This is my first map using the FOrge Island location. The premise is that it is a desalination plant (which turns salt water into fresh water) encorporating two main buildings connected by a boardwalk alongside the sunny cliff of the largest island. BETA VERSION NOW ON FILESHARE Interesting features include: relatively large usable water area small dock for ghosts large boardwalk with gameplay paths on top and below use of foliage underneath boardwalk area to provide cover for infantry moving stealthily as an alternative to the other paths between bases. lighthouse type structure in the center of he map swimming (yes swimming) sharks beyond deep buoys. Gameplay Note: There are three ways to approach an enemy base, Above, below, and by sea via ghosts. There are no shortcuts to get teleported directly to an enemy base. You and your team must fight for position, and this layout was designed specifically for that type of gameplay. But you do have options. Notes about Water:Shallow water underneath boardwalk and in other areas is safe for infantry, but slows your movement to 90% to simulate walking through water. This type of area is outlined in Traffic Cones. Deep water is intended for ghosts only, however infantry can traverse it but at great risk due to a 50% movement speed while in that deep water. You'll feel confined in deep water without a ghost, and that's how I intended it to be. Besides, with long LOS in this map, you won't want to be out in the middle of the water anyways unless you have a fast-moving ghost. REALLY deep water is deadly and is beyond the buoys set up as extraction cylinders. The GHOST will explode if left in deep water and shut off. To safely exit a ghost in the water it must be very shallow water near a dock or on the sloped edge of an island. Overall I hope you find some interesting use of the new pieces we have! in case the large buoys don't indicate death beyond them, some sea faring scavengers are waiting nearby for you to make a fatal mistake... Reference for LOS: Updated Screenshots that attempt to show the LOS and specifically, how limited it can be at times. You'll see that other times where there is a long LOS, it's limited in FOV so that line isn't overlooking the whole map. Those areas that do show a larger portion of the map are risky to get to, and risky to try and camp. Each such position has its rewards, balanced by a punishment for getting too cocky. changes: raised wall railings to provide duck-cover raised "cover" piece on both bases by .1 or .2 raised rocks held at each base to be functional cover, not merely decorative. Also repositioned for good LOS block. repositioned lighthouse to equal distance between bases. added canopy to middle of boardwalk soft cover using trees works very well to obscure approaching spartans under boardwalk Pics showing more LOS perspectives: Spoiler
I really like this. The use of the fog, the use of the cliff side, the upside down trees for walkways/ piers suggesting a primitive yet efficient culture thriving there, the lighthouse, it just looks really great can't wait to have a few games on it. Mind if i add you on xbl? Also cant wait to get a closer look at those bases, using the platform large as roofing looks sick ive found
Despite nice aesthetics and a good use of the water, I find this far too open and linear. Try to add more structure, especially where only water is currently.
thanks guys. yes, please add me ARC. Would love to test this soon. xAudience, I know what you are saying. There is a possibility that more cover will be added, but actually I thought hard about the choices made here and they fit the type of gameplay I'm trying to invite. It's supposed to be open, and the water is largely meant for ghosts only. Those ghosts may battle inevitably against each other, but they are intended to help you reach the outside island which has good cover, and to skoot over to the enemy base quickly but obviously the openness provides a risk to doing so. As noted in the description above, walking out in the open water is strongly discouraged, so the openness just helps enforce that The two opposing bases aren't very visible to one another. You have to fight your way to that mid-point where the rock extrudes from the cliff in order to get a LOS on the other base. Then, inside each base area, there is a lot of CQC opportunity. The LOS variations are hard to depict in the screenshots, and we won't know how well I've planned them out until a few games are played here.
I'm not sure yet on all gametypes, but obviously slayer and flag are good choices. I've been tossing around an idea for a new gametype that is based on SWAT. But full shields would work here too. Basically, with the soft-cover that FOrge Island now provides us with, we have the ability to take regular cookie-cutter gameplay and do something different with it. Think SOCOM II. Hide, cuz if you run and gun, you're dead. There is a lot of soft cover here via the phased trees and the LOS are all controllable by choosing the right spots. I'll get this up on fileshare soon and then you guys can see for yourselves and see if more cover is really needed or not. Note, there are two large rocks in teh water... one by each base, providing cover for infantry that has just dropped down to the water. They each provide cover against various angles such as the sniping spots in the tower and on the far island. Trust me, I'd assume this was too open too, but we'll just have to see how things play out before making any drastic changes, I think.
