FPS Case Study

ABOUT

Wahoo World is a multiplayer stage in Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3. It’s designed after an amusement park. It holds a rotating platform in the center of the map, as well as extending and retracting bridges.

Wahoo World is included in multiple game modes including Turf War, Splat Zones, Rainmaker, Clam Blitz and Tower Control. Each mode determines how a player may traverse the map.

Wahoo World was originally released on the first of June in 2018 in Splatoon 2. However, the map was also included in the release of Splatoon 3 (2022).

DESIGN

Wahoo World is an amusement park that takes place on a boardwalk surrounded by water.

Turf War battle on Wahoo World Replay

GAME MODES

Turf War
Players have to ink the most turf to win and are split into two teams of four.
Splat Zone
 Teams fight for control of a splat zone. Each map may have one or two of these zones. In order to gain control of that Zone, players must splatter it with ink. 
Rainmaker
A form of ‘capture the flag’. The team who manages to claim the Rainmaker and drop it in their opponent’s base wins.
Clam Blitz
The objective of Clam Blitz is to pick up clams, which are then scattered throughout the map. The players must pick them up and drop them into a goal near the enemy team’s base. When a player picks up ten to eight clams, it will transform into a Power Clam, which will be used to destroy the barrier around the enemy team’s goal.
Tower Control
Two teams of four will fight for control of a tower that moves throughout the selected map along a predetermined path. Players must guide their tower to a certain point to win.

THEME & TONE

The theme conveys a tone of excitement and adrenaline. The very same feeling a person may feel when visiting an actual amusement park. The rotating platform in the middle is bound to remind players of a merry-go-round. The map is in constant movement, just as an amusement park might be.

DESIGN SUPPORT & GAMEPLAY

The rotating platform and extending and retracting bridges really support the overall theme and tone of the game. Both factor a unique twist in the gameplay itself by making the terrain change mid-battle.

MAP SCALE

Maps in Splatoon 3 (and notably Splatoon 1 and 2) are generally quite small. However, by using verticality – the maps scale to feel much larger than they appear. By allowing a player to traverse upwards through ramps, stairs, rails, and even by just scaling a wall in squid or octo form really change how the overall map feels.

MAP FLOW

Like most FPS maps – they are created to form a specific ‘flow’ regarding player movement. In most cases, as shown to the right, players are expected to move in a figure 8 fashion until they reach the chokepoint of the map. Chokepoints are usually where the two teams collide and fight for the first time. In Wahoo World – the chokepoint is the very center of the map (just above the rotating platform beneath).

SIGHTLINES (Cover & Verticality)

Highlighted in blue are some favorable vertical planes for players to traverse. Nearly all vertical points can be accessed from a ramp or by scaling a wall. The areas highlighted in orange are, what I like to call, temporary verticality. In the half-way point of a match, a new vertical plane or bridge will extend outward – making the middle chokepoint more easily accessible, but also allowing more room to, both, ink new ground, and fight out the remainder of the match.

MAP SYMMETRY

Wahoo World is entirely symmetrical (or mirrored) from either side. There are no notable differences regardless of which side a player starts on.

FOCAL POINTS, LANDMARKS

Rotating platform or carousel.
Extending and retracting bridges

POWERUPS, INTERACTIVE OBJECTS (How it affects player behavior)

There are no powerups, or pickups within a map itself. What affects a player’s behavior throughout the map is determined by weapon and that weapon’s personal powerup/ special. Some weapons drop a vending machine that allow players of their team to drink from — giving them a boost. Other specials may force players to move or dodge to a certain section of the map to avoid (such as ink tornados, or an onslaught of explosive ink bombs) being splatted. Some maps even include ink rails. A rail a player may ride to higher-ground – although no rails exist in Wahoo World. It’s definitely an interesting way to reach higher ground.

WHY IS VERTICALITY IMPORTANT? (EXAMPLE)

A sniper may sit on high-ground — forcing players to maneuver under the turntable — where cover is easy to find. It is under that cover that they will still be able to ink turf while still being out of sight of a sniper’s watchful gaze. The turntable also allows the player to edge toward the enemy team’s side and in doing so, might catch a sniper off guard from behind (this will allow the high-ground to be momentarily available to ink until the sniper respawns). The placement of different levels of verticality present multiple ways to move throughout the map. It’s also keeps the game interesting no matter how small the map may be.

DESIGN & PLAYSTYLE

Extending and retracting bridge.
Wall scaling. Gameplay may or may not directly impact a players gameplay depending on each teams weapon/special choice.

MAP EASY OR HARD TO LEARN?

Easy to learn. Wahoo World helps guide the player through its large ramps – in which lead to the chokepoint of the map. However, the rotating platform beneath also teaches players new ways to traverse enemy territory outside chokepoint range. The map is small, and simple from a standard viewpoint. But with its many uses of verticality — it allows the player to scope the map from a higher vantage point.

Game Changers
Below lists includes all weapon specials that may change or affect how a player may traverse a FPS map in Splatoon 3.

Big Bubbler Special
Deploys a device at the player’s feet. This device will shield the player with a large, spherical barrier. This barrier will block outside ink attacks, but it will not stop enemies from entering. Damage to the top of the device will destroy the barrier.

Crab Tank Special
Turn into an armored tank in the shape of a crab. While in the tank, the player will have stronger and rapid fire power. The tank may also shift into a more mobile mode to protect themselves.

Ink Vac Special
The player’s ink shots will become more powerful by sucking up enemy attacks. This special generate a vortex that sucks up all enemy ink attacks. Once the tank fills up, or the timer runs out, the player will launch a super ink shot.

Killer Wail Special
Unleashes six speaker-shaped, laser-like devices to surround and splat your enemies .The lasers lock onto the enemy, and the track them as well as blasts them wherever they go.

Reefslider Special
The player will jump onto a shark-shaped float, and charge forward. When the player reaches the end of the path, the float will explode and splat anyone nearby.

Tacticooler Special
Drops a fridge or vendor full of drinks that boost you and your teams abilities for a short period of time.

Triple Inkstrike Special
The play can toss a device that will spawn a tornado ink strike. The player may spawn up to 3 ink tornadoes.

Trizooka Special
Launches three blasts of spiraling ink in a single shot. The player can fire it up to 3 times.

Wave Breaker Special
Spawns a device that creates sonic-like waves to force opponents out into the open. Waves expand along the ground, marking and dealing damage to any enemies they come into contact with.

Zipcaster Special
The player can turn into a ink-covered acrobat and sling their arm to fly around the map. The player may still use their main weapon to shoot at enemies as they fly around.

Booyah Bomb Special
Funnels power into an explosive ink ball before launching it at the enemy.

Ink Storm Special
The player can throw this device to create a rain cloud of ink. The cloud gradually traverses forward in the direction it was thrown.

Inkjet Special
Launches the player into the air by spraying out ink. Allows the player to attack enemies with the launcher.

Tenta Missiles Special
Fires missiles at any enemies within the players view. Locking onto multiple enemies will change the number of missiles spawned.

Ultra Stamp Special
Attack the enemy with a large hammer at a rapid pace. The hammer may also be used to traverse terrain quickly while taking out enemies in your path.

CONCLUSION

This map is memorable simply because it is one that feels alive with movement. From the colorful background to the unique rotating and changing terrain. This map and gameplay surrounding it is always changing. The players engaging and traversing the area differently each time just as the map changes

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