Manifold

Overview

Manifold is an Intruder map designed entirely around pure stealth in the vein of Splinter Cell. The Intruders must infiltrate an offshore oil rig without any weapons or equipment under the cover of night while the Guards hunt them down. With limited information and combat options, understanding of the environment is essential for both teams.

The map was created using SabreCSG for the base building geometry and Autodesk Maya for props. It can be found on the Steam Workshop.

Ideation and Design

The concept of Manifold originated with a desire for an Intruder map fully centered on stealth. Intruder's gameplay is a mix of a stealth and tactical shooting, and the vast majority of maps aim to accommodate both as valid playstyles. Therefore, I needed to look elsewhere for inspiration. The most comparable experience to the PvP sneaking I had in mind is the Spies vs. Mercs mode from the Splinter Cell series; maps for that mode utilize dense, dark spaces to keep both teams on even footing despite their immense asymmetry. That translates well to Intruder's mechanics, and a confined oil rig is a perfect setting for this kind of level design.

The final map has a tight three-story design with many routes through and between each floor. Intruders begin on the bottom and must make their way upward, hacking three of four node networks spread throughout the facility. Though the Guards have far superior weaponry, the dense layout and spotty lighting give Intruders ample ways to slip around them or ambush them with CQC.

Colored letters correspond to the hacking nodes for each network. Nodes on the same network share hacking progress. Intruders must hack 3 of 4 networks to win.

Persons and Machinery

The network terminals Intruders must hack are found all throughout the oil rig. Their distribution and the bevy of routes prevents there from being any hard bottlenecks for Guards to defend, but Intruders still need to move through all three floors to win.

Each floor has a distinct identity: The first is purely engineering with tubes and pumps running throughout, the second houses technical operations and residence, and the third is split between recreation spaces, offices, and a meeting room. The higher you ascend, the harder it becomes to stay hidden.

Get Equipped

A combat shotgun lies unused in the second floor armory. Should an Intruder try to steal it, the room's security system will set off an alarm and alert all guards to their position. (Certain other routes have similar defenses.) Trying to sneak in without a plan would be inadvisable... but given the right timing, one may break the glass and bypass the security system unnoticed.

Keen-eyed Intruders may find other handy equipment left around the facility as well.

Flash in the Pan

The outside of the facility is scarcely lit and leaves ample darkness for Intruders to hide in. Flashes of lightning illuminate the shadows and reveal anyone hiding within, so timing movements around the strikes may be necessary to stay undetected. However, the sound of thunder can mask the sounds of gunfire or glass breaking, which enterprising Intruders can use to their advantage.

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