Esports.gg sits down with Fortnite content creator Nick Eh 30 to discuss his recent string of successful Creative maps!
The world of Fortnite Creative is an ever-evolving landscape that has revolutionized what is possible in gaming following the launch of Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). This toolset has allowed countless individuals, design studios, and content creators like Nick "Nick Eh 30" Amyoony to flex their creative minds and implement their ideas.
A family-friendly personality, Nick Eh 30 jumped aboard the UEFN train during the "Only Up" trend and has since created three ultra-successful maps alongside 3D Lab. Esports.gg had the chance to speak with Nick Eh 30 regarding his UEFN endeavors. He gave us a look behind the scenes of Fortnite Funland, Streamer Wars, and the recently released Klombo Wars.
How Nick Eh 30 and 3D Lab brought Fortnite Funland to life
What began as a simple tool allowing map creators to design unique experiences has blossomed into something incredible. UEFN gives creative individuals such as Nick Eh 30, one of the most significant Fortnite creators, a chance to bring his positive vibes and fun to millions of players worldwide.
Alongside the creative team 3D Lab, Nick Eh 30 launched Fortnite Funland on October 6, 2023.
Since Fortnite Funland arrived, it has garnered over 9 million plays. Nick Eh 30 explained that his philosophy and approach to the map is to offer his unique twist.
"Anything that I do, I always try to bring a unique twist to it, and I always want to make sure that it's something different, you know? I pride myself on just doing things to the best of my ability. So we came up with an idea of something that's just going to be different, something that's going to be more fun, and something that people love to do IRL. So we're like, 'How can we get this into Fortnite itself?'"
The content creator stayed true to his values and words while creating Fortnite Funland, allowing players to relax and have fun. It provides in-game ride experiences like those at a Disney theme park, such as rollercoasters, haunted houses, and more.
Beyond seeing his ideas come to life, Nick Eh 30 detailed how much he learned about the map creation process while working on Fortnite Funland.
"I've learned how much time goes into each and every aspect of even something as simple as balancing out the map or how the map looks, how we guide the player and make them realize, 'Hey, there's an area over here that you could explore,'" he said.
Regarding the development process, we asked Nick Eh 30 how much involvement he had and how he worked with 3D Lab. He explained that his insistence on being hands-on with everything he does allowed him to witness this map go from idea to reality.
"I'm so hands-on with everything. I love that. I think it's just — it's a testament to how much I love my job. But from the get-go, in terms of titles, like the name of the map, you know, I was involved. In terms of playtesting the map, before it even goes live, we're playtesting how the game feels, what's fun, what's exciting."
Nick Eh 30 credited consistent streams where he and his community played custom games and creative maps as a significant factor in bringing Fortnite Funland to life. He experienced everything first-hand, giving him a solid framework in using UEFN.
Fortnite Funland nominated at The Game Awards
Ahead of The Game Awards 2023, an annual ceremony to celebrate games, executive producer Geoff Keighley announced a category dedicated to Fortnite Creative. Several maps were nominated, including Nick Eh 30 and 3D Lab's Fortnite Funland.
The content creator reiterated that it was a joint effort, and although the map did not take home the award, it was an Eh-mazing experience.
"It's just very, very rewarding. And I think I have to thank my community as well. Mind you, even though we didn't win, I think it's just amazing to be in the spotlight of that huge show."
With one significant award nomination in the pocket, Nick Eh 30 and 3D Lab continued supporting Fortnite Funland while developing other Fortnite Creative projects.
How to support a map post-release
Supporting a Fortnite Creative map post-launch is crucial to maintaining a player base and driving more traffic. We inquired about how Nick Eh 30 and his team approach this concept while being mindful of his busy daily schedule.
"I have to give a big thank you to the team at 3D Lab because they're so flexible in terms of my schedule, and they really accommodate to make sure that every single thing that I ask for or, you know, want to get put into the map is implemented.
The content creator's "Eh Team" community provides feedback and additional ideas to expand the map. He then works alongside 3D Lab to test and implement ideas if they make sense. "I also think the way that we keep it fresh is my community — because they're playing it, I'm streaming it, and then I'm always keeping a very, very close eye on my community in the chat to see what they're saying," he said.
Streamer Wars: The creation of a Zone Wars map with an exciting Nick Eh 30 twist
After the success of Fortnite Funland, Nick Eh 30 and 3D Lab designed and launched Streamer Wars — a spin on the popular Zone Wars niche. Although thousands of Zone Wars maps exist, Streamer Wars is unique in its approach.
