Blog #20
Blog #20 – Designing a Competitive Multiplayer Map: Balancing Flow, Readability, and Modular Workflows
As I hit my twentieth blog post, I wanted to highlight a project that represents the culmination of many of the design principles I’ve been refining throughout this portfolio. This 6v6 multiplayer map isn’t just a blockout—it's a focused exercise in spatial design, combat flow, modular construction, and gameplay-first thinking.
Whether you’re designing a Domination map for a traditional shooter or a POI for a battle royale, the fundamentals don’t change: clarity, pacing, player agency, and performance-aware structure.
Design Goals
This map was built with the intention of feeling competitive and grounded—structured like something that could drop into a AAA shooter on day one. My primary goals were:
Fast engagement pacing
Clean three-lane structure with strategic flank routes
Use of verticality for tactical control and line-of-sight variance
Balanced timing between spawn points and objectives
From the start, I approached the layout as a living combat space—constantly thinking about player choice, rhythm, and the decision-making loops that emerge mid-match.
Modular Construction in Unreal Engine 5
Every element in the level was constructed using UE5’s Modeling Tools with modularity in mind. I focused on:
Reusable walls, floors, railings, and cover elements
Rapid iteration and scalable design
Blueprint-driven prototyping for scripted gameplay interactions
This workflow reflects how real production pipelines operate, allowing design to move in parallel with environment art and technical systems.
Gameplay Metrics and Real Testing
To avoid guesswork, I playtested the map using a player character running at 1.5x UE5 default movement speed, simulating the tempo of a fast-paced FPS. Here’s what I tracked:
Spawn to Domination A/C flag: ~7 seconds
Spawn to mid-map (B point): ~15 seconds
Full spawn-to-spawn traversal: ~25 seconds
These timings shaped the map’s scale, cover placement, and lane spacing. Every route, flank, and vertical shift was measured to ensure fair engagements and rewarding rotations.
Readability & Atmosphere
Even in a blockmesh state, readability was a priority. I used:
Architectural silhouettes to anchor spatial awareness
Lighting and color contrast to highlight traversal routes
Landmark props and roof variations for navigation memory
Basic Niagara effects were added to simulate environmental feedback and further reinforce orientation and atmosphere—without overwhelming the space.
Why This Map Matters
This project demonstrates what I believe strong multiplayer level design should be:
Grounded in systems and metrics
Built with modular, scalable tools
Tuned for gameplay first—visual polish second
Easy to read, hard to master
While the map takes stylistic cues from games like Call of Duty, the process behind it is just as relevant to Fortnite, Valorant, or any combat-heavy multiplayer title. It’s a level designed with intention, data, and player experience at its core.
Final Thoughts
Reaching this 20th blog post felt like a checkpoint—not just in number, but in clarity. I can now look at a level and break it down by pacing, shape language, systems impact, and readability. That’s not something I could’ve done ten blogs ago.
This map reflects the skills I’m ready to bring to a professional team—whether it’s scripting, blockmesh, metrics, or gameplay logic. It’s not the flashiest map I’ve built, but it’s one of the strongest foundations I’ve ever laid.
Thanks for reading.
Feel free to check out the project page here, or reach out if you’re a recruiter, designer, or dev who’d like to talk shop.
On to the next one.
—Greg
