Capture the Flag: Metro Interitum

Level Overview:

Game Engine: UDK

Metro Interitum is a Capture the flag (CFT) Level with team-based gameplay; each team has a flag and the players attempt to retrieve the opposing team's flag to score. As CTF Levels are not focused solely on the 'killing' aspect, this level features more options for paths and must even follow some important rules to ensure there are enough options to successfully capture the flag. Metro Interitum features a Post-Apocalyptic Subway Station for 24 players, with each base (red and blue) supporting one side of the station and one line of the train. By capturing the other team's flag, the train line is activated and the train an additional hazard to the level.

Design Notes:

This Level was development by Pablo Ros and myself in a team. The name Metro Interitum came from the meaning of the word Interitum in Latin, which means “destruction”. We decided to create a 3-storied environment, with the first floor comprising the external area of the city, with the closed gates and the subway entrance, and the two subsequent floors being the subway station and the access to the train. We decided that the flags needed to be in the second floor of each station, and that from each side, the player should be able to see the other team's flag. For that, we opted to use a lot of glass materials and colours referencing the bases.

Development Rules:

Level Identification: identifying the level by identifying the goals of it and how those goals are being achieved;
Map Gameplay: designing a map that enhances the core gameplay and promotes the use of complex strategies by the players, various styles of gameplay and leverage core gameplay. The players can identify that we add all kind of things in the level, requiring that the player sometimes needs to cover, run, jump, crawl etc;
Hallways and Choices: One of the most critical rules for CTF Maps, we created at least 3 choices for the player to choose from, and between all of them, the hardest path to follow which contains the most conflict (the top outside area);
Rooms: We tried to create rooms that give to the player at least 3 paths leading in and approximately 3 or more ways to get out. But for some specific corridors, we decided to create a hard and one way path, that the player needed to chose if it was a better idea to take a short path, and be able to be attacked, or to get the long path with more options of path;
Creative twist: In our level what makes it different was the way that the trains are activated during the game. When captured the flag of the enemy, one of the trails and trains are activated, so the player needs to pay attention even more, to be able to cross the trail before be reached by the train. After took for the first time the enemy flag, the subway station will be always working on;
Points of conflict: The players can identify POC in the first outside floor, in which there is the most powerful weapon in the top area of the tree, that is only accessible using the futuristic hand elevator. Another POC area is in the glass bridges, since the player needs to be very strategical to cross it without being trapped;
Landmarks: besides the fact that we used lights with colours all the time, to help the player to identify where is his base, we also created two big structures using as Landmarks, with their respective colours, helping them to recognize their location.