Onyx Screenshots: Overview 1 Overview 2 Red Base 1 Red Base's Overshield Defender's Rocket Red Base (Inside) Red Base (Bridge, Bubble SHield, BR) Red Base (Outskirts, Bubble Shield) Blue Base 1 Blue Base 2 Blue Base (Top) Blue Base (inside) Blue Base's Rocket Defender's Courtyard Attacker's Catwalk Neutral Rocket Neutral Banshee Backside of Center Structure Bottom Center, Beam Rifle Active Camo, Attacker's Base Overshield, Defender's Turrets Map Description: Onyx is a large, Asymmetrical map built on Sandbox's Ground Floor. The map, although built on Sandbox, looks and feels a lot bigger than most Sandbox variants. The map consists of multiple catwalks, Bridges walkways, and two bases, all connected together to form one large structure. Onyx is designed for large vehicular carnage and many heavy weapons. The one thing that I wanted, when I first designed this map was: 1) To be unique. To get away from your avarage Symmetrical base-base-center structure map, and go for odd designs. While the overall idea (two bases with stuff in between) remains the same, this map takes that idea and creates a very diferent perspective. 2)To make the map compatible with Heavy vehicles, such as the Scorpion and Wraith, both of which are on the map. 3) To not have a Spartan Laser on the map. A map with a Scorpion and Wraith with no Laser!? Yes. Spartan Lasers are very powerful weapons and are more acurate than any weapon in the Halo 3 Arsenal, and I wanted to give players a challenge and still have that "Heavies" theme to it. Weapon Layout +Rocket x3 (One for each team, and a Neutral Rocket, Run time maximum at 6, 120 sec respawn) +Battle Rifle x14 (everywhere, 10 sec respawn and 30 sec respawn) +Carbinesx2 (1 for each team, 30 sec respawn) +Beam Rifle x1 (Neutral, 180 sec respawn) +Brute Shot x2 (1 at each base, 60 sec respawn) +Needler x2 (1 near each base, 60 sec respawn) +Shotgun x1 (Neutral, 150 sec respawn) +Sword x1 (Neutral, 150 sec respawn) +Machine Gun Turret x2 (1 near each base, 180 sec respawn) +Missile Pod x2 (1 at each base, 150 sec respawn) +10 Plasma Grenades (30 sec respawn) +Bubble Shield x4 (60 sec respawn, run time minimum of 1) +Regen x1 (Neutral, 120 sec respawn) +Radar Jammer x1 (Neutral, 120 sec respawn) +Power Drain x2 (1 at each base, 60 sec respawn) +Trip Mine x2 (1 at each base, 90 sec respawn) +Overshield x2 (1 at each base, 180 sec respawn)(The 1 at Blue base only spawns during Symmetric games) +Active Camo (Asymmetric-only at Blue Base, 180 sec respawn) +Ghost x1 (90 sec respawn, Defenders) +Wraith x1 (120 sec respawn, Defenders) +Mongoose x2 (30 sec respawn, 1 at each base) +Scorpion Tank (120 sec respawn, Attackers) +Warthog (90 sec respawn, Attackers) +Banshee (150 sec respawn, Neutral) Let me know what you guys think of it! I haven't been able to get gameplay tests on this map yet, but when I can, I'll be sure to update you guys with some Default gametypes supported: Team Slayer Team Oddball Capture the Flag Assault VIP Territories Downlaod Onyx
Is there any geo-merging or interlocking present on this map? If not, it looks like it doesn't affect the design of the map. I noticed that one base has Covenant vehicles while the other has human vehicles. This was most likely done on purpose? I like it. And is the weapon layout similar to this theme? I do not see many Sanbox Default Level maps that are asymmetrical, so that is a plus for me. I cannot judge just on screenshots, so I might download and take a look at it.
at first glance, i thought: wow, this is a great map for the template contest. Don't get me wrong, it still looks like a good map, but it looks like if it was just a little different, it would be part of the tempate contest. oh well and onearm, if you look closely, you can see some of the paths are interlocked.
