About the Map
de_parcel is my first proper foray into level design. I set out to create a classic three-lane map: routes to A and B site, and a middle area, all themed after a parcel facility.
Developing a map for Counter-Strike was something I attempted when I was still in school with aspirations of being a designer, during the days of CS:GO. I wanted to create a map where my friends and I could simply play against each other and have fun, wanting it to be something that was just for us to enjoy. With the knowledge I've developed over the years about game and level design, I thought it would be interesting to try and tackle this idea again, using CS2's new Hammer Level Editor.
I felt that designing a map from scratch would be challenging, especially since this is my first time properly making one; my general plan was to take ideas from Counter-Strike maps that I enjoy and add my own twist on them, and create the map piece by piece. This allowed me to playtest my ideas with bots and friends, steadily building a map from three core components: middle, and the two bomb sites. Additional areas in between would then be added, after ensuring the main areas of player action were exciting to play. My goal was to put ideas into the Hammer editor and playtest them quickly, making sure I gained a good understanding of how what I made actually plays, and iterating further and further to build a map I was satisfied with.
Working on de_parcel, even though very frustrating at times, was an absolute blast. Making a map for Counter-Strike is now finally something I can mark as done, and I look forward to iterating further on this map in my own time and polishing it, even texturing it, so it reaches a fully completed state. This project helped me get more familiar with level design as a whole, and now I realize it is definitely a skill that I love and want to hone further.
