Here are some newly created floor plans of Velodrome. They were made in CAD and are extremely accurate plans of my map. I use CAD all the time at work so I figured I'd whip these out. Of course, they took longer than I thought, but I still had fun drawing them up. Be sure to click the bar at the top of each floor plan in order to see it more clearly. Skybridge collapsing Welcome to Velodrome. Up to 16 men will enter. The same number will leave, but not all with their pride intact. The size of the Velodrome is actually best for eight to twelve players. The map is completely symmetrical about the long axis with a destructible skybridge on one end, a dual elevator on the other and a base on each side. Velodrome supports all game types except for Race and Invasion. I would have included race and Invasion, but the map is so full of architecture, objectives, spawns, etc. that forge won’t allow me to add any more items even though they are supposedly free budget-wise. DESTRUCTIBLE SKYBRIDGE Probably the most interesting aspect of the map is the destructible skybridge where the rocket launcher is located. The trigger for collapsing it is visible from most of the upper area of the map, so there’s a bit more risk than usual involved in attaining the main power weapon on this map. I’ve included a nice large observation window for viewing the fall of those who don’t make it out of the skybridge alive. Skybridge with rocket launcher Destructible skybridge and observation area Destructible skybridge activation. Shoot the fusion coil to start the fun. View of destructible skybridge from lower observation area See the skybridge collapse in action below. YouTube - Halo Reach Forge Map Velodrome Skybridge Collapse OVERVIEWS Map overview from elevator end Map overview from skybridge end Map overview from red base side Map center Dual elevator. The left lift takes you half way up. The right one takes you to the top. ACCESS WAY Another aspect of the map I really like, both because of the aesthetics and functionality, is the access way. There is one access way on each side of the map running from one end to the other. The access ways offer quick paths to most areas of the map including the lower observation area, the elevators, the bases and the map’s upper center. View down red access way looking toward elevator end. Red base access shown near right. Map central area access shown further ahead on left. View outside from access way BASES Each base has three entries/exits. The exception to this is during CTF games where the lower opening is covered by a one-way shield. You can enter the base through it, but you can’t exit with the flag through it. Red base (Blue base is exactly same, but mirrored). Exit to access way shown at top left. Beautiful framed view from red base VIDEO Here is a video of a Team Slayer game on Velodrome. It’s shot from my niece’s perspective. I’ve been spending so much time in Forge that this video shot from my perspective would’ve been sad indeed. I need to get back into matchmaking to get my skills back up. YouTube - Halo Reach Forge Map Velodrome - Team Slayer Weapons: (8) plasma grenade 45-75 second respawn (8) frag grenade 45-75 second respawn (2) plasma pistol 30 second respawn (2) needler 45 second respawn 2 spare clips (2) assault rifle 30 second respawn 2 spare clips (2) needle rifle 30 second respawn 2 spare clips (3) DMR 45 second respawn 2 spare clips (1) DMR 60 second respawn 3 spare clips (2) shotgun 150 second respawn 2 spare clips (1) concussion rifle 120 second respawn 1 spare clip (1) sniper rifle 180 second respawn 2 spare clips (1) sword 180 second respawn (1) rocket launcher 120 second respawn 1 spare clip That’s about it. I hope everyone enjoys Velodrome. I’d love to hear your feedback. Download Velodrome!!!
I am going to dl this just because it has a skybridge that can mean death for those unfortunate enough to go after rockets wihtout a jetpack. (tsk tsk noobs) I love the aesthetics in this map. Even for grey and blue it looks beeeeautiful. I know this could quite possibly play well as no one with any sense posts a map with a switch in it without vigorously testing it first. My only broblem? *troll face* The two big imposing brace larges that take away from this maps astounding beauty. Take away those things and BAM! Perfection (look wise) Thank you and see ya on da flip side, Zow Jr.
Thanks Zow Jr. I was really trying to make sure the map aesthetics were interesting. The destructible skybridge works extremely well. I spent a lot of time planning and tweaking it. It even registers a kill for the person who activates it and successfully causes another player to fall to his/her death. There were a few times where it didn't register the kill, but I didn't figure out what caused that to happen. It's very satisfying getting credit for successfully activating the bridge. I agree with you on the large braces. They are a bit of a distraction form the overall look of the map, but they were used quite a bit by players during testing. They would perch on them and wait for an unsuspecting player to walk by underneath. So while they aren't the prettiest part of the map, they serve a fun purpose. Besides that, I literally can only place 1 more item on this map. After that, Forge will not allow me to place another, not even respawn points. If I were to remove the large braces, I couldn't replace them with any one item that would replace the function they are serving. Anyway, I hope you have fun trying out the map. Let me know how it goes.
