I haven't had the time or energy to come up with many brand-new ideas lately, but I started messing around in forge today and ended up reimagining a 2v2 map of mine from Reach, which was originally called Curvature, then updated as Recursive. This is its spiritual successor Reprise, built on the smallest of the islands on Forge Island (plus a bit). Have yet to play it but it feels like no more than a 3v3 map. This is probably not its exact final state - I feel like it may need another safe spawn area on each side, and/or a little cover to break up the "bases" (those flat expanses of rock). More screenshots later, when Halo Waypoint decides to stop being such a d-bag.
Have always been a big fan of maps with a lot of curvature, and I am sure this one is not going to disappoint. Looking forward to playing on this tomorrow. Good to see you forging again Nutty.
Not just yet, it's still undergoing active forging and has yet to be tested at all - but I'll put it up soon. A recent failure of my USB drive that stored all my Halo data taught me to lean heavily on the fileshare. Luckily, everything of any importance was in my fileshare already at the time - if I'd been forging much when it happened, I wouldn't have been so lucky.
Map updated and a few new screenshots. I added a little cover in the bases (a crate near the flag stand, and a tree), as well as two large Y-cross platforms that serve as auxiliary spawn areas. Screen #2 also shows what I think is attractive use of some of those dominion monitors (previously had some railings in that area instead, and not much cover up top).
This is awesome and very different from the original. I almost didn't recognize it. I second Audience's sentiments, get me on that stat.
Thanks dude. Yeah, quite a lot was redone. I didn't want to do a straight remake - even (or maybe especially?) when dealing with my own stuff, it just bores me to make the same thing again. So the center of this is very similar to Recursive (though still tweaked in certain respects), while the bases and outer paths of the map are completely different or brand new. Points of emphasis here were to make gameplay around the bases a lot more interesting and dynamic, and to make the top level (somewhat of an afterthought on Recursive) more integral and balanced.
Hello. We got a game on this the other night, yay! it is indeed only suitable for two vs two- it was a little too fast paced. The forging was very nice indeed. The most unusual standout part was the way you used the dishes- they were seemlessly integrated into a turning curved ramp. Awesome! What budget do you have left? I saw lots of nice touches around the map like glass barriers made from dominion monitors (reminding me of swordbase lol) and the centre of the map was dangerous to cross and a good place for the OS to pop up. If we manage to get a 8-man lobby going next week (should it really be this hard to scrape 8 together?) I would like to try my idea of splitting into two 2v2 lobbies then you will get 2 games going at the same time.
I wanna say 2400 or so? Could easily be more, too - since this is a small map I went a little crazier with aesthetic touches than usual, including two lights that I could live without if need be. The overall number of objects used is pretty low - much of the budget is consumed by the lights, architect base pieces, and "buildings." I'd definitely like a 2v2 test, as that's the size it really was made for. Will have to see about next week - hopefully I'll be free.
LOL at everyone saying "get me on it brah" "I need to play this" then them not playing halo with us at all anymore. Played this TCOJ 6/8/13. 2v2 slayer was very-well pitched. We managed to successfully split the lobby into two 2v2s, so you should get feed back from 6-7 others too (lol again). Me and Zandril were praising certain things you did quite highly- one was the innovative use of dishes to create (near-perfect) twisting ramps. on either side. These areas were consistently used, maybe the focus of a little too much nade spam for me at times, but thats how people roll from time to time, you could actually get a very good upwards then downwards grenade bounce around the top corner to hit your foes. I did find myself a little exasperated with that exchange after a while though. The middle is really good-looking, and the rush for overshield is fun too. One thing I don't like much is the small upwards ramp where promo grenades spawn. It goes no-where and you can get trapped in there easily. I would block it off or put a route straight through to either side where the power weapons spawned. Lets play again please!!
I second Juanez's comments . . . especially the part about playing it again! For me, this was the most memorable map from the Aug 6 TCOJ session. Might be able to fix the grenade spam, though, by turning a double window on each side of each ramp into a single window - so open at the bottom - so any not-so-well-aimed or panic nades would escape the corridor. Regardless, I really liked this map.
Thanks guys. The 'nade spamminess of those areas is somewhat intentional - it's a power position on the map and is intentionally dangerous. You can either be elevated with cover (in those areas) but subject to 'nades, or venture out to the middle or outer platforms where 'nades are less problematic, but cover is less bountiful. That's the idea anyway. We'll see how it goes in further tests. I'm very cautious though of anything that makes those curved ramps too potent to hang out on. One thing I'm wondering is if action rushes to top mid too often and too fast. How did you guys feel? I was wondering if it would be worth redesigning the outer bases. Since they're currently low and vulnerable, people don't hang out in them or fight in them much. The original map had a different base design and action would move into those areas more often. Then again, top mid is a lot more complex and fun to play on that it was in the original. Oh about those promethean nade spots - those are only there accidentally. I originally intended to close them up, but though it might be fun to have a place to duck into and grab some 'nades and cover for a second. Otherwise there's no point to them. The dish extends down into that space, so there's no opening them up to the outside unfortunately (if I could, that would probably work pretty well).
If you flipped the Y-crosses upside down it might make the outer area more interesting. I don't recall trying, but I don't think you can jump from there to the adjacent middle landing (unless maybe you stand on the Y-cross railing and jump). That would allow you to use them as an alternate way to get to the rocks and maybe some limited LOS to top mid. I don't recall top mid being overly played, but I don't aim well, so I would be too vulnerable up there. I stuck to the ramps and the perimeter and just used mid to quickly cross from one side to the other.
I really enjoyed this map. Our test went well. Most of the action happened in the circular bases and around the outside. 2v2 seemed a perfect size, the action was constant but not too frenetic.
I really like the ramp geometry you have crated here. The bases are nice too, but my favorite area was the connecting central bridges. My only concern with the map was the Overshield. For 2v2, it seems like this power up can be way too OP.
After TCOJ, I had saved this one and I played it again last night. Before we played we changed the OS to a speed boost, and that seemed to work pretty well. I also tried flipping the Y-crosses per my above suggestion and was much less satisfied with that result. I think my suggestion was a very poor one - so disregard. Instead I just threw down a block so you could jump up to the mid platform from the Y-crosses, which worked better than flipping, but still might not be a definite improvement. I will probably continue to play this map cause I like it very much!