CSGO maps have many different callouts, callouts being the names that players give to certain areas on the maps to identify where certain events and actions are taking place or should take place. For in game leaders, the people who make strategies and call strategies, these callouts are very important. If a callout is wrong or the IGL doesn’t know what to call the area, the whole team suffers as there is miscommunication. Imagine a situation where you’re the last surviving T and you need to clutch it against 3 other CT’s, your teammates and IGL are confused as to call where they saw the enemy players last, the person clutching is more than likely going to die and lose the round for the T side. So this is a huge important design concept that I must grasp, as my map is targeting competitive players specifically.
I have noticed a particular formula to do with these map callouts and areas of the maps, developers seem to be sticking to this formula as it synergizes very well with the competitive players. It’s really quite interesting actually, I’m not sure if I’m the only person to notice the coincidences with other maps or not but it seems to make sense. It allows for players to rotate between the bombsites at the same time, without these particular areas of the maps counterstrike competitive would be non-existent.
(The areas circled red are the bomb sites and middle, the blue being the connectors)
So basically the formula that I have compiled for all competitive counter-strike maps is, all maps must have an A and B site, yes quite simple and obvious but is a must have. All sites must contain a “middle” area, this area is basically a large joining area which contains most of the player activity and is generally in the center of the entire map. Finally, all maps must contain at least two connectors, one connecting to A site and one connecting to B site, these allow for players to rotate between the different sites and to give support to their other players quickly, also to mimic the enemy team’s movement. As simple as the formula sounds, it is very effective, in the sense that it is what the players are used to. Ever since dust’s creation in the very early stages of counter-strike as a mod for Half-Life, this formula was being used.
I have taken this formula and designed my simple map layout, obviously i will develop more on this as the map is created in hammer editor. I couldn’t decide on a name for my map yet, so let’s just call it de_nameless for now
So the programs that I will be using to create my competitive map are, Global Offensive SDK, more specifically the hammer editor for the map itself, Photoshop for my textures, CS:GO for testing and VTF edit for the texturing of the game and environment.
Game Cultures 
I find it interesting that you have decided to make a map for a pre-existing game. I like the idea because you can put your own creative spin on the area and I see it as a good way to experiment with game design as if you were to work on making games like CS:GO. It is good that you have identified the main components of the maps and whey they are necessary, but this will most likely be explained in more detail along the track, but what do you have planned to make your map have that edge over all the other competitive maps that are open to this community currently?
I only ask this because at this stage it just looks like another CS:GO map and I think it will need something to make it different from the other maps.
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I love that you’ve researched in depth about how important the key elements to a map are, and have planned to implement them in your design!
the map you’ve designed briefly as a starting point looks great! The only concern I have for the gameplay flow with that design, is the visible straight line between T and CT spawn. I feel like this part of the game could be easily exploited by a good player, and might ruin the fun for some people. I’d suggest maybe putting some objects in hinder visibility to each side!
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