COUNTER-STRIKE: GLOBAL OFFENSIVE
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PROJECT TEAM SIZE: Solo
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TIME PERIOD: 2015
The following are some of my CS:GO projects I worked on during my spare time in 2015.
A lot of the projects I worked on around this time period (~2014-2016) have unfortunately been lost or scrapped. Learning how to make professional and balanced maps for CS:GO is something that took a huge amount of time, and a lot of trial and error was part of the equation.
I watched countless tutorials and was part of the MapCore community (a Counter-Strike Level Design community), by discussing level design, taking part in playtests, where we played each other's levels and gave each other feedback.
Here's a screenshot of the program I used in my Steam library to create the levels, which shows the number of hours I have used the program. Some of these are probably away-from-keyboard time, but I think it at least says something about how dedicated and passionate I was (and still am, but just not with CS:GO).
FY_FOREST (2015)
fy_forest is a unique map for CS:GO, which was intended to challenge my abilities in designing and scripting. One of the key features of the map is the gameplay, which I scripted myself.
The game mode involves boxes of varying colors, each with different rarity levels, that spawn randomly around the map. These boxes contain different weapons, and players must compete to collect them.
To win the round, players must stand on the roof of the building and score points for their team.
One of the notable aspects of this project is the skybox, which I created using Terragen and then imported into CS:GO. Additionally, the distant trees visible in the background are 2D textures that I designed in Photoshop and then integrated into the game.
AIM_WAREHOUSE (2015)
Quite a simple, but balanced map because of its mirrored layout. The focus while making this map was to make sure the players do not get lost by having the color theme of the level different on opposite sides, and to make sure the sightlines, angles, and distances feel fair. Just made it for fun, and to practise using the Hammer Editor.
SKYBOX TUTORIAL (2015)
This high-rise building was part of a skybox tutorial I made for the MapCore community, which you can find here: https://www.mapcore.org/topic/19547-tutorial-make-your-own-skybox-for-csgo/
I made the high-rise building almost entirely out of .BSP's (Binary Space Partitioning) inside the Hammer Editor.
UNFINISHED LEVEL (2015)
This is a level I made and playtested together with the MapCore community a couple of times. I focused on getting the timings right for both teams (the time it takes for a team to reach key areas, and the time it takes to "rotate" to other areas). I analyzed other popular levels and wrote down their timings to get an idea of how long it should take. I also did my best to make sure sightlines and first engagement felt balanced and fun.
Even though it ended up being unfinished, it was a very valuable and learning experience.
