Image via Riot Games.
Many people have already tried Ascent, the latest map to join VALUATIONBut’s Rotation Not many people realize how much effort it takes to create such a detailed yet balanced map for a tactical shooter. In fact, it took Riot Games five years to develop Ascent for its general launch.
Ascent was one of the first maps the team put together for the game, according to Riot’s latest developer blog. It was also the map where the VALUATION The team developed and refined many of the core elements of the game that fans see today.
Ascent was the map that helped create the basis for VALUATION. Because of this, “the goal of this map was to create a traditional three-lane tactical experience,” according to Riot, while providing some variation with mechanical doors and breakable glass.
After creating a base idea, the team entered the Greybox phase. Riot built a rough model of the map on the engine, configured all the core elements of the game, added new elements, and then sent the testers to make sure each area of the map was satisfactory and error-free.
The blocking phase allowed Riot to figure out how to introduce a detailed choice of art and design, while increasing the way the map is developed. Certain areas of the map are accented with landmarks, such as various statues and murals that help players identify unique signs around the map.
This process generally takes approximately one year to complete. But since Ascent continued to evolve as the game took shape, Riot said it took five years to block the map’s final shape. Although it is a constantly changing landscape, Ascent has become another map that VALUATION Players can call home.
