Maps & Environments In Killing Floor
From the start, Killing Floor has understood that Survival Horror is not just about the monsters you're fighting against, but also the environments where you fight them in. If your environment is not going to be as interesting as your Zeds, then your whole experience will be dull and boring.
In the first waves of the Killing Floor games, the battles take place in narrow city streets. By the end of the waves, the last battle can take place at a sprawling estate or mansion. Every single map (which can range from an urban ruin to a research facility) plays a huge role in determining how well a game will go.
The Killing Floor series offers many settings, such as urban ruins, research facilities and seasonal events spaces, however each and every one of these offer the same goal - Kill all the Zeds!
Each environment that the player finds themselves in serves as a support to the wave based combat system, and enhances the bleakness of the game.
In Killing Floor 1-3 there are many exclusive and new maps that players find out about as they master the gameplay. And every time that players play through the same map again and again things will change; players will learn what type of game they are playing.
Notably, every map has some trick that keeps players on their toes. For example, a doorway that felt safe in Wave 2 might suddenly become a death trap in Wave 7. Or a large open courtyard that appears to be open and exposed might become the only route to kite around in when the team falls apart.
The longer you spend in a single map area, the clearer it becomes that each aspect of the map serves a specific purpose. Nothing there is present just for the sake of it. The maps are designed to encourage team-based play, strategic thinking, and tension.
Urban Ruin Maps: Creating Tension in Constricted Spaces
The Urban Ruins are one example of the original identity of this franchise, and show how a small area can be turned into a continuous pressure point.
A good example of this would be West London; the very tight, narrow streets and corridors of which provide constant pressure for the player. While the player is fighting and dodging Zeds, they are constantly moving from apartment to pub, etc.
Burning Paris takes this model further. In contrast to the narrower streets of the previous map, the streets of Burning Paris are generally larger and the roofs give additional elevation, however the danger is always present. With fire-lit skies and shattered storefronts creating long sightlines that tend to favor Sharpshooters and Commandos, at the same time, side rooms and debris reduce your ability to escape.
As such, urban maps require a fine balance between aggression and caution as pushing too far out into an open area allows ranged Zeds to take control and retreating into a hallway too quickly can have your entire squad cornered by Fleshpounds.
Trader Pod placement provides another layer of complexity to urban areas. When the Trader Pod spawns at a random location throughout the map, the team must rush between cleared sections of the street during the transition between waves. This creates a new rhythm, which breaks the hold pattern, and causes teams to relocate.
Urban spaces seem to come to life because you're always on the move, even when you've found a comfortable position such as a preferred stairwell, you still know that the map will eventually force you to move again.
Another key component of urban ruins is the use of sound. The echoes of gunfire, distant screams, and the metallic grinding of doors under pressure add to the feeling of confinement in each encounter. Urban ruin maps rely on this sense of compression. There is little space to maneuver and mistakes are likely to remain for some time.
Industrial Facilities: Structure and Control
Industrial & Laboratory Maps have a very distinct style from other maps. The Biotics lab is modern, clean, angular & intentional.
Corridors are long & testing areas are wide open to allow teams to form a solid defensive line & to be able to weld doors shut to funnel zombies. In addition, sightlines are better allowing for perks focused on precision.
Laboratory/industrial maps favor coordination over individual play. Here are examples:
- Commando can mark targets from a distance
- Support player can manage the pressure in close quarters
- Medic can anchor the team in a small corridor so that healing darts can travel straight through it.
Because the environment is readable, the corners are sharp, the hallways follow each other in a predictable loop, this type of facility map supports all three of these roles.
Volter Manor takes an industrial theme and combines it with luxury. The interior of the mansion includes multi-layered rooms & curved staircases, providing both places to defend and routes to retreat.
Although there are still elements of clinicalness to the design, such as the basement labs, the upper levels of the manor contrast with the lower levels.
As a result, teams will frequently debate whether they should defend at the top or bottom of the stairs. Defending in a tight hallway gives you control, but also limits your ability to withdraw. If you choose to defend in the large room at the top of the stairs you have lots of room to move, but you also increase your risk of being exposed.
Overall, industrial maps tend to reward a disciplined approach. As long as teams are using their game plans, then industrial maps will seem like a manageable place to play. However, when players start to get scattered, what was a safe environment turns into an isolating one. The designers of the game reinforce the idea that when playing in an industrial environment (i.e., a themed event map) the key to success is working as a cohesive unit, using the walls and doors as tools, but using them with purpose.
Themed Event Maps: A Different Tone
While seasonal maps add a new "feel" to the game (with a focus on core game mechanics), they provide a totally different atmosphere than normal maps. Krampus Lair has a unique, twisted holiday atmosphere wrapped around its fight zones.
