Designing an Overwatch map [Update 1]
I have been working on an overwatch map since the start of 2020. I am trying to work on this project for a while now, but always not managed to finish it. I am trying to use my home quarantine time to complete as much as possible so that I can move on to some other projects haha!
I always love playing Overwatch and have been admiring how balancing the maps are, and how every map has different styles and strategies to play. I am designing a control map, which means both sides are identical that captures the center point until the team gets 100%.
Before the design phase, I always like to analyze first. I am trying to understand how control maps usually layout, as well as how some character are specifically can access to some areas, while others don't. Here are some maps I am currently analyzed, as well as some character classes I have come up with, to define some areas for some who can access versus can't. I have borrowed some top-down Overwatch maps from Reddit user, Deamon5550. Thanks for much for capturing these!
I define the classes into four types: Non Mobile(no abilities to move faster/jump higher), Semi Mobile (short range dash, short range jump) and Full Mobile (can fly, can wall climb, can teleport/dash, can jump high, fast movement, etc), alongside with their type (support/damage/tank) .Each class will be able to enter vs some area will be denied…It is generalizing how each areas will behavior and based on that, it will be useful for balancing areas which has too many high/lower areas , character specific areas…
Overwatch always have areas for different functions. Each lane has its shared area where both teams have to fight for it. Every room/area is set up differently for team fights, and teams have to use their team composition to fight for their victory. For the first analysis, I am trying to generalize the map and try to find how maps are set up normally in a control map. For the first map, I decided to analyze the Control Center map in Lijiang Tower. Control center is one of the first control maps. It has the characteristics of a standardized control map; therefore, it is a perfect case study for me. I have three different analyses for the map: Circulation (map flow), Cover (for classes), and choke points for each team.
For circulation, I am trying to understand how many routes and ways for teams to tackle the point, as well as how many areas do controls have to set up any team fights.
Generally, Each lane has its own team fight areas, where the middle lane usually has a pre-control point zone where the team generally meet. The other two lanes tend for semi-mobile and mobile heroes to go through the middle lane to “sandwich” the other team. They could potentially break out a fight as well if the enemies have the same idea.
For cover analysis, I am trying to see how many percentages for full covers and half covers for Control Center. Generally, full cover objects appeared often in every room, whereas half-covered objects are more spread out around the map. Climbable walls are specifically for some heroes, such as Genji, Hanzo, Mei, etc. to jump over the walls to outplay the enemy team strategically. I do see a lot of them are around the CP to give different gameplay strategies for players to choose from. It is an exciting analysis for me.
For choke points, I decided to add line of sights as one of the elements because of most of the time. Because if you are winning, you often want to control an area in order to keep enemies away from the CP. For that reason, People often spawn camp and taken a major room/area to make sure the enemy team to go through this particular room. I do think this map, Control Center, has only one or two areas where it is worth taking over because the areas are more wide open and have a bottleneck corridor before entering the CP.
I am trying to work on this project as often as possible until I am super exhausted. For next week, I focus on working inspiration for the map I am designing, as well as another analysis for an atypical control map. See you next week!