Tombstone CTF

Tombstone CTF is a custom game map I created for Fortnite / Epic Games. This project is a team based 4v4 capture the flag map, utilizing a graveyard theme. 

Tools Used

• Unreal Engine
• Fortnite Editor
• Inkarnate
• Photoshop
• Paint

Tombstone is a mirrored map. The goal here is to give as much balance and fairness as possible to each team. Creating an environment to draw out player skill.

Layout

-While building a mirrored map, defining features to easily distinguish team zones is extremely important. I went traditional with red vs green, where I was able to pair colored foliage with ambient lighting to create two distinct sides of the map. Each team has a flag in their cathedral and an altar in which to capture the opposing teams flag.

Spawn

-When players first spawn in, they spawn as a team inside their cathedral. From here, as the game progresses, the spawn options change. I have two different tiers of spawn points. The first being the most defensive where you will spawn close to the flag point inside the cathedral. This quickly changes if an enemy player is within a 10 yard radius or within line of sight of a spawn point. I do not want someone to instantly spawn behind an enemy or to be immediately killed upon revival. This also serves as a means of spawn protection as the second tier of spawn locations are further out from the cathedrals and are also subject to the 10 yard radius and line of sight rules.

Lanes

-Tombstone is a 3:4:2 lane map with each lane giving unique cover options to both approach and retreat. By changing the flag capture point to a non traditional location. I am requiring the players to use different lanes and movement patterns to complete the objective. This design choice creates more variability in play. I have also implemented high vs low lanes with favorable lines of sight/flanks.

Balance

-Gun balance on a medium sized map with both long and short lines of sight can be tricky. For this particular map I went with a medium range, high accuracy first shot rifle, with medium spread during continued fire. Secondly, a traditional short range shotgun with a higher damage profile than the rifle. Thirdly, a low damage, medium accuracy pistol. Through playtesting, I found that these options gave a good sense of strategic choice.

-Stats. In every starting kit, each player has limited health restoration. Non regenerating base shield, and non regenerating health. However, the over-shield is active. Permanent damage helps keep the pace of the game quick and prevents a campy playstyle from being as effective while defending as you cannot heal to full after every engagement. I also have a tracking mini map flag icon active at all times while holding a flag. While permanent damage keeps gameplay quick, it can be frustrating to be picked off from afar, hence the over-shield to allow safe approach and give some form of ongoing base defense to both sides.

-Item placement on Tombstone is planned in a way to open the entire map up to strong decisions that can impact the game. The items found around the map are not part of the base kit and have a 90 second respawn. Grenades and Slap Juice(sprint for 30 seconds.). In the middle of the map players can access either a sniper rifle or rocket launcher. This area is easily contested from all sides with multiple access points.

Design Problems

-In my first rough concept of this map I thought it would be awesome to have crypt-like tunnels leading in and out of the flag capture areas. I was SO wrong! This ended up creating an option that was extremely safe and quickly became the singular best option when leaving or approaching a flag room. I loved the crypt tunnel idea and didn't want to scrap it. I made a few changes to keep good gameplay flow and keep the idea. First, I rotated the tunnels ninety degrees and moved them towards the middle of the map away from the flag room, perpendicular to the main lanes. Then, I noticed there was no incentive to actually use the subterranean passageways aside from temporary cover. From there, I added a consumable that grants movement speed(slap juice) and could only be found inside the tunnels. I am highly pleased with this solution as players are both incentivized to occasionally head underground, and are not punished if they choose to ignore the sub lanes as the benefit is small.

To play this map copy the code(6595-7338-1483), enter it into the island finder.