--- title: "Layout and design of a tropical island resort for a multi-user game" url: "https://writing-games.org/extras/area-design-tropical-island-resort/" canonical: "https://writing-games.org/extras/area-design-tropical-island-resort/" type: "extras" published: "2024-04-19T12:23:00-05:00" modified: "2026-01-09T07:52:07-06:00" author: "Andruid" author_url: "https://writing-games.org/author/andruid/" author_bio: "Andruid (she/her) is a writer, roleplayer, storyteller, and nerd who tries to live by Bill and Ted wisdom, i.e. \"Be excellent to each other.\" She created Writing Games to share lessons learned and to introduce new players to the world of text-based games." author_same_as: - "https://x.com/the_andruid" - "https://www.youtube.com/@the_andruid" - "https://www.instagram.com/the_andruid/" - "https://github.com/the-andruid" - "https://bsky.app/profile/andruid.writing-games.org" - "https://www.threads.net/@the_andruid" - "https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@andruid" - "https://www.reddit.com/user/the_andruid" - "https://ko-fi.com/andruid" - "https://medium.com/@the_andruid" - "https://community.fandom.com/wiki/Special:UserProfileActivity/The_Andruid" publisher: "Writing Games" publisher_url: "https://writing-games.org/" categories: - "Supporter Extras" tags: - "Game Design" - "Ideas & Lists" - "MU*s" --- # Layout and design of a tropical island resort for a multi-user game By Supporter request, I've put together a walkthrough on how I would approach the layout and design of a tropical island resort for a futuristic sci-fi MU\*. The suggested layout features a Central Hub that connects the resort hotel to various public activities (shopping, swimming, hiking, snorkeling, etc.) that might interest players. It also includes some areas that are more private and secluded. ## **Overview of the island layout** When designing the island and resort, I would approach it with natural beauty in mind. Or at least, beauty that *appears* natural. Since we're working with a futuristic sci-fi theme, we can assume that the entire island is man-made, if we want, but it should still have the *appearance* of natural and tranquil beauty. The layout should encourage exploration while also providing plenty of spaces for players to gather, socialize, and unwind. To facilitate this, I would place a **Central Hub** in roughly the south-center of the island. Players arriving from the docks would have access to various parts of the island from here. Similar to an outdoor shopping center, with a plaza, walking paths, benches, and gardens, the hub would connect players to everything from shops to eateries to the island's state-of-the-art medical facilities. North of the central hub, players would see a sleek, gleaming hotel tower that reflects the beauty around it during the day. Beyond that, in the background, players would see a majestic (dormant) volcano covered in lush vegetation. I would include all of these features as places players can visit - and would tempt them to do so in my descriptions. More below. ## **Areas and features to include** Here are some of the areas I would include, along with their relative locations: - **Port / docks:** The arrival point on the island. It could include a docking area for cruise ships, ferries, and private yachts, as well as helipads or more futuristic landing pads. I would place it at the base of some cliffs or at lower elevation than the hub so as not to ruin the natural scenery. I would also make it so that there is one obvious path from the port to the central hub, to prevent players from getting lost while trying to find the hotel. That would just be frustrating - and bad tourism practice. - **Main beach:** A sprawling, terraformed beach facing west for stunning sunset views. Accessible from the Central Hub, but there may be smaller paths leading to it, as well. I would include snack stalls, seafood huts, public restrooms, and volleyball nets, along with NPCs that happily serve tiki drinks to guests on the beach. (Guests shouldn't even have to get up from their lounge chair to order.) - **Indoor "beach":** A glass dome that houses indoor pools and artificial sunlight, for when the weather is non-cooperative. Same amenities as the real beach. - **Hotel tower and VIP lounge:** Located on the northern side of the Hub, it orients visitors toward the center of the island. The very top could be a rotating VIP lounge with 360-degree views of the island. It would also include penthouses and a range of rooms and amenities to fit various budgets. - **Medical facilities:** Because accidents happen! This would be a sleek, modern facility connected to the Central Hub. It could even have its own private underground helipad that rises up or is revealed when there's a true emergency. - **Luxury cabins with private beaches:** These could be private accommodations for rent, for those who want a little more seclusion. Each one could be located with its own private beach or lagoon, surrounded by lush jungle. Each one would have its own deck, seating, grill, and kitchenette. They'd be fully furnished and could even come equipped with whirlpool baths. - **Recreational spots:** Spas and wellness centers, gyms, indoor pools, hot tubs, tennis courts, gardens, etc. I would place these around the Central Hub and hotel with clear signage and directions, so that players know how to find them. To make it easy on players, I would probably group them together in a way that logically makes sense, rather than putting the wellness center on the west side and the gym on the east side, for example. - **Restaurants and shopping:** Boutiques, cafes, fine dining, swimwear shops, sports equipment shops, souvenir stalls, etc. I would also place these around the Central Hub and hotel and group them loosely together. For example, swimwear shop next to sports equipment/sportswear shop. Jewelry store next to boutiques and cafe. - **Volcano:** Not just part of the backdrop on the northern side of the island, I would make the volcano (and the hills around it) places that players could explore. At the base of the trail, you could set up a small NPC shop selling bottles of water, rudimentary maps, snacks, and hiking poles. - **Hidden lagoons and hot springs:** Beyond the Central Hub, especially on the northern half of the island, I would build out forested areas with exotic flora and fauna (mammals, reptiles, birds, flowers, butterflies, etc.) and would scatter some hidden gems within them, such as a hidden lagoon and some hot springs (probably located at the base of the volcano). Players who like to explore will enjoy coming across these secluded spots. Whether it's lounging on the beach, enjoying a meal in the sky, or retreating to a private cabin, visitors should be able to find something that suits their mood and desires. ## **Additional tips and suggestions** Some of the principles I would try to follow when deciding where to place the above features and how to describe them: ### 1. **Maximize "natural" beauty** Arrange the main structures to take advantage of the island’s natural landscapes. Position paths and walkways to encourage exploration. When naming various locations, I would try to use nouns and adjectives that convey that beauty, as well. For example: Serenity Spa, Skyline VIP Lounge, Elysium Gardens, etc. ### 2. **Ensure privacy and accessibility** Keep private cabins isolated but easily accessible by discreet paths or personal transportation options like small shuttles/pods/personal vehicles. ### 3. **Highlight key views** Position the hotel tower and beach to maximize the visual impact of the natural surroundings and sunsets. Make sure players get a good look at these things from the top of the volcano, too! (For those willing to brave the arduous hike to the peak.) ### 4. **Centralize common needs** Make sure the Central Hub is easily reachable from all parts of the island but doesn’t intrude on the tranquility of the residential and forested areas. ### 5. **Emphasize changing elevations** Last but not least: one of the ways that futuristic MU\* games often fall short, in my opinion, is that the main areas will feel quite flat. Builders will build on a flat grid, and though they will describe a city full of towering skyscrapers, players will rarely have the opportunity to *experience* or *feel* any change in elevation, because they will spend most of their time getting around via street level, using directions such as north, east, southwest, and so on. Games that overcome this "flatness" best are ones that have things like z-coordinates, climbing, falling, and flying vehicles/mounts, but not all do. To make the island feel less like a flat grid, I would be sure to build it in elevation "layers." The beaches would be at the lowest elevation, the Central Hub would be lower-mid, and then there would be plenty of climbing in the forests and up to the peak of the volcano. Players should have to climb or travel upwards to reach higher elevations; this will ensure that they really experience it, rather than passively read about it as part of a description. That's all from me this time! If you're thinking about building something similar for your game, I hope this helps!