GRIZZLY - A quality BTB map

Your images seem to not be loading properly. I would recommend uploading them to some image sharing site (like imgur) if you are directly linking them from the Xbox DVR screenshots. Their URLs on that site often like to change around. Also to insert an image from imgur you will just want to copy and paste the direct link they provide for sharing the image and insert it like you did with these links.

EDIT: I see you have shared them through a Dropbox link. I am not sure currently how to share an image from that.

 

I think you may have used the wrong URL for the images. I seem to be able to post them from the dropbox link and see them so I will post them in the spoiler tag below for everyone else just in case. Regardless, I like the aesthetics you have so far; however, I am worried about possible lag from the trees when playing BTB. The layout looks very interesting though. You should look into submitting it to the testing lobbies here. Here is a link to the post explaining there current testing system: http://www.forgehub.com/threads/map-testing-pipeline-alliance-testing-network.151541/

iParanormal's and Max_Extra's lobbies are the current ones that test BTB's and 4v4's. You can submit it now to Max_Extra's thread; however iParanormal usually makes a new thread a day or two before he does his testings on the Weekends.

Spoiler: Images for HerrMittmann's Map: GRIZZLY

 

Thanks for posting the pictures Doc!

And to the map Grizzly, I like the initial direction you seem to be taking your map. It's simple in an elegant, refreshing way.

I almost get an infection vibe from your layout. You have the hazy atmosphere with a Slender: the Eight Pages park looking design/ground layout. Needless to say, I like it.

I agree with @Doctor Squishy that your tree count might cause issues. I learned that the hard way on my map 'Cartographer.' I love trees, but too many in sight at once causes frame drops. Just keep an eye on that.

If you want, post your map in @Max Extra 's Testing Lobby thread. It's a good, friendly environment to get some feedback for your map. I'd love to participate and see your map in the flesh!

 

Couple things here. You're dropping tons of frames from inside the bases. It's the windows. Windows kill frames. Also those windows are invisible- it's an issue a lot of forgers have run into. The fact you can't see them is frustrating when you try to jump thru them and then bounce off.

I'm worried the amount of cover pieces throughout the interior of the map could lead to very campy gameplay.

There is also an almost complete lack of verticality which generally leads to stale and uninteresting gameplay.

But who knows until you test it. Get this map in some testing lobbies. Start getting feedback and making changes.

Also some nerdy stuff- you can do whatever you want but the official system for weapons dictates that hydra should not spawn on a weapon platform and railgun should. You might also put the binarys farther from one another else you run the risk of one team getting both right away.

I can show you some of the stuff I'm talking about if you see me online just hmu. Gt- seems dangerous

 

As to what weapons are and are not on Weapon Pads...

Spoiler: Weapon Pads 'Rules'

Generally speaking, Weapon Pads are usually reserved for Tier 3 weapons, and occasionally really good situational Tier 2 weapons. The thing is, coming from a guy with 90% Level 5 commendations for weapon (not bragging, just context for my opinion of the Hydra) the hydra is generally mediocre. It's not a bad weapon, but rather its niche is very limited and it has a very sensitive level of usability. It doesn't tend to be a weapon I'm concerned with finding, so in many situations, having a Hydra on a weapon pad is a bit overkill. This varies between people, but more often than not, the Hydra's limited niche hurts its appeal and power as a weapon.

Compare it to the rail gun, an instantaneous one shot kill with a small charge up and surprisingly good anti light vehicle capabilities, and you can see that while the Hydra may possess some similar traits like some anti vehicular usage or slightly powerful anti infantry blasts, the Railgun generally holds a better appeal. The hydra's biggest problem is its low missile velocity in comparison. Combined with the somewhat limited tracking and the need to ADS to lock on, the Hydra takes much more careful usage to do well with.

And the Hydra isn't a horrible gun. It has a few interesting applications (lock on, aim up, and shoot for homing predator missiles for example.) However, in a firefight it is overshadowed by a variety of other weaponry against an attentive opponent. It mostly works as a mid range surprise attack weapon, but then again, many guns do without as many drawbacks against mobile opponents.

Also, glass can cause FPS drops, since it is a complex, multilayered, transparent structure with a strong, relatively high quality reflection. Too many can cause issues, much like trees, due to its complexity, unfortunately.