I like the look of this It has alot of intresting structures and the walkways makke it unique. I like how its asymmetric I think Asymmetric really plays better if done right which I believe did. One suggestion though is that active camo and overshields are not very equal but I'd have to play it to get a better feel for it.
I looks like you can walk around without having your head blown off in place by the tanks ect. the general concept of the map is a good one but is there geo-merging or interlocking as from the pics i cannot see??.. but i'd give the map a 4/5 for originality and concept and a dl
Its about. ****ing. time. someone learned how to build a map. This is what most of Halo 3 and Forgehub are missing. This is why everyone liked Halo 2 better. The design is solid, and I am excited with the weapon/vehicle set you chose to go with. I have 3 maps under construction with a similar theme going. I love you and ill return with feedback one day. [im a busy boy]
This map is extremely over powered. The fact that the map is more open then the African Savannah, paired with all of the turrets you have, makes for a map-ruining combination. Second, you have way too many Plasma grenades, which isn't very bad, except they are on 10 second respawn! You could at least try them at 45 or even 60. Next, I would like to point out the advantage of the attackers... A wraith DOES NOT counter a Scorpion. A Scorpion beats a wraith everytime. Same thing with a warthog vs. a ghost. Then there is the equipment... if you look at almost any bungie map, there are none with more then 2 types of equipment (the only exceptions I can think of are large maps like Last Resort, Avalanche, and Rats Nest... but the Radar Jammer was taken out of Last Resort in matchmaking anyway). I recommend getting rid of the regen and the radar jammer. Lastly, you do not need missile pods AND rockets. But since there is a banshee and no Splaser, I reccomend deleting the rockets and keeping the pods.
Nice. I'm usually not a fan of maps made on the mid level of Sandbox, but this is pretty good! How do you come up with this stuff?
I agree this map layout is truly amazing. The aesthetics are really good and joined with the interlocking and all this map is VERY good. However I can't help but think all of those rockets and missile pods and grenades make this map just a giant explosion over and over. Only a fool would try and get in a vehicle besides the banshee with its possible ability to survive. I understand whiy you dont want the splazer in the map (it can whipe out an entire team's vehicles) but with all this explosive power it doesn't necessarily solve that problem. I will be looking for a V2 because like I said the actual map is amazing. Kudos
This map was great! The vehicles and weapons seemed to balance each other very well. You could get kills but nobody was unstoppable with the vehicles. I really liked how it is a asymmetrical map, but is very balanced and works well with slayer. The only thing i didnt really like was the amount of turrets. Halo Man was getting a lot of kills with them from top mid, and whenever he ran out he'd just grab another. Great map, Super. I loved it.
Hey man, Big ups to the Forge Union Crew. Quality map, anyone who reads this should download it now! nicely done mate
Yes sir, there is definitely some interlocking going on, although I don't see how that should dramatically affect your decision on how good the map is. Yes, Defender's get Covenant Vehicles and Attackers get Huma ones. This actually was done on accident, but I kept that on purpose partly because each team has an advantage that the other team doesn't. The weapon set, however, is 100% equal on both sides (except the power ups). I'm confused, what template? I haven't kept up with any news Forgehub has. Than you though, I'm glad you like it I think both types of maps play well, but Asymmetric Maps really provide a sense of uniqueness that complete Symmetrical maps can't accomplish. The power ups are equal for both teams. They are both a little out of the way for each team (the OS has a little shortcut in the little gap by the ramp in the back of red base). Now that you mention that, it is a little on the Halo 2 side as far as weapons and vehicles. Thanks for your insight, I hope to hear some more feedback from you, preferably from any vgames you play on it Ah I was expecting this. I like me some good constructive critisism. The m is open, you are correct, and that is why I provided 4 Bubble shields all around the map for those open areas and for safe crossing around open parts of the map. They are on a Minimum spawn of 1 as well, which means there will always be at least one Bubble shield on the map. The plasmas are there for Infantry to have a chance against vehicles. Now that you mention, a Ten-sec respawn may be a little short, I'll probably change them to about 30 sec, but they are everywhere so everyone will have some. Attackers don't really have more of an advantage than Defenders. Sure the get a Tank and Hog, but the Defenders get the advantage of teh High ground and safe spawning places from open areas. The Defenders get a Wraith because it isn't as powerful, and they get a Ghost which can help against infantry assaults and is smaller and less powerful. Also the open space in front of red base provides a fortified defense for enemies camping the front entrance of red Base. Other than the Bubble shields, each base gets a Power drain for vehicles and a trip Mine. The Regen is th only one on the map and is there as a prize for whoever gets it, as it is diferent than a Bubble Shield. The radar Jammer is there to distract vehicles and to make each team be wary of their surroundings so one team can invade the base, OR protect it by distracting invaders. I try to make my maps unique and have things for a reason, not just because. I look at bungie maps, but I wanted to make it different than any map out there. Really, it is a heavies-Stle map, and with the fact that there is a banshee on the map, i wanted a secure way to take down vehicles that the others don't provide. The Missile pod does this. The rockets are there also for the same reason. It gives an advantage to Infantry so the vehicles aren't overpowering. that, and each team has the same amount of everything, except the neutral weapons, so it isn't necesarily overpowered. I hope some of what i said makes sense to you. It is full of heavy wepaons, but taht is really the point. It is a large, Heavies-style map. It is designed specifically for lots of carnage and vehicle use, as well as Infantry advantage. The vhicles aren't useless as you might think. The main power weapons are slightly out of the way, and remember, if the match takes long enough, the vehciles respawn. I was thinking about this, actually I totally forgot you could rip off turrets and what not. I think i'll delete the two that are facing the sand dunes at each base. That would also free up some budget as well. I tried to make it so that there could be powerful vehucles on the map, but also so that Infantry always have a way to stop them. And both teams have the firepower to counter the vehicles, as well as the vehicles tehmselves. Plus, the high up catwalks and bridges definitely help make the vehicles even less overpowering.
This map is excelent. the construction is very precise and neat. The gameplay is fluent and exciting, and balanced. The map is aesthetically pleasing 5/5, easy.
Thanks guys! Ok I have a brand new version up for you guys who enjoyed the map. All the changes I made are at the top of the OP, along with a plethora of new screenies. I broke the screenshot limit lol. Anyways, download and comment on the new changes I made. Thanks guys for the support! PS: If anyone would like to play some games on this map, I'd be happy to get some going. Just send a FR to megacool69 (My gamertag) with a message saying you are from Forgehub (I get Friend requests a lot from people I don't know, it is buggy sometimes lol).
Okay so its a very well done and built map, but as for game play it could be improved. 1. Remove the turrets because there never good for game play and there just really cheap sometimes or suicidal others. 2. Remove the tanks and replace the ghost with another warthog because this is not a good map for tanks, too closed in and not open enough. 3. remove the neutral rockets because for gods sake you don't need 3 and either replace that with a spartan laser and get rid of the missile pods or place a sniper with long re-spawn 4. remove the amount of grenades and explosives because they just ruin game play 5. on an open map like this having both an overshield and camo is stupid, just put an oversheild in the middle or leave it on its own 6. remove 2 bubble shields because for gods sake you don't need 4, not even on the worlds openest map do you need 4 7. if your going to have a sword then remove the neutral shotgun and place on at either base with the same re spawn time as the sword to balance the two out, because a shotgun neutral as well as the sword is just plain pointless. I love the look of the map, but your gameplay needs serious help. On a map like this, on any competative map you need to have balance, and this has none whatsoever. So do those things and try to make the game play work better and then it'll be perfect.
