Veyras Ascent
First Person Multiplayer Level
Designed by Hunter McCormick
Inspired by Destiny and Halo
About Veyras Ascent
Gamemodes
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Team Slayer/Deathmatch
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Capture the Flag
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Domination/Control
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Free for all
Tools & Design Process
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Unreal Engine 5
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Procreate
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Fab - FPSGameStarterKit By: SB
Gameplay
Gameplay Clip
Pre-Production
References
For this level I drew inspiration from levels in the Halo and Destiny series, analyzing how each game approaches player flow, combat readability and spatial composition. From the Halo games, I studied the use of flank routes, power positions and verticality to better understand how map control and risk-reward are balanced. From Destiny, I focused on how their use of architectural orientation, cover placement to keep spaces readable during fast-paced combat.
To establish a distinct identity for the level, I introduced industrial pipe networks containing a glowing green substance, alongside a partially destroyed structure caused by the substances instability. These key features serve as both environmental storytelling and as visual landmarks, helping players orient themselves during combat.
Sketch
I began the level by creating rough sketches to establish its overall layout, flow, and player progression. Most of the initial design was retained, but I refined key elements to improve gameplay, such as adjusting a spawn point and replacing a platform with walkable terrain to give players more movement options. These sketches allowed me to plan verticality, sightlines, and cover placement before moving into blockout, ensuring the level was readable, engaging, and strategically interesting. Iterating on these early concepts helped guide the evolution of the level into a fully playable space while maintaining the clarity and intention of the original design.
Overview
3-D MAPS
Key Locations
Team 1 Spawn
Team 1’s spawn offers multiple immediate routes, including a nearby bridge, central structure, and longer interior path. A partially destroyed building near the spawn serves as a clear landmark, helping players quickly orient on respawn.
Cover placement reduces spawn pressure while encouraging movement into multiple areas of the map
Team 2 Spawn
Team 2’s spawn provides multiple routes, including a central path into the courtyard, a mountain path wrapping around the left-side building, and a longer interior route to the right. Green pipes along the left structure and courtyard act as a clear landmark for quick player orientation.
Cover placement reduces spawn pressure and encourages movement outward.
Team 1 Courtyard
Team 1’s courtyard functions as a decision point where players can apply pressure toward Team 2’s courtyard, the broken pipe, turret/bridge routes.
At the same time, it allows Team 2 to contest height and maintain an overlook on Team 1’s spawn, creating a dynamic risk–reward space for both teams.
Team 2 Courtyard
Team 2’s courtyard serves as an area where Team 2 can decide to apply pressure and push toward Team 1’s courtyard, broken pipe, turret/bridge sections of the map.
It also serves as an area where Team 1 can control height and have an overlook on Team 2’s spawn.
Broken Pipe
The Broken Pipes area provides cover for Team 1 players moving from their bridge and for players approaching from Team 2’s courtyard, while also serving as a key objective location.
It offers opportunities to flank in non-objective modes, supporting dynamic movement and strategic choices across the map.
Turret/Bridge
The Turret/Bridge area functions as a flank route for both teams and provides an opportunity to contest each team’s height advantage.
Its longer sightlines create a distinct type of engagement compared to other areas of the level, encouraging strategic positioning and long-range play.
Design Techniques
Lines of Sight
The environment was designed with intentional sightlines to support both long-range and close-quarters combat, allowing players to adapt their own strategies based on positioning, weapon choice, and engagement opportunities.
Cover Placement
Cover is carefully designed and positioned using environmental elements like boxes, pipes, and crates to provide meaningful protection while enabling controlled forward movement, supporting tactical decision-making and maintaining gameplay flow.
Spatial Design
Cover and structures were positioned to maintain continuous flow, eliminating “no man’s land” while creating meaningful risk-reward scenarios.
Key power positions are slightly more exposed, offering strategic advantages for players willing to trade safety for height or control.
Verticality
Sections of the map were designed with varying verticality to create multiple engagement heights and dynamic combat scenarios.
Elevated power positions near each team’s spawn provide tactical advantages, encouraging strategic decision-making and rewarding players who control the high ground.
Images
Level Iterations
Reflection
Hunter's Reflection
This project was developed during a particularly demanding period of my academic schedule, which required me to build the level over a longer timeframe than initially planned. While this slowed development, it ultimately became a strength of the process. Stepping away between iterations helped me to avoid becoming attached to early solutions and allowed me to revisit the level with a fresh perspective.
These breaks led to several meaningful changes, including adjustments to cover placement, scaling, and the most significant shift of redesigning the map from a symmetrical layout to an asymmetrical one. I set out to challenge myself to create an asymmetrical multiplayer map that remained fair and balanced for both teams.
One of the core challenges was maintaining balance without relying on a single central hotspot. Instead, I aimed to distribute engagement opportunities across the entire map, ensuring that no single area dominated play and that the whole space felt consistently active and contested. Another challenge was playtesting in a multiplayer environment. To gather feedback, I first built and tested a symmetrical version of the level in Battlefield 6, using player responses to inform layout and flow decisions. The asymmetrical version was then refined and validated through AI-driven testing in Unreal Engine 5.
Goal – The goal of this level was to design an arena-style multiplayer map that embraces controlled chaos while remaining readable and competitive. I focused on core multiplayer design principles such as spatial awareness, deliberate cover placement, verticality, landscaping, choke points, and carefully managed lines of sight to support constant player decision-making. The map was designed to feel at home within the Halo or Destiny universe, balancing fast-paced encounters with clear visual and gameplay structure.
Additionally, I placed a strong emphasis on environmental storytelling, using semi-futuristic elements and worldbuilding to create a space that feels grounded within a larger universe rather than a standalone arena.