Masterpiece is a game mode design for my third-person shooter satire Third Person Killer. The design of Third Person Killer broadly is to get players to cooperate while having fun with the unusual game mode mechanics that don't focus solely on murder. The game features all the expected third-person shooter gunplay and movement except jumping. 

A demo of the level with is available, with the player character completely prototyped except emotes.

Masterpiece was designed to force players to work with and defend each other. Emotes leave players vulnerable but are the only way to progress. The level design is intended to keep the lines of defense rotating. Play-testing will determine whether doors should be added to allow traversal outside the building, as well as additional elevator placements. The top stage may be difficult to assault when heavily fortified, so elevators may be necessary at the end of the spawn hallways to provide more access.

Like in OI, minimalism was a design pillar. I wanted to create a few simple-to-understand rules that completely subvert the typical third-person shooter gameplay. Emoting is the only way to win in this game mode. One player must emote praise to the Masterpiece while both are in close proximity on the stage and the Masterpiece is emoting to perform. Praising a Masterpiece, regardless of team, earns that Masterpiece some distance on raising their statue on the main stage (seen below).

The rules are plastered on the wall of each spawn hallway. The hallway ends with a statue performing the game-winning action. This, along with the rules, should be enough to prime players for how the game mode plays. Praise/insults/emotes are integral to the way Third Person Killer is designed as a satire, so players will already be familiar with what a "praise" emote is (such as groveling or applauding).

When a player is the first to step on a stage, or is the last person standing on the stage, they become the Masterpiece for that stage (in case there are multiple stages). Their material will change to a matching metallic team color version. This material is repeated on the statues performing the game-winning move. 

I personally enjoy text and fonts, so why not put a neutral gold title on the main stage? The gold color indicates a neutral status.

Adding a second floor with another stage makes the level more dynamic and brings foot traffic to the back alley of the map, behind the elevator platforms. An effective angle of attack may be difficult to mount from just the two elevator platforms in the center, so it may be necessary to add more traversal options to the roof.

Controlling the back alley allows a team to regulate usage of the elevator platforms, which provide the only current access route to the top stage. It takes more time to reach the top floor with the current level design, thus requiring more time for reinforcements. If the blue team can keep the elevators away from red control, then the red team fighters on the top stage are cut off from support, but can still gain distance on their statue if there are at least two.

If one team focuses on maintaining the top stage, they might allow quick progress to be gained on the main stage by the shorter distance to spawn.

Masterpiece is a game of numbers. Each worshipper earns their own progress with each emote. There's no need to clear the main stage if the top stage is earning progress faster. But should the blue team abandon their steady progress on main stage to help clear the top stage?

Spawn invincibility applies, but not forever.