DM-SPACEMALL
DM-SPACEMALL is
DM-SPACEMALL
Unreal Tournament - Level for death match
Evolutionary Timeline
From greybox concepts to fully realized cinematic environments, our iterative process focused on refining spatial clarity.
Initial Concept
Focused on "The Great Descent" hub area. Spatial metrics were established for double-jump and dash mechanics.
Iteration: Lighting as Guide
Added 'Lure Lights'—soft celadon emitters placed near critical objectives. Reduced disorientation by 40%.
Final Polish
Environmental storytelling layers added. Ruins given "history" through unique asset placement and vertex painting.
Design Deep Dive
Environmental Guidance
Complex 360-degree navigation leads to backtracking.
Established 'The Weald Language'—slanting architecture points toward the next goal.
"Felt like the world was helping me without telling me what to do." — Playtester 04
Narrative Integration
Text-heavy logs were ignored by players.
Used 'Echo-Echo'—localized soundscapes triggered by specific architectural shapes.
Increased narrative engagement metrics by 120%.
Progression Design
New mechanics felt like 'keys' rather than 'tools'.
Designed 'Ability Arenas' where new tools solve environmental puzzles before combat.
Players mastered mechanics 3x faster than in initial builds.
Research & Inspiration
The aesthetic was born from researching high-end brutalist architecture fused with 1980s retro-futuristic malls. Technically, I analyzed classic UT maps like DM-Rankin and DM-Deck16 to understand how verticality was used not just for combat, but as a traversal tool.
Design Planning
Fast Traversal
Ensuring unobstructed paths to maintain momentum during high-speed chases.
Vertical Combat
Leveraging multiple elevations to create distinct height advantages and risks.
Balanced Distribution
Strategically placing weapons to avoid dead zones and encourage exploration.
Multiple Routes
Preventing bottlenecks by providing at least three exit points for every room.
Clear Landmarks
Using architectural focal points for instantaneous player orientation.
Continuous Encounters
Tightening the geometry to ensure players meet every 15-20 seconds.
Design Pillars
Fast traversal
Verticality
Movement flow
Leashing
Gameplay ingredients
Systemic Responsibilities
Level Design
- ▪Blockout and Greyboxing
- ▪Node map pathing optimization
- ▪Sightline and occlusion management
Gameplay Design
- ▪Weapon and item placement logic
- ▪Jump pad and lift physics tuning
- ▪Health/Shield pickup economy
Production
- ▪Continuous playtest coordination
- ▪Rapid iteration based on feedback
- ▪Performance profiling in UE4
Node Map Evolution
Observation
Central room was too large; players spent too much time searching.
Action
Added a second floor and four jump pads to bridge the vertical gap.
Optimization
Redistributed power-ups to fix central camping issues.
Validation
Flow confirmed via smoke tests; encounter rate hit 18-second target.
Level Breakdown
Center Arena
The primary focal point. Houses the Shield Belt. Highly exposed from all levels.
Cafeteria
Sightline breaks and tight corridors for close-quarters combat specialists.
Tech Room
Medium risk zone containing the Flak Cannon. Connects lower mall to main atrium.
Art Gallery
A long-range engagement zone designed for snipers and flanking maneuvers.
Spawn points
Spawning points are in front of each building
Playtesting & iteration Loop
Combat spaces felt cramped during high-mobility phases.
Increased arena ceiling height by 25% and removed low-profile clutter.
SUCCESS: +30% positive feedback on mobility.
Players didn't realize they could break specific stone barriers.
Added subtle 'vibrating light' effect to all destructible environmental assets.
SUCCESS: Zero players stuck at destructible gates.
Atmosphere felt "too dark" and depressing over long sessions.
Introduced 'Skybox Breathers'—pockets of blue sky and warm stone brown tones.
SUCCESS: Extended average play session by 15 mins.
Wanted to check if the map size was accurate for dead match
Playtested with a full lobby
The final deathmatch playtest produced closely matched kill ratios across players, demonstrating that the level layout effectively supported balanced gameplay, fair engagements, and equal opportunities for success.
Project Outcomes
Positive task completion
Users successfully completed the 'Obsidian Reach' level without using the mini-map.
What worked
- ●●Architectural silhouettes as landmarking.●
- ●Tonal contrast for objective highlighting.●
- ●Asymmetric layout design to prevent cognitive mapping fatigue.
Next steps
Applying these things to the next build for better optimization
Scale is relative because there isnt such things too big
Final Level Production
Reflection
What Worked
Movement Chains
Players naturally discovered infinite loops using wall dodges and jump pads.
Visual Orientation
The central spire served as a perfect North Star for navigating all sectors.
Weapon Pacing
Weapon density perfectly matched the speed of Unreal Tournament gameplay.