FPS Level Design Analysis

For my analysis I played the High Ground: Death Match map from Halo 3. I chose this map because I felt it was great for a basic FPS multiplayer map. It has plenty of spaces to use to the player's advantage and offers plenty of means for a player to fight back.

Game Overview

The Mechanics:

• Basic Aim, Shoot, Crouch, Jump, and Pick-Up.

Players can use a scope on their weapon to zoom in and have better aim at their target.

Players use a blue crosshair to help them locate and keep their aim properly on a target.

There are various items and weapons scattered throughout the level that players can pick up and use.

• Can Melee an opponent if you run out of ammo.
• Grenade pick-ups within the level act as secondary weapons if you run out of ammo. The player can also throw a grande and other certain pick-up items.
• Can use a scope for when you're aiming your weapon, especially if you pick up a sniper rifle.
• Player can access two types of vehicles within the level to navigate and attack with: 
• Ghost, Mongoose

• Can pick up various weapons and items scattered around the level to use against an opponent.
• There are explosive "barrels" littered around the map as well which players can use to harm an opponent or flush them out of hiding.

Players can shoot these objects which will explode after taking so much damage. Very useful if an opponent happens to station themselves near a batch.

"BOOM!"

• Can access power-ups:
• Overshield- Acts as a timed shield cover on a player.

• Active Cammo- Makes the player invisible for a period of time.

The Game:

• Halo 3 is the third, and final, game in the Halo trilogy. Players take the role of Master Chief as he takes part in the fight against the Covenant, a group of human and alien races. It's a First-Person Shooter game that features a main story campaign and various options for multiplayer rounds.

Setting:

• An old UNSC base named High Ground,  near New Mombasa on Earth in the future.

Environment: 

• The environment is both man-made and organic. You start in a UNSC base, with an additonal Bunker, and make your way outside into a nature-filled clearing. 
• Outside of the base, the playable area is surrounded with rocks, tunnels, tress, and a beach at a clearing. 
• The lighting is very warm and bright due to it taking place during the day. In the base however the lighting can be a little dark depending on where you navigate too.
• Advantages: The map gives players many opportunities to hide or ambush opponents due to the UNSC base's many rooms while the outside of the base has plenty of rocks and foliage that can be used as cover or a hiding spot.

Sections:

• Most of the portions of the map are very asymmetrical so a player needs to be aware of their surroundings.
• There are two main areas in the level map. The main area is the High Ground base. This section also includes a Bunker which players can use to hide or sneak up on another player.
•  The second area is the outside of the base where there's a bunch of trees, rocks, tunnels, and a portion of a beach.
• Some portions of the base area were good for for ambushing.
• There are two sniper nests located in the base.
• There's are two secret passages to use to move around the base.
• The largest part of the map is the outside of the base which has plenty of cover provided for the player in the form of rocks, trees, ledges, and tunnels.
• Advantages: UNSC base offers plenty of spaces to hide in or use as a means of ambush or quick navigation. It also has a few sniper nests for players to scope from. There are at least 2 hidden passages to also use, one of which is a part of the Bunker.
• The outside of the base is made of of mostly rocks, ledges, and foliage which can be used by the player as cover, for hiding, to jump on to gain footing to shoot an opponent or escape, etc.
• The map has plenty of items and weapons lying around everywhere. It also offers interaction with some of the environment. For example, players can get to a command module in the base to open it's main doors so they can ride out or into the base with a vehicle.
• Disadvantages: Due to how asymmetrical the map is, the player may have the map act against them in favor of the other player unless they know how to navigate it and use it.
• The map isn't as big as others so players may feel cornered depending on what section they're in.

Gameplay:

• The gameplay ranges from easy to difficult depending on the player's knowledge of the map. There are many places to hide to use as a vantage point to attack or ambush another player.
• Base and Bunker- Have multiple vantage points and levels players can use to attack or hide. 
• There's also a multitude of weapons and items to pick up. 
• There're a couple vehicles located in the Base as well which will give a player an advantage if they can make it to one without getting shot. 
• Two sniper nests can be found in the upper levels of the Base which can be used by the player to have the high ground advantage.
• Advantages: Many areas that players can use to ambush, hide, or attack. Plenty of weapons and items to pick up through this section.
• Disadvantages: If a player doesn't know the layout of the map it may harm their chances of winning if the other player is much more experienced playing through said map. 
• Players may find themselves cornered in a room in this section if they're not careful.
• Outside Base- Offers multiple rocks and foliage to take cover or use to jump on.
• There's a portion of ledges players can jump onto to take cover or get away from an opponent.
• There are two tunnels located on each side of this section that players can run through. In each tunnel there're multiple items/weapons to pick up and at least one tunnel has the Active Cammo power-up to use.
• Advantages: Plenty of rocks and foliage to use as cover.
• Also great for jumping on top of rocks to avoid other players.
• The ledges offer players the chance to get to higher ground and shoot at any players below them. Also leads to a power up for the Overshield.
• There are two vehicles located near the beach. Players can use them if they manage to make it to them.
• Disadvantages: The terrain outside the base may be bothersome to navigate through due to the uneven playing ground.

• Overall: The level offers a very fun gameplay experience as there's so many points in the map that players can use to their advantage and strategize their attacks.

Level Map