Intro: Hello everybody, I am here today to submit my second map to ForgeHub. For those of you who've seen my previous map (Mafia) you will understand that following the completion of that project, I left Halo: Reach for a while and played some other games. Nearly a year later, I decided that it was time to make a new map and, armed with a certain design in my mind, I began the construction of the Fallsview Retreat. Although it is still not the best of my maps, I believe it will be more fun to progressively work my way towards my current achievements. So, let's get started then! The map (Fallsview Retreat): My initial plan was to build this small resort all around the waterfall in Forge World, naively thinking that it was odd that no one else tried. I soon discovered, as I imagine plenty others did, that getting too close will put you out of bounds. So, changing my plan as I worked, I inched myself further and further from the falls until it was no longer out of bounds, but as close as possible. So, directly facing the waterfall, this mini-resort, obviously reserved for the rich, features a cabin filled with supplies (propane tanks), a main floor with a front desk, small restaurant and bar, a second floor which houses two bedrooms and a patio, a third floor with three bedrooms, with individual patios and a fourth floor observation deck. Wow that was a long sentence... Players can also enjoy the beautiful view of Paradiso from certain windows, along with the soothing sound of the waterfall, slightly buffered by the inner walls as they jump through elevators to reach the various floors. The Gametype (Slayer): This map is specifically built for a free-for-all slayer game. The spawn points (initial and respawn) along with weapon placement were created with this sole gametype in mind. I found the map far too small for any team games, therefore I believe it should stay as simply slayer. Also, since slayer allows jetpacks, I am sending a warning to all players that attempting to escape the map will give you a soft kill warning of 10 seconds (and that counts for camping on the roof). Screenshots: An outside picture showing the waterfall and the hotel. The main floor shed. A sniper booby-trapped inside the shed. The two main doors to the hotel (on main floor). The main floor with the restaurant, front desk and fully stocked bar. A view from the bar of the main floor. The first elevator (from the main floor to the second floor). The second floor (first floor elevator on left, second floor elevator on right) The view of Paradiso from the second floor windows. One of the two second floor bedrooms. The second floor patio. The third floor (from the second-to-third floor elevator) One of three third floor bedrooms. A third floor window. The fourth floor observation deck. Another outside view of the hotel. So, as you can all see, the terrain itself is rather small, even for a free-for-all map, but through multiple test games, I was able to prove that because of the multiple floors, combat can constantly be taking place, without all the players crashing into each other. The elevators are a quick mechanism to reach higher floors, but a jetpack will work just as well. Players on higher floors will also find it easy to drop down unto lower floors without losing too much health. The mixed array of weapons will also permitted for constantly up-beat combat and it also encourages the use of different armour abilities. Overall, from the feedback that I've received from some testers, it is a rather amusing map to play! Weapons list: Sniper rifle: 1 Shotgun: 1 Grenade launcher: 1 Concussion rifle: 1 Plasma launcher: 1 (rather well hidden, I'd like to think) Focus rifle: 1 DMRs, Needler rifles: A few (sorry, no number is coming to mind) Automatic weapons (Needler, Plasma rifle, Spiker): 1 each Conclusion: Well, I believe that is all there is to say about my second map, Fallsview Retreat. Please leave your feedback, be it positive, or simply constructive criticism, I will take note of it and, if I haven't already realised it since I made this map, will add it to my standards for future maps. For those of you who saw my first map (Mafia) I hope I was able to show an improvement with Fallsview Retreat and I plan to continue to show my skill advancement with my more recent maps. (They will be up once there is a little more testing!) Video Review: Halo Reach Forge Maps: "Fallsview Retreat" - YouTube
I guesse the gamplay flows well, but the map in my opinion could have looked better. Maybe if you used different pieces. Don't use too much glass in your map, you will have framrate lag. You do have a lot of misalinements, make sure you use edit cordinations.
Thanks for the tip MacoroniMayorTOFU, I had no idea that glass could cause framerate lag. I'll be sure to use less in future maps. Also, just so you know, in my more recent maps, I believe I used more aesthetics. TY for the feedback.
This map is much better than your first map indeed, but to me it seems this map would perform way better with Infection than with Slayer. It doesn't look like a Slayer map, pretty much.
I appreciate the compliment REMkings. If it's not too much trouble however, could you specify what would make this map a better slayer map. (I don't mean it in a sarcastic way, I would really like the advice from an experienced forger.) As for infection gametypes, I am currently working on what I believe is an original infection map idea and I have already made a rather successful infection map that I hope to post soon. -Thank you both (REMkings and MacoroniMayorTOFU) for the feedback!
i like the layout and like someone said i bet it plays well but theres lots of overlapping pieces and very samy pieces, id try and use something like large brace for that out side bit, there a bit easier on the eyes and id take a little more time on aesthetics like the bed etc just making it look more apealing and nicer, i dont know how much budget you have left but just use what budget you have and yeah
Im glad you liked the layout Robster95. As for the overlapping pieces, I will admit that at this phase I was still rather ignorant of the proper use of coordinates and tended to "free-hand" all my pieces. Although occasionally I still use that method, coordinates and less overlapping patterns will become more common in my newer maps. I'm not sure if I'll have the time to ajust the map but i assure you that braces and aesthetics started becoming more important the more I forged. Thanks for the feedback!
I'm not entirely sure if I should be the one teaching you how to make competitive slayer maps as I've never tried making a competitive slayer map myself, but I suggest checking this out. It's used by the Tester Guild guys to criticize maps, but it's also very helpful just to read as an outsider. It's probably better to keep those things in mind for your next maps, as I'm afraid you'd have to change a whole lot of things in this map to apply that stuff. However, I do know a thing or two about Infection and I think this map could have potential to be a cool Infection map, although the theme of the building wouldn't be the most original as how it is, so you'd have to change things. Just search around a bit on ForgeHub and learn from other Infection maps, I guess, so you can get a clue of what distinguishes Infection maps from other types of modes.
Cool, thank you REMkings, the link was very informative and I'll be sure to use its tips and guidelines in future maps. As you've mentionned, this map would not be very original for infection so I plan to leave it as it is and rather concentrate on my newer projects. I've got two more slayer-type maps coming and then after those I have one infection map that's already completed and another that's currently "under construction".
Also you're right beside the waterfall and that is really bad for lag. I'm just saying you might want to consider loosing some of the glass.
Thanks, like I said earlier i was completely unaware of the potential lag caused by glass, and therefore I will avoid its over-use in future maps. As for the waterfall, to be perfectly honest, I didn't experience any lag while testing the map. I will talk to the other players who helped me test it, but I'm not sure if the waterfall causes lag. Anyways, thanks for the feedback FM and the BB, and I will be sure to not use too much glass or place my maps next to the waterfalls in the future!