When building your level (called an island in Fortnite), keep the following points in mind for the best player experiences.
Flow
Make sure the flow of movement is smooth and intuitive. If there are any visible gaps between props or structures, they should be wide enough to allow a player to pass unimpeded.
The players should be able to see at a glance an easy method to navigate a route between two areas of interest. Make sure all of the island's points of connection are fluid, and keep the action channeled properly, including action from any respawn points. Build main thoroughfares that will keep action dynamic and engaging.
Storytelling
There are many ways to tell a story. Use your storyline to give some interesting flavor to points of interest you construct.
Clues to the sort of non-player characters (NPCs) that have passed through or interacted with that area, clear themes that shift based on the locale, and even fun easter eggs can all diversify your island. This builds a connection between your players and the level, and is a common feature of Battle Royale.
You can also add quests and NPCs to these areas to elevate the experience, with side opportunities even in PvP-focused modes, but definitely shining in PvE or solo adventures.
Density
Try not to overfill open areas with props and terrain. There should be clear points of cover and easily identifiable landmarks that can be seen from a distance to help improve the ability to navigate and fight.
This also reduces memory usage and improves performance while reducing visual noise.
Fight Direction
When blocking out your island, each route and open area should have two primary conflict directions.
In team-based PvP, putting in colors and other orientation tools to let the player know which direction is safer will keep them moving in the right direction.
Within free-for-all situations, making the primary entry and navigation points oppose each other will allow small teams or groups to seamlessly fight without confusion.
Secondary threat areas, such as windows, ledges, or extra entry points, should not always be hidden to allow ambushing, unless they can be visually checked by approaching players.
Dead Ends
Dead ends can be deathtraps and chokepoints that result in a not-very-fun experience, especially for players trying to get to action or retreat from combat.
Try to avoid having only a single way in or out of an area, unless it is a small room or side alcove that might have player spawner or additional loot.
Lane versus Circular
If your island is principally PvP, the two most common layouts are circular and lane.
A lane layout is best for team play, and is common for capture the flag game modes where the teams start on opposite ends of the island and meet in central locations where the pull of battle can shift back and forth.
Circular layouts are much more open and more focused on reaching and battling for points of interest, such as some variations of domination games or other team fights. In these cases, the routes taken can be more open-ended, and the design is instead focused on objectives or other places that spur conflict.
Navigation
Players should never have any doubts about how to navigate your island. Stairs let the player change verticality, doors offer options for exploration, and if opened, can clue players in that an area has already been checked. Corners offer chokepoints for potential fights while showing possible routes.
Distinguishable features like these let players know their options without excessive thought or pause, which is important when they are getting used to new islands and combat environments. Initial readability of navigation is key to a smooth onboarding experience.
Threat Locations
For outside areas flanked by structures and other environmental elements, try to limit the number of spots that can house enemies and opposing teams. Three to five points of engagement that can be recognized quickly is a good number to aim for. These can be a point of cover, a window or ledge, or a copse of trees.
Keep in mind the direction people are likely to go, and try not to make it too advantageous for a player to camp in a single spot waiting for someone to walk forward into an ambush.
Line of Sight
Line of sight is an important aspect of level design — the culmination of many of the practices above where you don't want excessive areas to be visible to opposing players. Too much visibility can incite combat at unfun ranges, cause people to chase from long distances, or produce too many areas for a player to keep track of.
Indoors, limiting the number of windows and broken areas can help. When outdoors, use large structures, trees, rocks, and other environmental props to break up the visual flow of the level.
Ground Floor
When building a structure, take into account the main points of entry and exit for the ground floor. In most situations, a structure should offer a temporary refuge to heal, rally, and loot.
Structures also help control sight lines across the entire island.
By addiing more floors, and by going deeper within a building, you can tell more of the story of your environment.
Structures should promote closer engagements, and help break the island up from primarily medium- to long-range fighting.
Advanced Movement
Sliding, mantling, sprint jumping and shoulder bashing all offer fun ways to navigate the environment and introduce new dimensions. A small ledge hanging, the ability to reach rooftops, a hole in a floor, or even a small utility shaft you can quickly navigate as a shortcut by running and sliding can all improve your island and offer players innovative locales.
Points of Interest
Make certain sides or parts of your island recognizeable and distinct from others, allowing players on voice comms to call out directions and locales easily. Landmarks, distinctive features, or singular additions such as a hall all allow players in close quarters to warn or focus fire, and to navigate across the island to specific hotspots for combat.
Symmetry
Try to keep a balance in all directions of the island. Giving one side or entry point an unfair advantage or disadvantage can create lopsided gameplay that is frustrating for either the attacker or defender.
Try to keep an even balance of cover, points of entry, and exposure on all areas of your island likely to have heated firefights.
Building
If you allow building on your island, design the environment to accommodate building tactically.
Areas where ramps can help offer easier navigation, chokepoints that can be closed off or reinforced, vulnerable threat points that can be sealed — these can all be utilized to promote building beyond merely creating a new structure, and allow players with less building skill to engage with this game mechanic more meaningfully.
Making interior areas more spacious for building can add another level of tactics to your islands.