Old Habits Die Hard

Perpetuance is a 4v4 core map inspired by the Vex architecture found on Nessus in the game Destiny 2. Nessus is noticeably 100% controlled by the Vex. The entire planet has been converted into a Vex machine, much like Mercury. Unlike the burning surfaces of Mercury through, Nessus supports both plant life and wild life.

With Perpetuance I wanted to out perform the three maps that precede this one both in terms of art and play. I feel that with this map, I have delivered am experience that is not only enjoyable, but immersive as well.

Existence Eternal

The Vex have the ability to flow back and forth through time. They can not only time travel, but they can erase sections of time as well. Their power is great and poorly understood. Perpetuance plays around with that idea. The playspace is built around a series of Vex machines that both intrigue and intimidates. Players work their way through decaying architectures, around powerful machine and battle in and on the time beaten elements of the map.

I wanted to break away from my traditional way of doing Vex maps. Before, I stuck to very rigid geometry and relied solely on layers of right angles to represent the wear and tear of time. In Perpetuance I used softer angles and varying material depths to chisel away at the stone casing of the Vex machines. I imagined the effects of rain and abrasion on key spots in the structures. Just like in my other maps, once the machine works beneath are revealed, I focus on layering. Plate over plate, mesh over mesh, wiring and obscure devices all masked by a decaying unassuming concrete pillar or wall.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

I put a ton of focus on the gameplay of this map. I wanted players to consistently have a good time but i wanted to be able to enjoy the map in more than just a few ways. I embraced the asymmetry of this map and created a fully dynamic weapon set that varies depending on what game mode you play. The position of weapon pads change based on the game mode as well as what can be found on them. Several weapons were includes as homages to classic Destiny play. On Slayer, players have access to a Rocket Launcher that locks onto enemies and that is just one quirky element I feel helps tie it all together.

The Measure of all Living Things

Are there things I would have done differently? Of course. More detail, more detail, more detail and yeah, a more true Skybox. As it stands now though, those things are out of reach with current limitations. However I am never closed off to feedback. Be sure to leave your thoughts and comments and thanks for reading!

Trivia
(Something new I wanna try)

- The layout for the map actually features several direct references to the layout of the Templar's Well from Destiny.

- The Vex Time Gate used on the map is the same one that appears in the maps Gatelord and Timeframe.

- The 2x2 and 4x4 Vex Cubes on the map are the same as the ones that appear in Chronology and Timeframe.

- Because of how the coloring for the Skybox is setup, the sky actually turns more green over time and then becomes more blue again.