Blood Gulch
Blood Gulch was a smaller project, but it remains one of my favorites. Inspired by the original Halo map, its design captures the essence of classic gameplay while adapting it for a fresh capture-the-flag experience.
Blockmesh
This level was designed to stay as close to the original Blood Gulch map as possible while remaining within the project's constraints. To achieve this, the environment was intentionally left in a mostly untextured blockmesh style with simple landscapes, mimicking the look of older graphics.
Unlike the original Blood Gulch, which featured two bases, this map consists of four: Purple (players), Green, Red, and Blue. Each base is positioned at the end of a path, naturally guiding players toward their next objective. The enemy teams increase in difficulty as players progress.
Purple base is spawn, and this is the single-person team the player is on.
The Red team is the easiest to defeat, with its color signaling danger.
Green is slightly stronger and positioned uphill, making it harder to see. A single Green enemy is placed lower on the path, hinting to players that more threats are waiting above.
The Blue team is the most challenging and remains mostly hidden within its base. Enemies from Blue rarely venture outside, requiring players to search and follow the path to locate the final flag.
Blockmesh Playthrough
Below is a video walkthrough of the bases. The floorplans closely match those of the original Blood Gulch, with all bases except Blue featuring a second-floor rooftop area.
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Each base (except Blue) has a teleporter on its rooftop, with an additional teleporter placed at the center of the map—strategically located between the Red and Purple bases. This central teleporter provides an alternative movement option, sending players to a location that still carries risk but offers a quicker path to safety.
The flagposts are positioned in the very center of each base on the first floor. This placement aligns with player expectations, as it’s the first place they tend to check. Additionally, all walkways within the bases naturally lead to this location, making the flags easy to find. This mirrors their placement in the original game.
A new mechanic was added in the form of health pads. While not present in the original game, they were placed on the rooftops alongside the teleporters. The original Blood Gulch bases had black landing pads, but since this version does not include aircraft, that space was otherwise unused. The health pads balance the rooftop’s utility, making them both functional and easy to locate.
Landmines are scattered throughout the level. Though they may appear randomly placed, they are strategically positioned in high-traffic areas, affecting both players and NPCs. While no mines are directly on the paths, they fill much of the space in between—leading to the downfall of many playtesters.