Cardiac Falls is a mid-sized competitive map that merges design ideas from several different sources. You may recognize a bit of Countdown, Construct (from H3), Reflection, and others in the mix. Ultimately though the map is an original work and has proven in multiple tests to be consistently fun to play. It supports basically all standard gametypes but is meant primarily as a 4v4 slayer map. The forging is simple and clean, with good use of lights and natural scenery to help with player orientation and providing an immersive atmosphere. The layout is single-axis symmetrical. It uses about 7500 in budget and in all playtests has run buttery smooth without framerate problems. I've even run it successfully in 2 player splitscreen, but it's really meant for full. EDIT 5/15/11 - The map had to be updated due to a problem I found with spawn zones in FFA (basically there shouldn't be any zones at all, but there was one causing everyone to spawn in the same room... whoops!). Please re-download, thanks! EDIT AGAIN 5/16/11 - Lousy Reach file system didn't save my map properly last night so I fixed it AGAIN and re-uploaded it AGAIN. Sorry. Weapons and equipment - 1 sniper rifle (2 minute respawn) - 1 grenade launcher (2 minute respawn) - 1 sword (3 minute respawn) - 1 shotgun (3 minute respawn) - assorted DMRs, pistols, needle rifles - 2 plasma pistols - 1 needler - 2 plasma rifles - 3 health stations Video YouTube - Cardiac Falls (Halo: Reach multiplayer map) Screenshots
I remember that I've played this map countless times with Psychoduck, Erupt, Longshot, and so many others. This, as well as several of your other maps, are awe-inspiring. I'll be sure to look for more of your maps as I see 'em.
While I'm not sure I like the ceiling, I do like most of the other additions you've made since I tested this out. I look forward to trying it out again at some point.
Thanks man, I hope you do! Hit me up with feedback any time. The ceiling was added because I couldn't find a more elegant solution for jetpackers killing my map flow. I had the option of putting a ceiling just on the side hallways and soft kills on top of those ceilings, but I didn't like how it looked or how many smaller pieces it required - it ended up being more budget-efficient and actually better looking to just put a ceiling (or partial ceiling) on the entire map.
I think its nice work... you chose a good place to build it. the aesthetics and everything seem to be fine... i will download it and me and my buddies will give it a good run... edit alright after playing a few games on this map we have noticed there is a spawn zone in the back where most of the spawning WILL happen my team trapped the other team in that back corner as seen in picture 4 we stood down the two halls ways and spawn killed them for about 30 kills...
I'm loving the creativity in this map. For some reason I really think this one stands out more than most of the others I've seen. The glass wall looking over to the waterfalls is sucha nice aesthetic touch. Also, the name is absolutely beautiful not only is it creative but it sounds cool too. I really don't have anything bad to say except the lights are kind of an eye sore, red lighting on almost any map never looks all that great IMO. Overall, this looks really fun to play on, I'll be sure to give you some feedback if I get some games on it.
Just played this in a lobby with you guys not long ago. I like this map, though I can't say the same for Splitscreen because of lighting. My only other complaint is that whe we played CTF, some people repeatedly spawned directly in front of me. I think you may need flag away zones, if you don't have them. Other wise, this map has a unique play style, which I like. Keep on making good maps.
Thanks man! Yes I recall playing this with you. That one flag game was my last group test before I released this actually, though it took me a little while to spit-shine everything. Hopefully the lights won't be a problem for splitscreen since they de-render there. It does make player orientation slightly more iffy but since the map is only symmetrical one way, all you need to do is pay attention which way you're facing at spawn. (And for non-objective games, it hardly matters, of course.) Apart from the lights I tried to steer clear of most known framerate killers. About the flag away zones, I considered it, but ultimately decided to let the spawn system handle it. The problem is that there's actually no great places to put them since almost all avenues lead from one base to the other, and I can't predict which way the flag carrier will want to go. The only safe place would be the ground floor by the sword and maybe the lower front deck (putting the teleporters off limits), but that's just kind of weak and would make captures really easy. I will say this though: the majority of spawn points are in the side hallways and not so much in the open middle area, so if you're running a flag and want to avoid people spawning in, maybe go that way.
