STRAIT H4 Homage to Narrows This has been a long time coming. I posted the preview of this map HERE over a month ago. Here is my published version of Strait for your enjoyment. Thanks a bunch to Chronmeister and A R C A S I U S for their input. STRAIT is a medium-sized, symmetrical map in the style of Narrows (H3). It has two bases with many narrow lanes between the two sides. Each base has an upper and lower deck and access to three bridges; one up, two down. Each base has a man cannon for quick travel across the map and the high bridge has a low power cannon on each side for extra tactical play. This map works really well for team-based, objective game types. Supports: Slayer, FFA, KOTH, CTF, Swat Timed Weapons: Symmetrical: Shotgun, Needler, Plasma Grenades, Frag Grenades. Center: SAW- top, Rail Gun - bottom. STRAIT file share link. SCREENSHOTS Spoiler Overview: High Bridge Red Base: Cliff Side (w/ center lift) Blue Base: Forerunner Side (w/ center lift) Red to Blue: High View View from Red Cannon Lower Walkways Lower Deck and Cannon (Blue) Cannon Landing Pad (Blue) Please download it and check it out. I'd love some feedback from actual gameplay. Thanks guys! PS - Message me to play some, I'd like to get some gameplay footage.
That bottom middle area could use more dancefloor and more ways to get around. Right now it's looking like it'll be a deathtrap because there's nowhere to run if you're challenged by someone else.
The railgun is down there so I wanted it to be risky. Its really not bad. Most engagements are happening at base or top bridge.
I like the Narrows inspiration, i have a couple concerns. Bottom mid looks like it has too many narrow walkways and hight elevation for how big of a space you've pulled down there, i would recommend flattening out bottom mid into a courtyard kinda feel to make gameplay feel more natural and not so cramped. I think you could make top mid look nicer, i like that you've used the ravine pieces to add a contrast to the white pallet but the way you've used it makes it look to repetitive and kinda burns out the piece. Also take out the random cannons on top mid area, makes gameplay too messy
The lifts may not stay, still wanting more gameplay there. I'm happy with the bottom for now, most engagements are happening in the bases or top bridge. The walkways down bottom were just meant to me another way across, not a real combat area.
I am not a big fan of the random colliseum walls on one side of the map. Is there a reason you put them there as I think looking out at the scenery of the map would look better. Also the ramps going down to where the light bridge usually is could use some work. As someone mentioned above "more dancefloor" and I think a better area that isnt just a platform and ramps would look/play better. Overall the narrows aspects of the map is really well done.
Can't say I like it. I understand this is a reimagining, but a reimagining should never have less walkways than the original. It's far to small for Halo 4's sprint and jetpack. There aren't nearly enough walkways to account for anything, and lack of cover towards the bottom walkway will end up in that area becoming a deathrap. The DMR will cause for silly cross map spawnkills, the lack of cover and walkways will not help that. I will reserve final judgement on the map until I play it, but I do not see this map playing well competitively at all. Verdict: Narrows would play bad on Halo 4 to begin with. This map is smaller than narrows, has less cover and less walkways. Combine that with Armor Abilities and jetpack, along with DMR, will turn this map into a hell whole. It will be far less movement based, and very, very campy. The jetpack will offer ridiculous advantage as compared to the rest of the abilities, and overall will just screw a lot of the map flow up. I'd like to play a match on here (message me on live whenever you're doing one) but I don't see it playing well at all.
Simply put, to allow the player to quickly orient themselves. Nobody seems to be a fan of the bottom bridges but I'm honestly at a loss as to how to improve that area without making it look cluttered.