 

The Hydra isn't worthless, just overshadowed. If it works well then go for it! Having it on a weapon pad could be an interesting twist.

That's the beauty of your freedom as a map creator! Looking forward to it!

 

Alright, We got to test this, and I was really excited to get my hands on your map. I absolutely love heavy Woodlands style maps (think Timberland from Halo:CE.)

Good things:

- Map layout is easy to understand. The Circular nature makes vehicular movement predictable, yet free to improvise and move as needed. The two opposing bases make sense, and the two towers on the sides holding non weapon pad power gear felt really nice, like my exploration has been rewarded.

- The aesthetic is good. I am biased toward woodland maps, but my meticulous nature allows me to find any gaps quickly with scrutiny. Your aesthetic forest was fully flushed out, with a nice variety of trees and logs/stumps. It felt organic which is a job well done.

- The tower in the middle is really cool. My memories of 'Spire' in Halo Reach came flooding back to me. The grav lift up into the top works well (nice airsassination spots, just like Spire ) . The bars coming down over the windows was a cool feature that not many people would've thought to script in.

- Warthogs just feel right on this map. Maybe it's the Halo: CE Pine tree and Warthog vibes, but they seemed to work well, not too out of place, yet not overpowering.

Things to Work on

- The bases feel kind of flat with just two entrances. It made it really easy to defend the flag and punished attackers. While some ease of defense is good, the bases could use at least one more entrance for attackers. The Grav lift onto the roofs has some possibilities with a drop down into the base on top of the defenders.

- Speaking of flat, the terrain has very minimal Variation. While the bases being evenly leveled is fine, a few hills dispersed throughout the map would add variety to engagements and maneuvering. Some people suggested a core terrain overhaul. I rarely try to recommend such extremes, but see what you can do. You have a good eye for aesthetics and design. I'll bet you can make it work.

- The base windows were completely transparent, resulting in people literally walking into them and getting confused. Make them more noticeable/colored would be nice. (I dislike making windows colorful too, but ultimately you have to give up that little aesthetic touch for the sake of gameplay and avoiding confusion.

- At least in CTF, the tower felt useless. While it might be more potent in slayer, it has little to offer at least in base-vs-base objective modes. I'd hate to see such a cool structure be ignored. Maybe a better power weapon should be located inside to encourage usage.

- Frame Rate Issues. I understand, you love trees. Believe me, I practically nerdgasm for trees. I love them, as many as I can put into a map. Unfortunately, the system can only take so many. You might need to remove a few. That being said, at least on my end, it wasn't a SEVERE problem. You might only need to remove 6-8, or a couple more. The lag was minor, but that ultimate goal is smooth performance.

TL;DR I love the idea for this map. I adore heavy Woodlands map, and your map made me feel right at home. That being said, your design needs some tweaks in vertical variation and in the tower importance. Also look into window visability (make them easily noticeable), Frame Rate issues (remove 8-ish trees and work from there), and in base access (maybe a rooftop hatch for attackers to ambush defenders from above.)

 

Perhaps maybe make the man cannons stand out more? In Friday's test, I didn't even notice them. While this is partly due to me being an extreme objective focus junky, I'm not sure who all even noticed them.

And I understand. Making terrain smooth is rather difficult. One thing I like to use are the 'ramps' terrain. The ramp is kind of like a quarter pipe. You can turn it forward a few degrees to achieve varying half slopes, and they operate really smoothly. You don't need to rework form the ground up in my opinion. Some felt a bit more strongly about it. I'd experiment with Combinations of Ramps and flats with maybe a slope helper or two should get you some more interesting results than a 'hill' piece.

I hate to tell you to remove trees. I had the same problem with 'Cartographer.' I love ridiculous amounts of trees, but Halo 5 can't handle that many. Maybe start small like half a dozen and work from there. You'd be surprised how many you can remove while retaining similar coverage and feel. Cartographer lost about 40 trees since creation, yet the 'skybox' outside scenery looks nearly identical. It just takes a balanced approach. Maybe practice some shots with cameras too to double check your angles and tree coverage.

I really like your map. These are just some of the highlights. Max and maybe some of the others will pop up too. If you need a hand or some advice or have questions, send me a message! