Level designer | Multiplayer, First-Person Shooter| Unreal 3
AMERICA'S ARMY: PROVING Grounds
SUMMARY
America's Army: Proving Grounds is a multiplayer first-person shooter developed in Unreal 3 by Army Game Studio and released October 1, 2015. I was placed on this title for a few months to develop levels, which are unreleased to date.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
I was tasked to create two new levels with the parameters:
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Accommodate 8v8 play for PS4
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Re-use assets from two other existing maps
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Sized similarly to two other (different) existing maps
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From that instruction, I proceeded to develop the maps from concept to whitebox by starting with research, then drawing out topdown paper versions of the maps, followed by building in Unreal 3, all while checking in with my lead and the related artist throughout the process. Before I was pulled off to work on other projects, I completed my task of developing two playable whitebox levels, which I named "Monologue" and "Penitentiary."
MONOLOGUE
(VIP)
WALKTHROUGH VIDEO
"Monologue" is a map with the VIP game mode, meaning that the defending team's goal is to protect and escort one of the players on their team (the VIP) to a designated spot. In turn, the attacking team's goal is to prevent the VIP from reaching that spot by either eliminating the other team or the VIP themselves.
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For this map, I started with researching the base game's other VIP maps and drawing aesthetic, map size, and gameplay flow references from them. As I brainstormed concepts, I came up with the plan to make this first map an under-construction/abandoned small theater and courtyard.
PAPER MAP DESIGN
Throughout the development of this map, I kept in mind player size and fall damage, adjusting spacing and heights accordingly. For example, in the walkthrough video, there are a number of player models scattered throughout the space as reference to ensure that sizes of things like door openings and hallway widths were appropriate.
UNIQUE LEVEL BITS
Because AAPG has features such as climbable ladders, breakable windows, and brutal fall damage, I wanted to utilize gameplay around that in this map.
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Some of the unique player traversals I put into this map were:
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Wooden scaffolding path on top of pillars
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Rooftop access at multiple points via ladders, stairs, or plank bridges
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New paths accessible by breaking windows (building-to-building or rooftop-to-ground)
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A "hiding in plain sight" monument where a player could pretend to be a statue
3D Topdown of Monologue Whitebox
Overhead view from Defenders spawnpoint
Inside back room of theater
Overhead view from Attackers spawnpoint
"Hiding in plain sight" monument
PENITENTIARY
(C4)
WALKTHROUGH VIDEO
"Penitentiary" is a map with the C4 game mode, meaning that the attacking team's goal is to pick up and plant a bomb (C4) at a designated spot. In turn, the defending team's goal is to prevent the bomb from going off by either disarming it after it has been placed or by eliminating the other team.
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As with the previous map, I started with research into the C4 game mode and the relevant maps before putting pen to paper. The environment artist I was working with was focused on another in-progress level, which gave me the idea for this second map: an old prison moonlighting as a way into a secret underground facility (the setting of the map the artist was working on).
PAPER MAP DESIGN
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Because I wanted to tie in the conclusion of this map to the beginning of another map in AAPG, I had some extra preparation and constraints to work with. I spoke often with the environment artist, swapping ideas and discussing specs for our respective maps.
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I started with taking note of the dimensions of the other map, particularly where I wanted the two maps to meet. With that section of the map decided, I built out the rest of the map from there so that it better represented my vision, taking inspiration from spaces like the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco.
UNIQUE LEVEL BITS
3D Topdown of Penitentiary Whitebox
With the "plant the bomb" nature of this level, I had to consider player options and flow that would be fun to play while making sense in the context of the space. I decided to have two plant sites that players could choose between. Players focusing purely on the practicality of placement would have more than one option, while players who wanted a more narrative-driven choice could decide between planting a bomb at the underground exit door (to prevent trucks transporting shady materials from leaving) or at the facility entrance (to blast a way into the underground production center).
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To continue with my streak of including interesting bits to the level, I placed a few things that made this level unique in both gameplay and personality:
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A crawlspace that leads to upper and lower-level prone-position grates to shoot out of
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A two-way mirror in the foreman's office for interesting visibility
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Breaks in the ground outside that allowed light to seep into some of the underground areas
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Multiple pathways from different levels of verticality
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A small, secret gaming nook for workers guarding the facility door to hang out in
Inside the ground floor main prison area
Underground entrance from road
Sneaking in a bit of a tabletop gaming break