My friend downloaded this map and was telling me about the destroyed bridge aspect. When I actually played it I loved it. It really makes me want to try and incorporate something like it in one of my planned maps, but I'm not sure how I would go about it. Plus I always feel dirty at the thought of using a feature of someone elses map and trying to apply it to one of my own, and not the good kind of dirty <_<. The map is really good non-bridge wise as well. The braces serve as good vantage points for the sniper and dmr, and it is relatively easy to figure out where you are before the first match is over. Definitely a map I'd love to play more custom games on.
@ goomaestro005, I won't be at all offended if you incorporate the destructible skybridge into one of your creations. I'll send you a friend request and maybe we can try to gather some other players to play on the map.
If I could think of a way to incorporate the idea in a similar but at the same time different way I would use it. Depends if I can spark something up. That'd be nice to get more than the three people we had on it the other day, though even with three people it was still fun. It is usually hard for me to actually get custom games unless I am hanging out with some friends, since Im usually away from my Xbox until 4-5 PM Eastern, and lately Ive been on a Forgediction trying to make good maps to actually put on this site. Luckily I have a week coming up to bum it up and no life it with Reach. My gamertag is the same as my username, though.
I played this map tonight and I had a lot of fun. LOVE the rocket bridge, although it didn't get much attention in the match. Maybe with a few more plays under its belt in our room it will get more attention, but it just seems a little out of the way to get to it. Although that's understandable since its Rocket spawn, just wish more people would of used it.. (so I could get some nice "surprise no more bridge for you" kills. The one complaint going around was spawns, people kept spawning right in each others faces. I think that mostly had to do with us having 10-11 players, but I thought I should bring it up just in case. Also most people found the constant angle of the ground to be annoying and a few players sought out flat ground for most of the match. I personally liked it, each area gave a nice balance of cover and whatnot even if players were on the same field. (if that makes sense) I liked the weapon layout, good amount of guns without throwing them in your face or constantly flooding your screen with messages to pick one up. Did I mention we played Slayer as in non-team slayer? Well we did. Did I say I had fun? Well I did. Really nice map, good job and all that hoo haa. Can't wait to see what you come out with next.
@ The Govener, I'm glad you had fun on the map. I think it just take several games to get use to using the skybridge. It really has to be timed well in order to get a kill with it unless someone is just hanging around in it. I understand the spawn complaints. The respawns are primarily set up for team games. There was a larger variety of respawns on the map before I added all the game types. Forge forced me to choose respawns or required game type objectives etc. I probably ended up with about twenty less respawn locations than I started with. As far as the angled flooring is concerned, it primarily only occurs in the central area where you probably don't want hang out to do most of you fighting. I tried to provide several quick ways to duck out of the center so it wouldn't always mean instant death when you expose yourself out there. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about the weapon layout. Initially, there were several other weapons on the map. I decided to take out the plasma launcher and one of the snipers. It was a bit too much. Now, I have three power weapons to draw players to three specific parts of the map. While three power weapons may initially seem like too much, I tried to be careful about balancing out the power by also providing a handicap to each. You are extremely exposed while going for the rocket launcher (only one spare clip) and risk plummeting to your death if someone activates the bridge. The sword has no extra energy and is in the most exposed area on the map. While the sniper rifle has 2 spare clips, you have to cover quite a bit of ground to find a place to use it and there aren't really any fortified spots where a sniper can feel totally safe while sniping. If I were to lose any other weapons on the map, I'd probably delete the DMR over each base since there is a needle rifle available to each base and there is a DMR at each end of the map. I'm forging up a storm and have about five pretty cool maps going on at once right now. I keep getting sidetracked by new ideas for maps and starting new ones. I'm sure I'll have a finished one up in a month or so.
I haven't had the opportunity to play on this map but I did get some inspiration from this map and another map called Hydro for incorporating moving parts into my next map. At first I didn't know what items react well with normal physics but it seems like only the scenery items truly work, which is a bit sad. I'd love to test out/play some customs on this map though so send me a friend invite and then I can also show you my map once I finish it, since this map did provide a bit of my inspiration after all.
I just uploaded some floor plans for this map. Check them out and let me know what you think. They ended up being quite a bit of work, but were also fun to draft up. I received some feedback recently about the map. I guess it plays fine usually, but when playing with people from high latency servers, it begins to lag. I'm pretty happy with the map's performance considering I used up the entire budget, but it'd be nice if there were no bugs at all. I'll just use this first map experience and try to get more out of fewer objects in my future maps. @III PHO3NIX III: I'm glad you got some inspiration from my map. I'll get a friend request to you soon and we'll check out your maps.
I have to say, this map is really intimidating. Looks fun as hell but now look at what the rest of us have to compete with! Damn leegeorgeton, this is just incredible and the skybridge is just a fantastic idea! I love it and everything else about this map! Congrats on raising the bar.
