First Person Shooter

Palmara

Introduction

Palmara is a multiplayer capture-point level inspired by modes from Call of Duty, created to help me practice and grow my understanding of competitive level design. My goal was to build a clear and balanced space that supports smooth player flow, easy rotations between objectives, and interesting tactical decisions.

Through this project, I focused on how spawn placement, sightlines, and layout shape player choices and the overall match experience.

Project details

Developed in 3 weeks
Unreal Engine 5
Level Design
Blockout
Layout Iteration
Spawn Placement & Balancing
Sightline Planning
Combat Space Design
Player Flow Design
Asset used: ...

Pre-Production

Trello notes

First 2D plan

First 2D plan

(blockout)

During pre-production, I created a 2D layout to define the overall structure of the map, using color coding to break down objectives, routes, sightlines, and key gameplay spaces. I kept visual notes on essential multiplayer design elements and used a task board to organize priorities, helping establish a clear plan for iteration and implementation before moving into the engine.

Paper Design to Final Level

Final

Blockout Process

During the blockout phase, I worked iteratively with a focus on player flow, clear objectives, and balanced engagements. I ran regular playtests to adjust routes, sightlines, and spawn areas, improving pacing and fairness over time. My goal was to build a clear and cohesive layout that supports different combat situations and encourages smooth gameplay.

1. Overview

Left lane overview

Defined lane with a strong chokepoint
Supports flanking routes
Mixed indoor/outdoor cover
Balanced sightlines

Walkthrough

Middle lane overview

Central “no man’s land” with capture point B
High-risk, high-intensity engagements
Supports aggressive rush playstyles
Multiple paths with varied cover

Right lane overview

Strong sniper vantage point
Multiple flanking routes
Indoor and outdoor cover variety
Long sightlines for ranged play

2. Corridors

Gameplay & Flow Design

Designed to support a wide range of player playstyles
Balanced lane design for varied combat scenarios
Multiple alternative paths leading to key objectives

Layout encourages natural and intuitive player flow
Openings promote dynamic and unpredictable engagements
Verticality used to shape and control sightlines

3. Objective routes

Spawn A to point B

Spawn C to point B

Equal travel time from both spawns to capture point B
Ensures fair and balanced objective access
Prevents early positional advantage
Supports competitive gameplay integrity

Spawn A to point A

Spawn C to point C

Equal travel time to nearby capture points
Reinforces fair early-game positioning
Establishes consistent match pacing

Spawn A to point C

Spawn C to point A

Balanced travel time to opposing objectives
Refined through iterative playtesting
Supports fair decision-making across routes

4. Combat spaces highlights

Covers

Capture points

Entries

Verticalities

Level Design Techniques

Combat ranges

By controlling combat ranges, a level can support different weapons, influence player behavior, and create dynamic engagements.

Player behaviours

Player behaviours focus on anticipating how players will move, fight, and make decisions, allowing the level to better support gameplay and strategy.

Cover types

Cover types define how players protect themselves during engagements, influencing positioning, survivability, and tactical decision-making. A mix of cover creates more dynamic and balanced combat.

Line of sight

Managing line of sight ensures players encounter threats and objectives as intended, balancing visibility, engagement distance, and tactical positioning.

Vantage point

Strategic vantage points create moments of control and tension, encouraging players to move thoughtfully and exploit height or visibility.

No Man’s Land

The No Man’s Land creates tension and strategic choices, forcing players to balance risk and reward while moving between objectives.

Chokepoints

Chokepoints guide player movement into narrow areas, creating intense combat moments while controlling engagement flow and rewarding tactical positioning.

Verticality

Vertical elements create dynamic gameplay by giving players elevated positions, ambush opportunities, and alternative routes.

Showcase

Closing Thoughts

Designing this map allowed me to apply and refine key level design techniques such as line of sight, cover types, chokepoints, verticality, and no man’s land, while deepening my understanding of how to guide player movement, create tension, and craft engaging combat experiences.

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