kathrynollmann@aol.com
Unannounced Indie Game
(Level Designer // Lead Contract for Gatos Malos LLC)
// section under construction, Some work is not yet publicly available
Instructed to produce:
an arena style map, where the camera and weapons are locked to a horizontal plane, and pickups are placed strategically.
Theme Requirement:
Cemetery
First decisions:
With players unable to aim up or down, combat segmentation was also determined by vertical differences between players (rather than walls). I chose to lean into that as a pillar of this design to create a distinct experience unique to this map.
Arena Map 'Cemetery' block out screen shots represent a single evenings work
LATTICE
Halo Infinite Ranked Matchmaking Map (650k+ plays)
Halo Studios (Previously 343 Industries) Level Design Collaboration (UGC)
Promotional Material:
Summary:
Following continued development, Halo Studio's (formerly 343 Industries) Competitive Insights team reached out with the opportunity to integrate our map into Halo Infinite Ranked Matchmaking and the Halo World Championship Series (HCS).
In August 2025, I had the privilege of attending the HCS event in Salt Lake City, where the map was officially announced and made playable at demo stations throughout the venue. Later, in December 2025, I watched professional players compete on our work during the Halo World Championship Series main stage. Seeing a map my team and I had spent so much time developing played in front of a live audience and streamed to thousands of viewers was an unforgettable experience and remains one of the most rewarding moments of my career.
Final Version - Callout Map
Version 1
At this stage we were just establishing the macro, scale and flow of the map. In this version players lacked options, the run time between cover was too high, and while the flow of the map felt good, it was bloated.
Version 2
In this version we had introduced several route options, including a sneaky route leaving sub room, a new primary route that cut above and through the middle of the map. While these routes provided much needed options, we did find the flow became a bit disconnected. Containment was also added for playtesting further (shown in pink)
Version 3
Additional routes were added to connect the new upper route to subroom and blue. Further refinement of added routes including more comfortable jump heights, and cleaner connections to the catwalk were added.
We set our sights on balancing the overall segmentation as we had received feedback from competitive players that they felt that it was too easy to disengage from combat. We realized we needed to also take a closer look at our checks and balances, as the power equipment and weapons were too easy to get away with. (second photo highlights a particular problem area of the map)
Version 4
Following continued development, the Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) Competitive Insights team reached out with the opportunity to integrate our map into Halo Infinite Ranked Matchmaking and the Halo World Championship Series (HCS). Throughout this phase, they provided gameplay data and design feedback that informed some of the most impactful iterations of the project.
The upper platform was reworked to connect more naturally with the sub room, an additional ramp improved player flow, and large areas of underutilized space were removed. The map's segmentation was refined to support the fast-paced decision making expected in high-level competitive play, while risk-versus-reward relationships were carefully tuned across key routes and power positions. By the conclusion of this phase, the gameplay foundation was complete and the map was ready to move into a full art pass.
Final Shipped Version:
Our art team moved from blockout to a fully realized environment in under a month, transforming the space while preserving the gameplay we had refined throughout development. It was incredibly rewarding to help bring this map to the Halo community and to work alongside such a passionate, talented, and dedicated team.
Use in Promotion Material by Halo Studios:
Lattice continues to be used in promotional material by Halo Studios. Currently you can see clips on Lattice promoting Halo Studios' "Halo Fest" Event.