Wow the idea is cool, and it seems you pulled it off pretty well. A neat innovative idea. It just makes the person who shoots the coil look like a totally mean person...The victim's lives depend on one person shooting a coil maybe even with a magnum. lol. Aside from that, the overall layout is great, and the aesthetics are great. Downloading now.
"I have to say, this map is really intimidating. Looks fun as hell but now look at what the rest of us have to compete with! Damn leegeorgeton, this is just incredible and the skybridge is just a fantastic idea! I love it and everything else about this map! Congrats on raising the bar." "Wow the idea is cool, and it seems you pulled it off pretty well. A neat innovative idea. It just makes the person who shoots the coil look like a totally mean person...The victim's lives depend on one person shooting a coil maybe even with a magnum. lol. Aside from that, the overall layout is great, and the aesthetics are great. Downloading now." Thanks for the compliments. As for the lives of victims in the skybridge depending on a single shot from another player, I've found that that single shot isn't as easy to place accurately and in a timely manner as you might think. I've only seen a few successful (meaning the guy in the bridge actually falls to his death) skybridge activations myself during actual games. It's tough being in combat, tracking someone to the skybridge and getting that shot off in time.
Yeah I know what you mean about those rare timing situations. The idea of killing someone with the skybridge is cool but more than anything it helps to disrupt the flow of the map for a strategic advantage or to prevent someone from acquiring the rocket launcher.
haha, the sky bridge looks fun. my only thought is to add some more coloring, but sometimes i go a bit overboard with that, so maybe not, lol.
I would've liked to add lighting or lighting effects, but it would've bogged down the frame rate. I added object colors mostly in the lower areas for orientation, but left the open area up top alone because it's pretty easy to orient yourself there. I guess there are a few places where it wouldn't have hurt to use a non-blue or non-red object color, perhaps on all those inclines @ the center area. The maps I'm currently working on have lot more color due to the type of symmetry I'm using on them. Without the colors, it'd be hard to differentiate one side from the other because the maps are more closed off to the outside than Velodrome is.
I love the looks of this map and it looks vary playable lateron tonight i may download it and i well tell you more. I love the hole bridge and the fact that it gives the kill to the person who sets it off. The map looks playabel to diferent types of players and ranges and i love the thought you put into ctf. I was wondering if you would be ok with me using that idea in a puzzle map or a mini game map i would credit you. I am sorry about the crappy spelling i am kindof in a rush and on my I phone lol sorry
I'm glad you like the map. Feel free to utilize any aspect of he map you would like in your projects. The map gets wild and fun with jetpacks on, but if you want more tactical play, don't use them.
Velodrome There is a famous Einstein quote that goes: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” This is a great saying to keep in mind when designing and building a map. As simple tends to be boring but complex tends to be confusing, finding the balance closer to the simple end of the spectrum is crucial. Velodrome could stand to take a few lessons from this saying. The design has some very interesting points and some unique bits of flare, but the overall complexity of it tends to ruin a player’s ability to enjoy their time on it. The structure of the map is clearly well thought out, though it could use some touchups to better tie everything together without overwhelming the player. On the surface the map tends to tie together well; however, the layout of the map also confuses players. Players can’t immediately recognize if the route they’re taking will take them to the destination they were hoping for. Many times they end up going the wrong direction and arriving somewhere completely unexpected. As players gain map knowledge this problem lessens, but the flow of the map is hampered by the constant struggle to understand the layout. As a whole, the map does well at pushing the conventional boundaries. The destructible bridge provides a unique opportunity to spoil someone’s recent rocket discovery. Velodrome has many positive elements that make it a memorable map to play on, but some fine tuning is necessary to really have it shine. Symmetry is a favorite amongst designers who hope to achieve perfect balance. Balance is almost a given when building symmetrically, but at the same time the overall layout becomes much more crucial to ensure that the map flows well for all gametypes. Having neutrally located power weapons helps to ensure this balance is maintained. The sniper is located at a convenient spot for both teams that ensures whoever finds it must move to a more open location to get full use of their discovery. The sword location also does well as it is located in one of the few open areas, forcing the player to move to a more secure area while avoiding the shots from above. The rockets are a bit of a tossup for location. The destructible bridge provides a way to ruin the lucky recipient’s prize, but the distance off the beaten path means that new players to the map will rarely stumble upon them. While the bridge might play an important role at hampering the finder, the fact that the bridge is so short combined with a difficult to find trigger means that the bridge is seldom, if ever, destroyed. The layout of the map also has some issues depending on the gametype. Slayer encourages players to venture to the upper ring of the map to get the best vantage point, and avoid the corridors below. CTF has the exact opposite effect, with little to no action occurring on the top ring and most of the play focuses on the lower sections between the two