Fortnite streamer SquatingDog on his UEFN journey, Fortnopoly map & more

It’s hard to be a successful Fortnite content creator. Very few people can bear the pressure of constantly streaming and releasing fresh content and satisfying fans with their creations. One person who has managed this is SquatingDog, who’s been making Creative maps in the game since its inception. He spoke with us about the UEFN, his creative process, and his latest map Fortnopoly.

Fortnite Creative has changed the face of gaming by giving users the ability to be more than just players. They can create their own custom Fortnite maps, minigames, and experiences, and then share them with other players around the world.

Over the years, several content creators have jumped on the bandwagon and have created their own mini-games for their fanbase. One of the major content creators who has been creating maps since the launch of Fortnite’s Creative mode is SquatingDog.

SquatingDog, a seasoned mapmaker and one of the best content creators in the Fortnite scene, has impressed both viewers and other content creators with his unique and entertaining sandbox creations. However, with the release of Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), the developer has stepped up his game and has recently released Fortnopoly.

The Creative genius of SquatingDog and his fun-filled maps

When asked about his beginnings in map creation, SquatingDog explained that he has always been interested in creating minigames, and Fortnite’s Creative mode granted him the opportunity to do so.

Among his earliest works is Proxyball, a variant of dodgeball in which participants use Proximity Launchers to eliminate one another and launch around an arena filled with Bouncers.

Buddy System, one of his other noteworthy creations, was an innovative spin on the standard death-run map that required teamwork to complete a complex course.

When asked about his earlier experiences with Creative mode SquatingDog said: “The Creative mode was definitely limited in some ways. You only had a device that looked like a phone to put things from the Prefab gallery on your block, which was pretty limited.”

“During gameplay, your map would often get messed up, and your imagination was mostly limited to what was in the game.”

The arrival of UEFN has been a game-changer for creators like SquatingDog, who says it’s a relief to be able to use tools such as Blender, Adobe Photoshop, and Unreal Engine to create customized assets. These can then be imported into the editor to create a well-detailed map with stunning graphics.

“UEFN is a great tool for map-creators like me”

SquatingDog has created some of the most breathtaking UEFN (also known as Creative 2.0) maps, which have been popularised by both fans and other creators. Some of his UEFN creations, such as Fartnite, Rats, and Barbenheimer, were popular due to the uniqueness of his ideas.

“The UEFN is a great tool that makes it so much easier to make maps. It’s a great tool for creators like me who like to use different programs and make their own assets to add to the map,” he explained.

“The best thing about Creative 2.0, in my opinion, is that it gets rid of the Support-A-Creator button that early Creative maps featured and required you to press it to play a game right away.”

When questioned about the creator economy and the game’s discovery of such maps, SquatingDog replied: “Well, the new payout model is a lot like YouTube. More people playing your map means more money for you. The trouble, though, is that the Discovery in the game is still primitive. It doesn’t find unique maps or suggest fun games for players other than the usual Red vs. Blue and OnlyUp.

“I think they’re just getting started, but I’m sure Epic will fix it soon, so that a fan who likes my work will get a pop-up in the game to try out my newest map. This will also serve as an ad for creators like me who want people to jump right into their maps instead of having to type in a 12-digit code first.”

Fortnopoly and OnlyUp Duos with CourageJD

Fortnopoly, the creator’s most recent UEFN map, is an innovative spin on the traditional Pit-style meets Lucky Block-type maps in Fortnite Creative. Using various tools such as Blender and Unreal Engine, he converted 2D elements from the original Monopoly board game into 3D for the map.

“Fortnopoly is a pit map experience where I wanted to give the players superpowers,” said SquatingDog. “You start off with a really bad loadout, and every time you eliminate someone or pass go, you get gold. You can get gold pretty quickly, and then you can use that gold to dance on tiles to get things like a better weapon or to change the style of the pit right from the Floor is Lava or even to drain the map.”

The creator also commissioned a map for CourageJD called OnlyUp Together, which is a different take on the viral platformer game. It requires players to work in pairs and grow their team chemistry, in order to finish a distant journey across the solar system.

OnlyUp Together also features classic elements from Fortnite like The Mecha, the Rocket from the launch event, and much more. The map was later streamed by CourageJD and SypherPK, who played it together while entertaining their viewers.

When asked about his future plans with UEFN, SquatingDog elaborated: “I have so many things going on right now. In October, I’m going to Unreal Fest to try to get a grant for a big idea, but I won’t be able to talk much about it.

“Next is this OnlyUp Duos map I’ve been working on for CourageJD, which will be shared soon. And my next game will be a Rats experience based on my first game, where you’ll be a tiny rat jumping out of a huge Battle Bus.”

If you’d like to learn more about SquatingDog and his UEFN creations, you can visit his website for more information.