Philippines Lyra Map

Level Design Case Study

This project is a multiplayer capture-point map built in Unreal Engine with the Lyra framework, inspired by Philippine architecture and environments. From initial node mapping through whiteboxing, playtesting, and refinement, I focused on balancing flow, cover, and verticality while keeping player enjoyment at the core.

Concept & Inspiration

The Lyra map was developed as a capture-point multiplayer level inspired by Overwatch’s location-driven design philosophy. My goal was to create a map rooted in a strong sense of place, using Philippine architecture and environments as the foundation. I wanted to combine two contrasting combat zones:

Town Square: A fountain-centered plaza surrounded by alleys, balconies, and layered vertical spaces.
Dockside Area: A coastal section with huts, jetties, and water traversal, offering a different pace of combat.

This approach gave the map environmental variety while staying thematically consistent.

Early Planning

I began with a node map to establish capture point placement and flow. To balance gameplay:

Capture points were evenly distributed.
Point C was pushed further from spawns to encourage risk–reward decision-making.
Feedback revealed concerns about choke points and camping, so I expanded pathing options with alleys and secondary routes.

Iteration & Whiteboxing

My first whitebox pass taught me important lessons about scale. The monument-to-town hall distance initially took 30 seconds to cross—far too long for satisfying engagements. I restarted at a tighter scale, allowing for more frequent combat while retaining open sightlines for snipers.

Throughout iterations I focused on:

Verticality: Balconies, rooftops, and jump pads created layered combat spaces.
Cover Variety: Markets, parks, trucks, benches, and boats all served as recognizable callout areas and strategic cover.
Player Guidance: Landmarks like the fountain, café, and park helped orient players and facilitated callouts.

Playtesting & Feedback Loops

Playtest 1

Positives: Players enjoyed the aesthetic theme, high ground, and variety of traversal options.
Issues: Spawn camping was a recurring problem (73% of players reported it). Resource placement felt clustered around spawns.

Response: Suspended spawns via helicopter drop pods, spread pickups across the map, and refined health/ammo balance.

Playtest 2

Spawn camping persisted (93% reported issues).
Assault rifle adjustments caused bugs, but melee changes were well-received.
Players asked for more cover and shorter routes to objectives.

Response: Added new mid-map spawns, increased cover objects, redesigned huts at the dock, and integrated a day–night cycle to guide player flow.

Playtest 3

Improvements: 71% of players no longer experienced spawn camping. Weapon balance was praised (100% approval for rifle fix).
Remaining Issues: Desire for more verticality, re-positioning of capture points, and better traversal in the water section.

Response: Relocated capture points to market areas and rooftops, added push pads for vertical combat, and distributed more cover along the dock.

Gameplay Refinements

As the level reached later stages, I shifted my playtesting approach. Early sessions with other designers produced valuable technical insights, but when I tested with non–game design students, the feedback was even more useful. These players weren’t dissecting the map’s structure—they were simply focused on what was fun. Their perspective helped me reframe my priorities: instead of overanalyzing design theory, I leaned into making the moment-to-moment gameplay exciting, varied, and enjoyable.

Explosive Barrels: I implemented destructible barrels that detonate after taking enough damage, dealing area-of-effect damage to anyone nearby—including teammates. This encouraged tactical play, risk–reward decision-making, and created memorable, chaotic moments during firefights.
Capture Point Adjustments: Based on feedback that objectives felt too exposed or too easy to defend, I repositioned capture points. One point was moved into the market to encourage use of that space, while another was elevated onto a rooftop bridge, creating layered combat and incentivizing players to fight across vertical spaces.
Hollowing Buildings: I reworked several previously “closed” structures to be explorable interiors, creating opportunities for close-quarters engagements. This design choice added a new vertical layer—ground floor to rooftop combat—and increased strategic depth by making interiors valuable strongholds rather than simple props. It also made the map feel more alive and believable, as buildings served both an aesthetic purpose and a gameplay function.
Cover Distribution: Trucks, statues, and barricades were placed throughout the map to break up long sightlines and reduce the risk of spawn camping. I deliberately varied cover height (e.g., crouch-only barriers vs. standing cover) to encourage diverse combat scenarios.
Traversal Enhancements: Push pads and jump pads were added to connect rooftops, speed up transitions across the dock, and enable fast re-entry from water. These changes amplified verticality, reduced downtime, and gave aggressive players new options for creative flanking.

Aesthetic & Technical Polish

Once gameplay balance was established, I shifted focus to world-building, performance optimization, and visual clarity to ensure the map felt immersive and professional.

Static Mesh Conversion: To optimize performance and reduce reliance on BSP brushes, I converted modular elements (markets, trees, props) into static meshes.
Environmental Storytelling: Props like café furniture, market stalls, and pickup trucks were integrated to make the world feel alive. These weren’t just decorative—they doubled as cover, traversal aids, and identifiable callout locations.
Material Pass: All major objects were given unified surface materials (MI_MS_Surface), with color accents used to differentiate areas and provide visual clarity for navigation.
Spawn Redesign: Spawn areas were rebuilt to fit the new cargo-container drop aesthetic, with expanded layouts so players could choose to exit onto rooftops or ground level.
Blocking Volumes & Invisible Walls: Collision boundaries were refined to match the new rooftop access and interior routes, preventing exploits while still encouraging creative movement.
Final Pass on Cover: Trees with hedge borders, rearranged windows, and interior redesigns for key buildings reinforced both aesthetics and gameplay balance.

Outcome

The Lyra map evolved through continuous iteration, playtesting, and problem-solving. Each stage refined player flow, improved balance, and enhanced the thematic feel of the Philippine-inspired environment. The final version balances strategic depth, environmental storytelling, and diverse playstyles, showcasing my ability to take a map from concept to polished, playable experience.