Hivemind is a large-scale, big team-style map designed for balanced yet unpredictable gameplay and a mix of aerial and ground combat. The map is designed in a D-shape with a straight, mostly open bridge; a more protected and wider curved side opposite; and bases with open hangars and an infantry bunker at each end. Above the watery middle area there are two man cannon towers, a lower teleport bridge for sneaky ground troops, and a middle bridge slicing through the center of the map which is excellent for sniping or taking down enemy falcons. The core inspiration for Hivemind came from an idea I had to make a map high above the ocean with four open hangars that falcons could fly in and out of (or clear through, if they're feeling lucky). The idea survived intact to the final version of Hivemind, though originally there were four falcons - alas, hubris. Now there are, of course, just two. Offsetting the falcons are two rocket hogs, a plasma launcher, and more. See equipment list below. Hivemind has been extensively tested and tweaked over the last few weeks. Despite its size and complexity, the budget is only about 7800 and framerate is great (even in two player splitscreen); there's also no disco (object flashing) under normal circumstances, even with 16 players on the map and falcons flying around. It supports all standard competitive gametypes but is especially fun for big team slayer, team snipers, CTF (multi-flag or one flag), and assault (two or one bomb). 8-16 players recommended. Weapons and equipment (Note: see screenshot section below for an illustrated view of where the power weapons appear.) - 1 plasma launcher (2 minute respawn) - 2 rocket launchers (1 clip, 3 minute respawn) - 1 sniper rifle (3 clips, 2 minute respawn) - 2 shotguns (2 clips, 2 minute respawn) - 1 concussion rifle (2 clips, 2 minute respawn) - 4 plasma pistols (1 minute respawn) - 2 needlers (1 minute respawn) - assorted DMRs (10 of these), needle rifles, and grenades - 4 health stations Vehicles - 2 falcons (3 minute respawn) - 2 rocket hogs (3 minute respawn) - 2 warthogs (2 minute respawn) - 2 mongooses (1 minute respawn) Video Action: Hivemind (Halo: Reach BTB map) - Action vid - YouTube Tour: Hivemind (Halo: Reach map) - YouTube Screenshots More in the spoiler section: Spoiler
First! I haven't liked many custom BTB maps but this is an excellent one. Because of all the quick methods of mobility, it also plays surprisingly well on 4v4. It has just the right vehicle-weapon balance, and I couldn't tell you how many times I satisfyingly destroyed vehicles, or equally often, got wrecked by vehicles myself. I really enjoyed this map and it really demonstrates your versatility as a forger. I look forward to your next kind of project!
I've been waiting for this! Hivemind is no doubt one of my favorite maps, I love blowing up other peoples vehicles Seriously, this is an amazing BTB map that has the best falcon gameplay I know of. While ground vehicles are a little cramped, they still serve a purpose (though they are very easily destroyed, and it is rare to see a hog get far after passing a group of infantry.) The rockets are new to me, though I think they are a good choice compared to the double plasma launchers. Flag isn't always my favorite game on here, mostly because the most interesting flag path is the one no one will use, because going around the curve of the D takes too long and through the enemy spawn (where the teleport takes you. Taking it across is fine, it just feels like a let down on such a cool map with so many infantry paths. I do love it for slayer and snipers though, and I still want to play bomb. Overall you did a fantastic job, this is a fantastic map that should be enjoyed for a long time to come! Edit: Lot's of BTB maps coming out right now.
Bonus Points for Falcons. I love the idea of this map greatly, build a nice map over some water with falcons. You have done this well, and it looks quite simple and easy to maneuver in. Unfortunately though I was only able to see it once in the early stages, and it seems to have come along nicely. I have my standard complaint about this though, which is that it looks much like many BTB maps, though it is hard to change that standard as there must be room for infantry, vehicles, and enough cover. It's an old standard design that you have put a few twists on, but still the basic 2 base with vehicles. Just not in the Canyon- which I respect. There is nothing bad about this, but I lose interest quicker in BTB maps personally if they look this way to me. Dispite my personal issues with Hivemind the map looks solid and balanced (would have preferred a video of a battle, though the guide is useful) and I am happy to see Falcons used so well. I love falcons. a lot. In the end I do like this map, and maybe one day I will get a game on it instead of seeing where the ghost can go, which I dont see anymore so it looks like Ill have to go to the falcon and fly around, because thats never going to get old.