Yay!!! Thanks to you I just found possibly my favorite heavy map and won $250. If Anyone notices, this looks suspicously like a level from halo 2. Cant remember the name, but is definately my favorite (mostly because you get a scorpian.) Also, five starts for the forging. You just bare;y interlocked almost everything so that there is no bumps, but it looks like anyone could build it. I must say, this deserves all 10/10 it gets. That means wonderful forging, great idea, and you earned me money. jk, the third thing is good gameplay. Make sure all of your maps have whatever you used here. That will make me happy, =)
I havent really gotten a full game in on it yet, but thus far my only comments are that i dont think that many bubble shields are necessary, and theres one place i think you could forge better. The main turret overlooking the center is sitting on two sideways stairs... the stairs are crooked as hell. I think that was just a little lazy. Ill try real hard to assemble a full game on it, but thats hard now adays. Additionally, I do think the 3rd rocket launcher is a little over the top. could be replaced with something else. dont listen to everyone about the removing the tank and ****.
I have pointed the reasonings for each weapon and vehicle on the map and the point of gameplay on this map as well. The Turrets, ruin gameplay? This is a very vehicle-oriented map with many heavy weapons to counter the turrets. I have also reduced the amount of turrets to two. Remove the tanks? You must not understand why I built this map and how it plays. The third rocket is there for reinforced infantry protection. I wanted sure-fire wayys for infantry to have hot-spots on the map and also to make vehicles only another power weapon, not a dominance. The third rocket is an alternative to having a laser on the map and gives the map the heavies feel I was aiming at. I will not add a spartan laser, and I have explained why I do not intend on having one in the OP. There is already a Neutral Sniper under the bridge with 3 minute spawn time. Grenades ruin gameplay? Again, you aren't undertsanding the point of teh map, lol. I don't see any reason why the Overshield and the Camo on the map are bad at all. the are perfectly balanced for Asymmetric games. Give me a good reason, then maybe I'll think about it. Have you not seen Sandtrap? There are four bubble shields on that map dude. I put so many on the map because, like i said, there are so many power weapons on the map and hevay vehciles, I wanted Infantry to have a chance to fight back. The bubble shields provide just that. I may take this shotgun idea, it makes sense to me. I wanted those two wepaons to be control weapons more than anything, and usually I can't imagine someone would get both at the same time. Besides, there are so many ways to take out weilders of each, it doesn't really make a difference. I'll think about this one. I have so many bubble shields for a reason. I wanted Infantry to be able to riun around and not have to worry about being blown to bits. this is a hevaies map and is going to have lots of explosions everywhere, and Infantry isn't safe on many of the open parts of teh map. That is where the protection of a Bubble shield Comes in. Meh, I wasn't making this an aesthetic map, and that part of the map doesn't affect gameplay really at all. I'll think of something to fix it, but that isn't my prority at all. If there is something I feel that could improve ethe map gameplaywise taht invloves better Forging, I'll do it. Check out my above comment on the rocket. I wasn't planning on taking out the tanks and such. This is a heavies-style map! There are supposed to be explosions everywhere!! I thank you guys for your insights. I want to let you guys know that every aspect of the map was well-thought out, and I am always up to suggestions, but please, if you would, suggest reasonable reasons as to why i should change things. Provide some good logic as to why my map, or anyone's map really, would benefit from a change or if something is broken about the map, explain with logical thinking on why you think it should be changed. Agian, I thank you guys for the comments.
I was hoping for a sentiniel beam. I mean it is a map names onyx. Anyway, awesome map. reminds me of Avalanche.
The map name I actually thought of because the word Onyx is usually affiliated with a type of very strong stone. I named the map Onyx because it is a huge foretress and is strong. The heavies theme fits it well, as well, as it makes the map "tougher" lol. I didn't add a Sentinel Beam I guess mainly because it is a very powerful weapon and because I gave Infantry an already higher advantage to the vehicles, I didn't want to give each team an Infantry destroyer (which is what a Sentinel Beam is). I believe it could be a tad overpowering on this map. I'm glad you like it , nonetheless. Thanks for the comment