The snow-covered courtyard and the candles lit up the halls provide big open arenas, but with interior defensive positions. While the visual themes of the map are a lot of fun (and are a nice change of pace from the usual zombie-slaying fare), the underlying design of the map is designed for wave-based survival.
In addition, the aesthetic of the Halloween theme used in Monster Ball allows the designers to frame the overall look of the game. Adding personality to an otherwise bland grand ball room with a neon dance floor and themed side rooms is possible without interrupting the player's ability to play.
Intentional sight lines are an additional element in all of these maps. Players have open space to kite as needed in the most hectic of waves. On the other hand, the narrow hallways behind the stage provide players with places to fall back to.
As stated earlier, these maps demonstrate that you can have multiple themes that shift the atmosphere of a level while still maintaining a solid design.
All of the levels have clearly defined loops, easy access to the trader, and a variety of layers of verticality. Although the maps seem very playful and fun from the start, the functional aspect of the maps remains based in survival mechanics. Most likely, the first thing players will see is the decoration; however, after some time has passed, they will begin to remember the "choke" of the ballroom staircase, the "hold" of the fireplace corridor and so forth.
The event maps also illustrate how lighting affects the tension of the game. The colored lights and animated decor affect the player's ability to see, creating shadows that are now part of the environment. While the theme may lean towards being more spectacular than sinister, the horror aspect of the game is always there and the Zeds are the main focus.
Sight Lines and Threat Management
Players who favor precision perks tend to thrive in long corridors. The reason for this is because players need a clear view of what is going on and a chance to eliminate Husks and Sirens before they disrupt the team's formation. Cluttered rooms cause players to react slower to the enemy movement and as such, they will use more close range fire power and quicker heal times.
Most maps have both long corridors and cluttered rooms and teams will need to choose where to set up their defensive positions.
As an example, a large open atrium may be connected to small tight rooms. This creates a situation where the team must determine which area to place their defensive firepower. Areas with clear sight lines make players feel safer, but until a large group of enemies spawn behind them, they are vulnerable. Blind spots create the same problem, but can also help reduce the angle of the defensive position.
The balance between the amount of visibility a player has versus the amount of vulnerability they have defines the tempo of the combat.
Choke Points and Rotation
Choke points are critical to wave survival. They include stairways, doorways, and narrow halls, and they restrict the number of enemies that can pass through them at one time. Players can place all of their defensive firepower in one location.
However, if a team relies too heavily on a choke point, it can be disastrous when a large Zed breaks through and there are no places left to go.
Beginning with the way that rotational paths help players avoid getting stuck (stagnant), circular paths will allow for players to "kite" (circle around) their opponents if they are unable to maintain holds on the path. However, developing the skills to learn the various paths will take time and effort.
Experienced teams will naturally begin to work together to maintain distance from one another while avoiding areas of the map that could result in being "dead-ended." The map will become a common memory that all members share; all will know where to turn at specific points in time.
MEAT System (Added in Killing Floor 2)
The MEAT System adds a new layer to this atmosphere by allowing gore to interact with the environment. After each round, blood and gore can remain on walls and floors, reminding the player of the events that took place in each round.
Each round leaves behind evidence of what occurred during the previous round, adding to the overall brutal nature of every round.
As previously mentioned, sound design plays a large role in the atmosphere of the game. Laboratory settings create a very industrial feel with the use of hums and other mechanical sounds, whereas outdoor environments such as ruins and empty streets produce a very desolate feeling.
The music used in event-based maps creates a distinct atmosphere and tone for those maps, however the sound design of the game is consistent and allows for quick identification of enemy movements. The heavy thud created by a Fleshpounds' approach cuts through ambient noises and provides instant recognition of its presence. All of these design elements serve as both an environmental tool and an aesthetic choice.
Ambience creates an additional layer to decision-making. Low light levels may slow down your decisions, while corridors that echo can increase stress levels. Your decisions do not only include reacting to enemy spawns, but also react to the ambiance of your environment.
Why the Maps Keep Players Returning
Replayability is a product of familiarity in Killing Floor. Players continue to revisit their favorite hold-outs, improve strategy and test out different combinations of perks. The layering of maps supports this model as a player's perception of an environment can be changed dramatically by simply improving communication through coordination.
For example, what once was a corridor players felt was too narrow for them to manage effectively, has now become wide enough for effective maneuverability when working together with teammates. Additionally, areas of the map that were previously too exposed or difficult to maneuver became safe zones, and therefore kiting routes.
The environments in Killing Floor are not just there to create the backdrop for the battle. They help to create the battle. The urban ruin environment creates a high level of tension and stress. Industrial facilities provide control and safety in a chaotic world. Creating themed environments provides variety while still keeping focus. Through the two main entries to the game, the maps have remained central to the reason why cooperative survival in this series continues to resonate with players.