Hot Box is the first map I've ever made. I've come to this forum to share it, and hopefully meet some people interested in play-testing it with me as I don't have many friends who still play Halo... Hot Box is a symmetrical slayer map with a light emphasis on platforming. It was made with the Arena Slayer rule set in mind, but still works in a vanilla free-for-all/team Slayer match with all the armor abilities available. Weapons: DMR x 6 Magnum x 6 Assault Rifle x 4 Plasma Pistol x 2 Needler x 2 Needle Rifle x 2 Plasma Repeater x 2 Brute Spiker x 2 Sniper Rifle x 2 Plasma Sword x 1 Plasma Launcher x 1 Shotgun x 1 Grenade Launcher x 1 Frag Grenade x 17 Sticky Grenade x 15 (Too many grenades, I know. I need to play test more to decide which ones to take out.) Health Pack x 4 Screenshots: An overview of the entire map. Hot Box is symmetrical (except for weapon placement, which is inversely symmetrical), has three levels, and plenty of cover without creating camping points. Center, bottom. Sword spawns in the center of a canyon directly in front of both teams' initial spawn points. Meant to give an immediate objective in team games. Center, top. The plasma launcher spawns on a platform at the very top of the map. The only way to access it (without the jetpack) is to use the gravity lifts on either side. The platform and platforms leading to it are lined with explosives to discourage camping. Shots of one of the gravity lifts/side bridges. The gravity lifts are on the bottom floor, in the middle along either wall, under a bridge that provides high ground and access to the mid-level sections. Red side, bottom, middle. Behind the initial spawn points on either side is a tunnel piece with barricades on either side. Inside is a DMR, 2 frag grenades, and a health pack. The "bases" were created to break up the otherwise open space in those sections. They also provide an opportunity to jump from the roof to one of the mid-level bunkers using the sprint ability. Side hallway, bottom. Across the hallway from the gravity lifts are bunkers that sink into the wall, like a cave. Here, the shotgun and grenade launcher spawn on their respective sides. Center, mid-level. The column above the sword spawn is a risky but rapid way to get from one side of the mid-level platforms to the other. It requires the sprint ability, and some precise timing to cross the sword canyon this way. Sorry for not having a video! I hope the screenshots are interesting enough for you to download the map! So like I said, this is my first map, and it needs more play testing. Drop me a friend request at LameOnade and tell me what you think! If anyone has level design advice, I would love to hear it.
I have to say no to this. Everthing looks lazy you can do way better then this I know you have alot of budget left go back and fix it up its your first map make it show out put yourself "your style" in it
What he's trying to say is that your map would benefit greatly from putting thought into design before you start building a map. If you don't plan out the layout carefully it's easy to end up with random stuff everywhere and no cohesion to the map. It's important to have small variations in height rather than just a ground floor and walkway level which is hard to get unless you have a good idea of what you're going to build before you start. Edit: Apparently he was trying to say something else much less useful than what I though he was trying to say.
just take a look at older members maps youll see mean and aesthetics is a good place to start if you want some help I will help you Im not making maps till halo 4 comes out
@Pyro Well I'll admit that I only had the ground floor completely planned out before I started building. But I only have experience with systems design, I've never done any kind of level design for a project before. I though using Forge would be a great way to breach that aspect of design. Also, I never expected this map to be loved. I know it's rough, it's my first level ever. I really just posted this map to get more people to play test it with, as well as get feedback from the more experienced architects. @Cheiyijei I'll take all the help I can get, my friend.
That's pretty good for a first map. Part of level design is adding complexity to the map without making it difficult for players to understand the map. It helps to have primary paths that a player can understand instantly, secondary paths that should be clear by the end of the game, and tactical paths that are much smaller, trickier, and something only players who know the map well would use. The way you have it set up now it's pretty much free roam and that leads to stale gameplay. It's not a good idea to start working too much on aesthetics and object usage until you have a good idea about what to do with the layout otherwise you'll start getting beautiful maps that are terrible to play.
Maybe the screenshots don't express it well, but I thought that my weapon placement would guide path finding. There are 5 distinct paths the player can chose from an initial spawn in a team game. The first is the way they're facing, a long corridor with high walls and the sword front and center, with the enemies just on the other side. If you don't want to make a mad dash for the sword, there are 2 pathways to your left or right you can take. If you make a 90 degree turn in either direction you'll see a ramp that takes you to high ground and cover. You can follow the bridge along the wall to another bridge leading to the sniper spawn. Or, you can hop that gap at the initial ramp and head into the mid-level bunkers, which also lead to the sniper spawn. The path between the canyon and the high-ground route on either side leads to the shotgun/grenade launcher spawn (depending on which direction you went) and a gravity lift that takes you to the high walkway and the plasma launcher. I would love to play a game with a few people to get some more precise critique...
maybe if you wanna, you can add me, but I'm rarely on. But in the pictures, there seems t be many platforms around the map, and its hard to get to a platform to another. Make them more connected. Also, did you build this in the coliseum?! Don't build anything in the coliseum. Ever. Because it tells people that you didn't work hard on your map and that you just built it where you first spawned.
I think if this is your first map then you've done a fine job. Its symmetrical, you used non prefab pieces and your weapon placement seems pretty well thought out. You have yet yo master some of the finer points of forge such never eeeever forge in the Colosseum for competitive, but that'll come with time. For now i would suggest checking out other featured maps made by the best. DL, Test, and learn what they did and make and expand on it! Im going to DL and get back to you, peace Add me
Nah. You could build in the coliseum if you want. I've heard that framerate is pretty poor there, though. That's why people don't build there often.
Looks like fun if I'm just screwing around with friends, but I don't think it qualifies as a competitive map.