A Maze of Corridors

The problem with many level designers, experienced or not, is that they want to make a large, insanely detailed map that is really complex and amazing. While this is good, because honestly no one wants to make a level with four walls and a crate, it's really counterproductive to the flow of the game. If you are playing a team-deathmatch game and there are as many exits and entrances as there are players, it might take a while. If everyone goes off in every which direction then they will cause the game to be much longer, because if one player is on the opposite side of the map, and a player of the other team on the opposite side, it will take a very long time for them to engage and for their teammates to get back into the game.

Also if a level is too sparse of cover and just empty space, players won’t be as happy playing it, because there is no cover, just a wide open space for them to get cut down in. Putting in tons of props, like crates or rocks, can make your map livelier and give the players something to hide behind. I know that even the smallest amount of cover helps, because I’ve hidden behind random objects such as poles before, just to evade enemy fire.

Although letting the player have multiple paths to choose from is a good idea, don’t make too many and don’t make them too far apart. It will limit game play and make the level long and un-enjoyable.