"I play Battle Royale for literally 90% of the stream, and I'm streaming it for like six, seven hours a day, so it only made sense. The fact that I'm doing build mode and Zero Build to kind of dive into that space because, like, hey, I'm warming up on stream. I'm playing those maps. So we figured it could be so cool to have my own unique twist to that," he said.
The personalized "streamer" aspect of Streamer Wars arrived later in development, as explained by Nick Eh 30. He said that each area of the map initially had a generic emblem for each team before he contacted content creators such as Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, Ali "SypherPK" Hassan, and more to make it a special feature.
"At first, we had an area where you could select a streamer, and you were just picking an emblem. It could be a generic emblem," he said. "But then I'm like, 'How can we take it a step further so people feel more invested?' Well, all these amazing streamers that I get to play with and reach out to, I'm like, 'What if they could be on the map and people could support their favorite streamers?' So, I reached out to every single creator. I got permission to use their logo."
Including content creator logos on the map is a nice touch and reflects what Nick Eh 30 brings, thanks to his connections in the Fortnite scene.
How the new Klombo Wars Zero Build map came to be
Nick Eh 30 and 3D Lab followed the release of Streamer Wars with a Zero Build follow-up. This map, dubbed Klombo Wars, takes the lovable Klombo creature from Fortnite and gives players a Zero Build landscape to enjoy.
Development for Klombo Wars began based on community requests for a Zero Build Zone Wars map with the special Nick Eh 30 touch.
"The first thing was we're always listening to community feedback. I'm always streaming, and my community is like, 'Hey Nick, I love the map, but I just can't play it because I'm not a good build player. Can you do a Zero Build map?' So, we're kind of like, 'Okay, if this map is something that people want to play and people are enjoying, we got to make a Zero Build version of it.'"
With development underway, Nick Eh 30 and 3D Lab highlighted March 1 as the release date. Although this was ahead of the initial launch, it would align with the latest in-game Fortnite event.
"When it came to the new Fortnite events that were happening, there was a lot of hype, and the map was ready. It was fully polished, we playtested it, and we put a lot of time into it. So we were really just eager to get it out there."
Like Streamer Wars, Klombo Wars offers lots of customization, different weapons, and a unique layout. We inquired about the thought and precision that went into the map.
"I think it's a matter of just being aware of the creative side and kind of seeing what people are playing and what people are enjoying. Players like certain maps and always come back to the same maps over and over and over, so you kind of get a sense of what people are enjoying."
Nick Eh 30 said it all comes down to playtesting and understanding what people may or may not want. If an idea does not work during the playtest, the team scraps it and moves on.
"We actually all give design input. Even like my agent, for example, he's really involved. We have a little Discord server where we have different categories, different channels, bugs and feedback, and updates."
Even Nick Eh 30's brother, who is also a hardcore gamer, provides input and ideas that could work on the various maps offered under the Nick Eh 30 brand.
Family and life balance
Many streamers and content creators have support systems to help make their lives easier and more manageable. This sentiment applies especially to Nick Eh 30, who receives incredible support from his family and the Eh Team.
"I'm very, very grateful that I still live with my parents and we help each other out. My dad is the guy who's building my stream room behind me. He's the one that, if there are any PC problems, he's rebuilding the PCs. He's my manager, managing the sponsorships, that sort of thing. My mom is handling finances and cooking me meals, so I don't have to spend my day ordering out or trying to cook my own meals. It basically allows me to allocate all my time to my business," he said.
There's no denying Nick Eh 30's work ethic, considering his status as one of the most prominent Fortnite creators. Despite the success he has found, Nick Eh 30 is always working toward something new. He does so with a strong community alongside him.
What's next for Nick Eh 30 on his UEFN adventure?
Nick Eh 30 does not plan to launch his own UEFN studio and feels there's no reason to fix something that isn't broken. He and the team at 3D Lab have a few projects in the works, one of which is a map centered around animals and amusement park rides.
From a gamer to a content creation superstar, Nick Eh 30 has done it all while always bringing positivity to his community. His ventures have brought him into UEFN, where he and 3D Lab have created unique experiences for all.
Fortnite Funland, Streamer Wars, and Klombo Wars are all available to play in Fortnite. See below for all of the information, and follow Nick Eh 30 for all of his latest projects!
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