Defining Boundaries: Creating Credible Obstacles In Games

An article appeared on Gamasutra at the beginning of the month that was quite an interesting read.

It discusses (in great detail) the challenges of creating believable and effective barriers at the edges (and in the middle) of maps and levels in various video games (using examples primarily from FPS and third-person action/adventure games).

It's a good read if you're serious about map design and something to think about while working on your own levels.