This is such a silly complaint. Hivemind is quite unique in its layout. It has bases and vehicles, so what? Every single BTB map has that in one way or another. Anyway, I'm totally going to download this at play it at custom games with people I know over at Halo.Bungie.Org
Audience - to me, that two-base design is the BTB standard for a reason. Every classic, well-liked BTB map has used that concept. I don't want to reinvent the wheel here - just do something solid and enjoyable for a lot of different gametypes, that anybody familiar with BTB can get in and play from the very first time; but also have a couple twists that make it interesting and not just Blood Gulch Remake #563. If it even kinda lives up to my big team favorites (Gulch, Avalanche, Rat's Nest, Standoff - all of which are simple two-base designs) then I'll be satisfied. re: gameplay vid - I usually do one for each map I release, but I forgot to save the video from my last round of tests on the final version of the map. D'oh! Might do one later, might not. It's a pity, because I had a very awesome moment of one player almost accidentally EMPing a falcon out of the sky. Remember kids, if all else fails, plasma pistols are your friends.
I know its silly, but its just something that's hard for me to get around when it comes to BTB. The map isnt bad or anything, its just a personal thought that I decided to share. I know there are various things that set this apart from other BTBs but it takes a lot of reinventing for me to become truly interested in BTB maps. And Nutduster, I see you seemed to have done wat you set out to- make a sturdy BTB with falcons. I mean no disrespect, I was just voicing an opinion of my own.
I guess I didnt quite explain right. I mean the map as a while, I understand many if not al have these features, I was talking more about layout. To answer your question (sort of) I found S by Psychoduck highly interesting due to its 2 highways for the warthogs, you couldn't just easily drive around and the infantry had a slight advantage, plus the design of the map was unique to any map. Another I saw a while back (I never played on it but the idea was interesting) was a map for BTB that was entirely infantry and focused more on verticality. There were no vehicles either. It was an interesting concept to me. I guess I see Hivemind's layout as a basic BTB with some twists including the falcons, narrower path's and teleporters. This is not bad in any way, it just doesnt appeal to me. I am very harsh on maps, I have downloaded maybe 10 since I got to this site, and kept maybe 3. Its just in my personal taste that Hivemind is not that unique dispite its quirks. Like I said I mean no harm or disrespect, and Nutduster, you are a great forger, but it just doesnt appeal to me like your other maps have such as Curvature and the one with the neutral Banshee because those were so unique and had such crazy ideas I loved them (dispite the issues we found on the banshee map. I would like to see that worked on again, I loved it.)
I found this to be a very good big team map that truly created space for vehicles and infantry yet was dedicated to both. Even though the left flank remained unused, it was useful for quick snatch and grabs from blue base and created a very spaced zone for air. The right felt very competitive and I scrambled just to control it yet the middle created a zone for fast ambushes. This map was built for fun big team gameplay and that is what it felt like.
Sugar - thanks for the comments! Can't remember which game you were in but I'm guessing it was prior to the last round of weapon revisions. Previously I had a ghost in that location (center of the bridge) and it's just not sufficient temptation to get traffic out there, so it was replaced with a neutral plasma launcher. Additionally, the man cannons from the towers now direct to that area instead of what they did before, which was shooting you straight across to the opposite tower. I believe these two changes combine to push people out to that side more frequently, even in non-objective games. In the earlier tests of this map, that bridge was used most for running flags and not much in slayer; hopefully that won't be the case now. It may also help if players realize it's not nearly as exposed as it looks. The interior wall is high enough that you can stand behind it and not be seen from ground level anywhere else on the map. The center building acts as a line of sight breaker from one end to the other as well. So aside from airborne falcons and enemies on the same half of the bridge as you, you're actually rather well protected.
