Naval Base; BRM5 Ronograd Openworld Map

Architectural environment art: PandaWithNoName
Terrain polishing and foliage: Florentius
https://www.artstation.com/florentius19
Prop contributions from: ViroWo, MB_Sniper
Level design and assembly: gravitydefier
---
Play here - https://www.roblox.com/games/2916899287/Blackhawk-Rescue-Mission-5
---
The largest single location in BRM5 so far, the new Naval base was intended to contextualize the openworld map as a whole. A large military island needs a massive naval base. Because of the size, the location was designed around players using armored vehicles to push through the open killing fields, looping around the location and dismounting to clear out the objectives and HQ building. Two loops meet in the center, giving players access to the objectives around the whole location with minimal backtracking.
Similar to Quarry, I wanted to give a sense of "Compression and Expansion", an architectural motif popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright. The tight, winding entry path opens up into the large excavated space, and after players move through that they're pushed back into a claustrophobic submarine bunker, before exiting on the other side to a view of the open ocean and the dockyard.
We originally wanted some ships (placeholders from old game versions visible in early blockout pictures) including one with a combat area on board, but we were already pushing the scope quite far. During testing, the location was easily the most difficult- the new long range capabilities of the AI punished us from any direction of approach. After struggling down the hill, the fights through the HQ building and into the tunnel hit even harder.
Couldn't be happier with how the location turned out. It's one of the most iconic locations in the game now, partially because of the scale, difficulty, but especially the setpieces by PandaWithNoName and MBSniper. The HQ building with its unique appearance provides a challenge many players remember, and the cranes and submarines are memorable takeaways.

Further blockout progress; Rough development illustration for the intended vehicle loop: Down the large killing path, cut through the initial defenses, and then drive through the underground submarine pens and evacuate along the dock.

First rough blocking of the terrain and major structures. By this point the full scope was apparent.

Rough illustration for the players' helicopter pathing: Forming a large canyon to allow players to fly low between the two major locations, avoiding their AA and allowing players to infil from the back.

Blockout nearly complete. The location and its necessary terrain edits spanned over half the island. The previous version of the location began at the end of the road floating above the new area.