CLUB HOUSE MAP BUFF

Our Level Artists and Designers were asked, three years later, to revisit Clubhouse and bring it to new heights. They were pumped to step up to the plate, now armed with years of know-how and a series of advanced tools. Their mission was to improve the course of the map by fixing what forced Defenders into high-risk low-reward situations.

First, our Designers added a connector between the bedroom and the cash room to open up the flow of the map. Defenders can now move between buildings on the second floor without being forced to go outside. The objective locations were also targeted for balancing. The Designers added a staircase in the garage, subdivided the bar, added a bathroom to sneak past the bar, and removed some hatches on the rooftop so that players could circulate more freely.

Second, Designers monitored closely how the community adopted the map through the years with the arrival of new gadgets. It was essential to examine how players actually used the map to make sure it still “felt” like clubhouse when buffed. Our Designers wanted to honor the players’ progress and investments. Plus, it made them see their creations anew. For instance, when a Level Artist created a new staircase in the basement, a Level Designer mentioned that the community nicknamed the area “Blue Room.” The Artist played up the reference, adorning the wall with a navy banner and planted blue flares on the path that led to the staircase.

Lastly, the map buff was the perfect opportunity for the Artists to polish their initial work from three years ago; a rare treat. They reworked textures, diversified materials, dramatized the skydome, added lighting, and infused the map with the presence of unseen bikers.

As our first map buff, we look forward to watching you play on our Technical Server, and to collect your feedback on R6 Fix.