This map is very nice, It's a well constructed map, I like the location of the map, It has nice features, good amount of cover, this is good map, I played it will my friends, and they loved it. Great job and keep up the great work.
good job, this looks creative, cool, and fun to play on. But from what i can see, it looks like there is too many teleporters. im not sure, but i think that there is like... 6 or 8 or something from the vid. yeah, 9/10 without the teleporter thing, if there is that many i would give it a 7 or 8.
I've played on this map plenty times and I generally like it. I got an absolutely sick sniping spree. Works best for flag IMO
I'd definitely encourage you to DL and check it out. There's actually just four teleporters, or two working pairs - each side has a pair that goes from the top level to the lower level almost directly below it. (There are other receiver nodes placed throughout the map aesthetically, on top of columns as "lights," but you can't use them for teleporting as the sender node is far, far away from the map in a comfy and enormous kill zone.)
I've been able to test this a couple of times now, and I think my most recent 2 games on it were the current version. I have enjoyed the map, and seeing the progression it has taken. I have never had a bad game on this map, it plays well for slayer (which all of my games have been). If you are wondering about framerate lag on this map, i can tell you I have never seen any. I suggest you check out the map, you will enjoy it, now to add this to my own hdd. I must go and find this comfy kill zone as i am perplexed about the concept of such.
Not in this case, or I might have considered it. My goal with the ceiling was to keep jetpackers from hopping the walls from the middle area into the bases and adjoining hallways, and from doing the same to get from the middle area into the observation room. (Or vice versa.) There are doorways in key places for a reason, and I didn't want players to have the option of breaking that flow or circumventing the forced movement points. The only ways to accomplish that are: 1. Put a ceiling on the entire map; 2. Put a ceiling on just the hallways and observation room, and a soft kill on top of that; 3. Extend the walls upward really, really far; or 4. Put a hard kill basically where the ceiling is now, because a soft kill does nothing to keep them from jumping over a wall. Option 1 is what I chose because it was cost-effective and didn't alter the gameplay in any way except a good one. 2 is what I tried first but it was requiring too many small pieces because of the odd shape of those hallways and the observation room; also, I am not a fan of letting people get to places and forcing them back via a soft kill unless there's just no other choice - I'd prefer a physical limitation whenever possible. 3 was just not feasible and didn't look good. And 4 is just a bad idea, basically an invisible death trap for people with jetpack. Aesthetically I probably preferred the open air feeling I had originally, but I don't think this is substantially different and it plays a whole lot better. It also gives you a pleasant feeling when you get into the less enclosed areas - the sniper deck (which is still open-air), the observation room, or the lower level (which is partly open-air, which just some railings between you and oblivion).
i played on this before?.... I think it looks really nice. The banner is a real nice touch too. I like when people add more stuff to their post. Makes it stand out more. I like the ceiling. It gives more of an out doors feeling when, well there's no ceiling lol. I will get a game on this and try it out. nice forging
I just finished playing free for all slayer. Everything played great but I had some spawning issues. We had all died in the same place and we all re-spawned in the room with the needle rifle. Not sure why but I'm sure it would be an easy fix. Other than that great map!
Glad to hear you liked it! I am not sure if I can do anything about the spawn issue you describe - for FFA I am letting Bungie's spawn system handle it (there are no spawn zones at all, in other words, just a bunch of neutral respawn points). More than likely if several people died simultaneously in the same place, the spawn system weighted everything around it negatively and decided to respawn you all in another place far away -right on top of each other. That's the Reach spawn system for you, unfortunately.
Update - I may actually have a FFA spawn problem on this map. I had played it that way a couple times before with no issues, but some friends and I were on it today and spawned in the observation room together a lot. I don't know why yet but I suspect I have a neutral spawn zone that should be set to team only and isn't. Going to investigate and probably re-share the map soon. Sorry for the inconvenience! Update to the update - it was just as I thought, there was a neutral spawn zone supposed to be set to "team only" that was not, so everyone in FFA games spawned in the same room each time after initial spawn. Stupid oversight, sorry, and it happened due to a last-minute, not-fully-tested-obviously change to the spawn system. The download link now goes to the corrected version of the map.