I just played this map the other night but on 4v4 slayer and CTF. Surprisingly, it wasn't half bad. It wasn't to hard to find anybody to kill and there were plenty of power weapons to keep everyone happy. It also had this sort of Rat's Nest feel to it only a little bigger and with Falcons.
I like the idea. It somewhat reminds me of the NMPD HQ mission on Halo 3: ODST. I've noticed you have a sniper rifle, a plasma launcher, concussion rifle, and a rocket launcher (I actually think there are two now that I watched the vid) Was there a problem with power weapons when testing the map? There are a bunch of them on the map. I think the map has a rat's nest feel, except for the paths from the bases to the center. It's like an inverted version where the walls are replaced with openings that lead into the water and the weapons and vehicles are switched up. I like the style of the map. I might try this out if I get enough people in my lobby.
You know when I first saw this map, I did not know what to think about it. Nothing really caught my attention in the preview thread. But after testing several games on this map, I have to say this map plays great. My two biggest complaints would have to be the flanking route, and the amount of plasma launcher. Both of which have been addressed since the last time I played the map. I am hoping that removing the ghost and replacing it with a neutral plasma launcher has improved traffic use on that side of the map. Just like I said about Ducks map, I think you have balanced the flacons perfectly. I would say my favorite aspect is that for a falcon to do well, they have to stay pretty close to the ground. This makes for some interesting game play, and some even more interesting sticks! Great map Nut, my favorite of yours so far!
ive actually tested this and i loved it. this map was really fun to play on love to blow up other peoples vehicles. i dl it but cant playit till i get my xbox back
I just remember hopping into a falcon with Soul Slasher and racking up 8 wheelman medals, then scoring 9 more in a rocket hog. There's not too many maps that have interesting aerial combat, and the mix of ground and air vehicles on Hivemind is fresh and great. The entire design of this steaming-hot pizza is rather interesting. the map takes a fairly simple layout, but the mix of vehicles makes it interesting. The complaints I used to have were in regards to spawning, which has been fixed to my knowledge. So I'm a pretty happy camper when it comes to this map, even though there's really nowhere to camp on it. Now go redesign Stacks so it will actually play well!
No problems. On a map this roomy, the concussion rifle barely qualifies as a power weapon - it's most effective against enemy ground vehicles, but only situationally powerful against infantry, and it has one less clip than usual. The plasma launcher is best against vehicles of course and has limited effectiveness against infantry. The rockets are limited to two shots each and a 3 minute respawn. Ultimately I think if you're at ground level you'll be doing most of your killing with a good ol' DMR, unless you're able to secure the neutral sniper multiple times. It does seem to, and directing the man cannons out that way has helped also. Thanks for the compliments! Yep, the spawning thing is resolved. I was just having a brain freeze the day I added the spawn zones originally. Since I fixed them the map's been tested a bunch of times with no more issues. And I'm glad to once again merit the coveted Psychoduck Hot Pizza Award - I'd like to thank God, and my agent, and... As for The Stacks, I don't think it'll happen. The map is just too crazy and requires too many objects to work. If it weren't for framerate, disco and object limits I could possibly pull it off.
This is by far one of the best and WELL THOUGHT OUT BTB maps I have played. The gameplay video is awesome (because I'm in it) and gives a really good feel for the map. The Inclusion of Falcons, Rocket Hogs and the power weapon set all plays smoothly without being overdone. In short, if you like BTB this is worth the DL. Oh and thats like my favorite song of all time...
I feel like that last comment was a bit facetious. But thanks, GG! I actually just realized that you hadn't commented on the map until now. Of course, I knew of your undying love for it already from our many, many tests. You poor bastard, you. The original post has been updated with a gameplay vid, but for ease of finding it, here it is by its lonesome: Hivemind (Halo: Reach BTB map) - Action vid - YouTube
Facetious? Never! Thats why I hadn't commented on it yet actually. I knew whatever I had to had would basically be repeating everything everyone already said. But I really do believe this is a great BTB map. And deserves a spot in the BTB MM lineup.