks, turning that edge into a defensive, more advantageous spot for squads to sit from before committing into Train Yard or the more exposed bridge leading into Staging.
With the addition of the new elevated areas against the cliffs in this area, I had to design the ways in and out of Staging with this new elevation so it connected smoothly with World's Edge original area (especially as I had to revert this area back to World's Edge original state with Mirage Voy'age gone).
On the North side of Staging, towards Train Yard and Countdown, I created a terrain ramp leading up to the new elevated area, creating better overall combat spaces in this area.
I also added a new zipline connecting the base of the new ramp to the train tracks for players to be able to get between the 2 elevations and get around this area better. As this was a problematic area before with the drastic elevations and the lack of routing here, I wanted to help reduce those frustrations.
I also added generous cover at the top of the zipline at the tracks, turning that edge into a defensive, more advantageous spot for squads to sit from before committing into Train Yard or the more exposed bridge leading into Staging.
On the South-East part of Staging, towards Harvester, I created another terrain ramp leading up to the opposite side of the Small Fortress' high-ground. I added another zipline connecting the base of this ramp to a small building area (pictured below), which was a common area for teams to go outside of Harvester.
New cover, ziplines, and cleaner separation of elevations helped the flow and combat clarity in this high-traffic area as well.
New cover, ziplines, and cleaner separation of elevations helped the flow and combat clarity in this high-traffic area as well.