I can only see two definite routes in the pictures. One is along the bridge and the other through the water. In your description you mention a high ground, can you climb through the rocks. A small addition that could help with the suggestions made by the others is to add some boats in the water that players can use to leap frog from sections of the bridge to that middle building. Make the jumps hard so that players have to risk falling into the water, and becoming ghost bait. As far as actual los goes I think everything should be fine without vehicles. Look at the overview it curves in on both sides eliminating across map views. But when ghosts are on the water the entire bridge is completely open to their fire. Consider any suggestions minor though, because the map looks amazing and fun.
No! I hate you! I am working on my map now that has a dock made of pallets and trees! I was gonna be first! I hate you I hate you I hate you! Its cool though, I was gonna post the preview tonight, still will. Kudos
lol... well then I'm in good company. Yea, i've kind of been pulling overtime hours trying to get this posted first.
I was having trouble with the pallets not respawning when destroyed. I have them set up as a bridge to a power weapon. Have you ran into this?
That is certainly the most creative use I have seen so far of the new objects and the water. I really like that you have put in a trait-zone in the water, to slow movement by foot, and the ghost is swift and fast, so can traverse to deeper waters and just go faster. Also.. The fog looks really nice here, I can see people using it as a advantage when you do have to travel by foot. This all looks pretty good, I don't have any advice of myself.. Still, I have to agree with Audience, despite the looks it has to make some changes, exactly as he says. But overall, nice work!
I would agree that it looks too open. Maybe you could add structures so the water is used to make channels of some sort, like man made streams. I dunno, just an idea.
I'm using 4 large pallets and they are all just set to respawn with no fancy settings or anything. I have the first two respawning a little faster than the 2nd two, so that you never see pieces floating by themselves. I have had to move my ghosts out from the pallets because when too near, it will not respawn the pallets. After testing this again in order to answer you, I noticed that one pallet is still too close. do you have vehicles nearby?
had a few 1v1 playtests last night, and even though that's not very dynamic or representative of larger teams, we did find that sometimes it was actually hard to find each other. we had to call out where we were so we could actually battle. I'm going to throw up a graphic of how the lines of sight in this map work, and hopefully that will show that the openness doesn't hurt gameplay much but just gives it a different flavor. in the meantime, here is a shot of something new I just came up with. swimming, yes, swimming sharks Map is now up on fileshare Reference for LOS: As you will see below, each position on the map can only see a few other positions. LOS is blocked by the natural curve of the path between bases etc. Also the SOFT COVER of foliage really does make it hard to see an enemy hiding in the shallow water. Blue & Red LOS plus yellow for neutral. The far island in the middle has two large rocks, where a sniper can block LOS from opposing team and poke head out to shoot. Ghost can be displatched to go harass him. Again, the deep water is NOT meant for infantry so the openness theere isn't a major factor. You have the choice to use it, but it isn't wise.
Thanks. I have a new version up on fileshare with some added cover. Probably not as much cover as some might think is needed, but I think if people so and check out the Los for themselves, they will be surprised. I will be busy for a few days so if anyone could get a team slayer game or two I'd appreciate it.
Updated Screenshots that attempt to show the LOS and specifically, how limited it can be at times. You'll see that other times where there is a long LOS, it's limited in FOV so that line isn't overlooking the whole map. Those areas that do show a larger portion of the map are risky to get to, and risky to try and camp. Each such position has its rewards, balanced by a punishment for getting too cocky. changes: raised wall railings to provide duck-cover raised "cover" piece on both bases by .1 or .2 raised rocks held at each base to be functional cover, not merely decorative. Also repositioned for good LOS block. repositioned lighthouse to equal distance between bases. added canopy to middle of boardwalk soft cover using trees works very well to obscure approaching spartans under boardwalk Can you even spot the spartan hiding in the soft cover? Now, imagine trying to watch for people sneaking through down there.
Keep busting out creative original maps like this! Your stuff really stands out. Why haven't you posted this yet?
thanks Chron! Yes I try to stand out as my primary objective I would really like to get one more full playtest on this before its released. A 5v5 would be nice, but 4v4 can work too. There's a thing being organized for Thursdays in the Community Customs section of this site, so maybe I'll be able to work it into that lineup. Stay tuned...