flags. Overall, Velodrome provides a balanced gameplay. The designer did well to ensure that the map’s structure is even for both teams, and that the spawns and equipment followed this trend. More work could have been done to ensure that the structure of the map did not hamper the balance of the map, but these issues mostly occur in the maps durability. As with any improvement that gives more options for success, more options for failure also arise. Forge 2.0 suffers from this in many ways, and it is pivotal to ensure that every object is placed appropriately and that all gametypes work properly. While Velodrome does not suffer from many game breaking durability issues, there are quite a few minor issues that need to be addressed. The map does well at encouraging players towards the inside of the map. The forging of the map is mostly smooth and the pieces are used in unique and interesting ways. Issues arise when the map is examined with a little more scrutiny. The forging in the map is a bit overzealous at times, using many objects when one or two would have worked equally well. While the framerate was acceptable during custom games, the map would be almost unplayable if played split screen due to the excessive amount of objects and glass used. Glass is a major hog for game resources and its use must be minimized to ensure smooth play. There are many cases where the glass does not provide any sort of technical advantage, and could easily have been replaced by a less resource consuming object. Along with reducing the amount of glass there are many cases of using a railing or some other object to make a transition. This is unnecessary in most cases because with some adjusting the transition would be possible without the need for additional resources being spent on it. Reducing the number of objects on a map will help to improve the performance and help to make the gameplay more enjoyable. Aside from the excessive use of objects, the gametypes also tended to suffer from durability issues. One example of this was during stockpile games where it was not uncommon to spawn on the other team’s side. Along with the spawning issues, the flag return and flag capture point for stockpile also spawn in an unusual area. The return points are difficult to get to and easily campable. Along with these issues the stockpile point is also near a point where the flag can easily be thrown off, discouraging players from doing the long haul of carrying the flag out and instead just resetting it quickly. While the forging is well done, there are many areas where the player is caught on a ledge and forces them to jump. There’s an expression for a map design called “Wheelchair accessible,” meaning that every point on the map should be easy to access from a wheelchair and not be too steep. It’s suggested that the creator go back and “smooth out” the structure and make the transitions less steep and remove areas where the player gets caught. Along with fixing the transition, it would be beneficial to reduce the number of objects on the map. A cursory glance would suggest that up to $3000 could be recovered through more conservative forging and better use of low weight objects. While this might not be appealing due to the loss of some aesthetic elements, it would improve the map as a whole to take this step. As well as reducing the objects, ensure that there are no points on the map that can be accessed with only a jetpack, such as on top of the brace large, so as to not provide any player an unfair advantage. Though there are few things about Velodrome that really stand out as being aesthetically impressive, the overall appearance of the map is well done. The use of tunnel pieces to create walkways is done in a unique and interesting way, though at the cost of confusing players. The map ties together well and it allows the player to quickly determine where they are on the map. Some more work could have been done to open up the lower area and allow the player to get a better feel for the overall structure. While aesthetics are important, ensuring that the player can move around the map safely is an important aesthetic element. There are many cases where the railing is missing and in the heat of a battle the player may strafe off the map. This can be very aggravating for players and should be avoided at all costs. Another element that’s important to consider is the use of objects that appear to provide a route but end up leading to a dead end. There are a few Ramp 2x2 steeps that are used decoratively but appear to the player as being a viable route. Closing these off will help players to realize that this is not a viable option and encourage them to keep moving. The most important thing to remember when considering map aesthetics is whether the gameplay is hampered due to the aesthetics. While the play was not bad, it could have been better, and improving the object usage would greatly help with this. The aesthetic appeal of the map would not be lost and it would improve the gameplay and durability of the map greatly. Velodrome definitely provides some unique and interesting approaches to the map world. The bridge provides a unique and interesting map element, even if slightly underused. The layout is interesting and provides many unique opportunities for encounters. Though the map’s layout is unique, the overall structure seems oddly familiar. There are no points that are very impressive or provide great lines of sight. The structure itself is interesting and well thought out but something about the map itself does not feel very impressive. Some more thought should be placed on the routes through the map, which is one of the biggest complaints players had. Making the movement smoother would greatly help the players enjoy their time more on Velodrome, and ensure that they keep it on their harddrives. Rating Multipliers [floatleft]Enjoyment: Balance: Durability: Aesthetic : Originality:[/floatleft]5 x 3.0 = 15 out of 30 7 x 3.0 = 21 out of 30 4 x 1.5 = 6 out of 15 6 x 1.5 = 9 out of 15 7 x 1.0 = 7 out of 10 Final Score Understanding the Review Hub's Ratings