This is a custom map I created for Valve Newest Game Deadlock. I created project for more Studio 1 solo project a SCAD.
My goal for the project was to created a League of Legends "ARAM" style map within Deadlock.
This Level was created before the "Old Gods, New Blood" update that introduced the Game Mod "
Street Brawl" valve own take on "ARAM" or "All Random, All Mid".
Concept
The concept was to create a new level/map for Deadlock focusing on team fighting.
Taking inspiration from the game mode: All Random All Mid (ARAM) from League of Legends and creating a map within Deadlock that fits this game mode while keeping Valve's core design in tacked.
Taking inspiration from the game mode: All Random All Mid (ARAM) from League of Legends and creating a map within Deadlock that fits this game mode while keeping Valve's core design in tacked.
"Koeshin’s Crossing", League of Legends, by Riot games
Design
When it came time to begin designing and creating the map I wasn't sure whether I would have been able to make this map Actually playable within Deadlock. Since at the time of creation Deadlock was in closed beta access, and Valve hasn't released the official Source 2 modding tools. Luckily, I was able to find the community made modding tools for Deadlock, alongside an example map to get me started learning Source 2 and the Hammer Editor.
When I began designing the map I looked towards 1960s and 50s Chicago for inspiration for the map's initial layout and design. Especially taking initial inspiration from the elevated railways and platforms.
I knew from the beginning I needed to have monster camps and other side objectives within my map. Because Deadlock has a mechanic called “soul sharing”, what this does is the more players that are in a lane together the less each player will receive from killing troopers and player.
Trooper souls
100%/54%/36%/25%/20%/16% for 1/2/3/4/5/6 players
Hero kills
125%/57%/28%/17%/11%/8% for 1/2/3/4/5/6 players
*This is current souls sharing values or rate at the time of writing 2/4/2025
100%/54%/36%/25%/20%/16% for 1/2/3/4/5/6 players
Hero kills
125%/57%/28%/17%/11%/8% for 1/2/3/4/5/6 players
*This is current souls sharing values or rate at the time of writing 2/4/2025
So I designed side areas for monster camps and other side objectives prevent matches from taking too long due to players not being able to buy items at a reasonable pace.
After I created my map layout I created a golden path document to underline the key points i want my players to experience while playing map.
Golden Path
The players spawn in their respective spawn rooms.
Each player takes the zip line to the center of the map.
The teams begin to fight each other
Waves of troopers will spawn every minute and take the zip line to its current end location.
At 3 minutes small monster camps spawn, re-spawning after 4 minutes
At 5 minutes two random buffs spawn on the side of the map, re-spawning every 5 minutes
At 8 minutes medium and large monster camps and Sinner's Sacrifice spawns, re-spawning every 8 minutes
Both teams continue to fight each other until one team has destroyed the enemy team 2 gardens
Then they need to destroy enemies Walker.
Followed by the enemies 2 base gardens.
Then the enemies 2 shrines
Followed destroying the Patron 1st form
Then finally destroy the Patron
The 1st team who destroys the enemy team Patron wins
The players spawn in their respective spawn rooms.
Each player takes the zip line to the center of the map.
The teams begin to fight each other
Waves of troopers will spawn every minute and take the zip line to its current end location.
At 3 minutes small monster camps spawn, re-spawning after 4 minutes
At 5 minutes two random buffs spawn on the side of the map, re-spawning every 5 minutes
At 8 minutes medium and large monster camps and Sinner's Sacrifice spawns, re-spawning every 8 minutes
Both teams continue to fight each other until one team has destroyed the enemy team 2 gardens
Then they need to destroy enemies Walker.
Followed by the enemies 2 base gardens.
Then the enemies 2 shrines
Followed destroying the Patron 1st form
Then finally destroy the Patron
The 1st team who destroys the enemy team Patron wins
Production
When I began creating the map within Hammer, I quickly realized that there are no documentation or tutorials on creating maps for Deadlock. While I had an example map that did have examples of functioning game mechanics like monster camps and shops, it didn't explain how these systems work. So, through a lot of trial and error I was able to slowly figure out how Deadlock systems work, and how much control I had over them.
Play test and Feed Back
Once I was able to make a playable version of my map. I began play testing the map as much as possible to collect data and get feedback.
Here is a few examples of changes I made based on player feedback and play test data.
before
After
“You should add more verticality”
This was the most impactful feedback I got, because during my research I found that Valve doesn't experiment with verticality too much in the base Deadlock map. So, for my map it became something I really wanted to push and explore, and it became one of my core design pillar.
before
After
“Walkers are easier to kill than Lane Guardians.”
before
After
"Base Guardians are too exposed.”
Final Product
Looking back
Looking back at this project I'm super happy with how it turned out, but there as some things I definitely could have executed better. Studying and understanding Valve’s design philosophy would have helped this map, but with no documentation or articles about the design of Deadlock, I believe I did the best that I could. As of now, I’m pretty much done working on this map and while I learned a lot about Hammer and Deadlock’s systems from it, I made a lot of mistakes along the way. But one day in the future I will definitely come back to this project and remake this map the right way.