Blockout - Counter-Strike 2

The goal was to design a new level for a pre-existing shooter game.

I choose Counter-Strike 2.

The Process

The analysis

Bomb Defusal map

To create a level that could fit into Counter-Strike 2, I had to first choose the game mode I wanted to focus on, for which I chose the Bomb defusal map, and then study its level design.

Popular Maps

I wanted to know more about how the popular maps, such as Dust and Inferno, were structured, so I played the game with a more critical focus and made sketches of the levels after playing. After that, I compared my drawings with the actual level layouts of those maps and analysed their structure.

Line Layout

After the analysis, I started planning the level.

Theme Selection

First, I decided on the theme for the level: an industrial setting, taking place in a lab or research facility.

Line Layout

Secondly, I sketched a Line Layout on paper to have a rough overview of the map flow, chokepoints, and objectives. I wanted the players to always have options and different paths to take, allowing for different ways to access certain areas and strategic decision-making.

Spawn points & Bomb Sites

I placed the T (Terrorist) and CT (Counter-Terrorists) spawn points on opposite sides of the map, and the Bomb Sites (A and B) closer to the CT spawn point (one to the left and one to the right of it).

The decision to make the bomb sites closer to the CT spawn point was due to the analysis of existing maps. The CT must arrive at the chokepoints a few seconds earlier to defend them, but not enough to give an advantage to either side.

2D Level Layout

Once inside Photoshop, I started the process of creating the 2D level layout, a top-down view of the level.

Metrics and Verticality

I based my metrics on the player's height and their size while crouched to figure out the level's elevation. To allow for different playstyles, I gave the level a variety of heights, from close-quarter battle areas to sniper alleys that players can use to their advantage.

Cover

I planned where the covers would be placed, taking into account the type of cover (hard, soft, low).

I gave priority to low cover, compared to hard cover, to allow for a less static gameplay, forcing players to be constantly on the move, crouching and shooting.

In areas where the player was already at an advantage due to positioning (for example, because of being on higher ground), I placed a soft cover to give a risk/reward situation where going there might be good, but dangerous.

Balance

Ensure that both teams have equal opportunities to play effectively and achieve their objectives.

Caters to various playing styles (sniping, close quarter battles, stealth) - Does the map support various playing styles? Which areas are sniper alleys and which areas are for close quarter combat?

Chokepoints

Design areas where the attacking team must break through, creating strategic engagements and balancing the game.