Outline:
Once I had an idea of the player size compared to the environment, I began creating top-down map layouts in Google Drive to share ideas and concepts with my team.
Blockout:
With the outline created, I created a map blockout using our assets to visualize map spacing and if these props would visually fit the scene.
Production:
The lighting on the map was too dark, so I played around with the lighting settings and added neon lights around the map. After adjusting the lighting, the map felt too busy visually for a 1v1 arena, so I removed the additional props.
Lighting update:
The lighting was too dark for me and my lead, so I began asking my lead what vision they wanted for the environment as many sci-fi options I presented him weren't working, and we settled on a "Star Wars-like" visual with bright blues and white throughout the map.
Final version:
After playtesting the map, I changed the backdrop and the lighting to reflect the feedback I received and changed the materials on the map to draw less attention to the environment during combat.