Vincent Marino submitted a new map: Veiled - Asymmetrical covey themed arena map Read more about this map...
Terrain looks very natural! The covi structures also look very unique might I add. I'll check it out in a few hours after I get home. Any plans for what's next on your forging list?
Thanks. glad you liked it and actually yes. My most successful map is by far Atonement. It was a remake of Damnation. One of the best previous Halo maps with a descent enough covenant theme made the map take off. I really like covey themed maps because i don't think we have enough of them. So my next map will be an original; it will be covey and it will play vertical like Damnation. Also I really want to try a new covey theme so this next one will be kinda styled like assembly from Halo 3. The much more pink covey theme is one I really like and haven't seen any of yet so i thought I'd give it a try.
I took a walk through both this map and Resolute. I see some strong similarities between the two design wise, and I have a couple of suggestions based on those similarities. First, both maps consist of a towering center structure with outer paths circling around it. This is definitely a design approach that can work. What I would focus on is trying to create connections between the inner and outer sections of the map. They're largely disconnected at the moment. In general, this kind of layout results in games where players largely stick to the outer routes (the dreaded 'doughnut' effect that forgers sometime talk about). Try to make the inner and outer structures connect in multiple places, and at several different elevations. The other thing I'm seeing on both maps is that they're relatively flat. There are certainly changes in elevation (there's plenty of distance between the lower and upper levels of the map). What's missing is the subtle height variations that help make for interesting gunfights. I'll point directly to the out paths - they wrap around, without changing elevation at all. If your maps were handed off to me to do whatever I wanted, the first thing I would focus on is adding variety to your paths; add raises and/or drops in elevation, break up the flow of those paths (have them jut in towards the center, or out away from the center in some areas, force players to drop down or jump up to a different level to continue moving in the same direction.) Variation in your pathing/structural geometry will keep the map playing fresh rather than getting repetitive. I also want to recognize the fact that you have a strong grasp on aesthetics. You've created strong themes in both maps, and your forging (how you fit your pieces together) is rock solid. Hopefully my suggestions make sense. If they don't, let me know and I'll try to clarify further.
This makes perfect sense! I completely see what you mean, especially in Veiled. Thank you for the feedback. I'll try and get some of these changes implemented.