Wild Assault Dev Log: Designing the Third Map (W.I.P.)!
The Third Map! 🗺️
What's up, Wild Ones!
Though it's still in its early design stage, in this episode we'd like to share with you what we've been working on for the third map in Wild Assault! We also want to collect your feedback on our designs and ideas. Let's make it happen together!
The Background 📖
[h2]Lore 📜[/h2]
As our attention shifts away from the Ricky Mountains, warfare over the Feral Relic intensifies at Crescent Bay, located along the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Beneath the waves, dark currents stir beside the coastline. The story begins here. Our valiants will join different factions in the complex terrain of Crescent Bay and engage in a battle of strength and strategy.
[h2]Design Concept 📏[/h2]
In order to offer various visual styles and gameplay experiences to our players, we designed the first three maps in Wild Assault based on different approaches. Operation Mojave and the Ricky Mountains were designed with a focus on freedom of gameplay and unique terrains, while our core concept for the third map is "multi-layer combat space."
"Multi-Layer Combat Space" 🤔
We use the term "multi-layer combat space" to define the core gameplay of our third map. Our goal is to create a complex combat area that combines natural landscapes and infrastructure, featuring multiple platforms, both interior & exterior spaces, and varying vertical height differences.
[h2]"The Maniac Arena" 🧐[/h2]
After making up our minds, we started to evaluate multiple designs through level whiteboxing. "What about setting the battle in a huge facility? That sounds cool!" However, after messing around with the white boxes, we found it's rather hard to realize the "multi-layer" design without twisting the reality. The finished level looks like a deathmatch battle arena designed by a war maniac instead of a well crafted defensive military facility.
("Maniac Arena" level whiteboxing project. For demonstration purposes only. Not a final version. IP belongs to Combat Cat Studio)
Hmm... Maybe our poor imagination limited us when creating a proper lore for the "Maniac Arena," but the concept of setting the battle in a huge facility does sound cool. Anyway, we decided to put a pin in it and see what happens! If you have great ideas for this project, please let us know in the comments!
[h2]Visually Differentiate the Priorities 💡🤓[/h2]
After further discussion on this very topic, we’ve decided to craft the third map using a combination of natural landscapes and man-made structures.
Originally posted by designerTo be more specific, we will use natural landscapes to create paths that connect different strategic locations and establish height differences. On the other hand, we will utilize man-made structures to efficiently create a core combat area with various attacking and defending routes, as well as multiple platforms in a limited space.
By intentionally arranging natural landscapes and man-made structures in different locations, we aim to visually differentiate the primary and secondary combat areas, making it easier for players to identify the type of combat area they are in, prioritize their goals (whether to push forward or prepare to capture a target), and make decisions accordingly. Additionally, by incorporating a nuance of visual noise, we hope to spice up the battle in an enjoyable way.
(Third map level whiteboxing project. For demonstration purposes only. Not a final version. IP belongs to Combat Cat Studio)
[h2]The Core Combat Area 🎯[/h2]
In order to create intense and immersive combat gameplay, we divided the core combat area into two strongholds. You and your team need to capture both strongholds to take full control of the area. This way, combat can spread throughout the entire strategic location.
Normally, teams that control either stronghold can counterbalance each other to some extent. However, as you can see in the demonstration, the two strongholds are on different levels, and there are no direct pathways between them. This means teams that control one stronghold cannot directly interfere with the other.
Through our design, the entire area can hopefully be utilized to a greater degree. We hope this design introduces more interesting uncertainty to your matches, further enhancing the variety of combat in this core area.
(Third map level whiteboxing project. For demonstration purposes only. Not a final version. IP belongs to Combat Cat Studio)
[h3]💡What do you think the final look of the core combat area will be? We’d love to see your ideas if you’re interested in sharing a sketch! 🎨[/h3]
What's Next 📋
We’re happy to let you know that even more maps are in the plan! We will continue to conduct bold experiments when designing these maps to provide you with all kinds of unique gameplay experiences. Throughout the entire process, we will also make sure to take note of your likes & dislikes, and adjust future development accordingly. 🫡
Combat Cat Studio
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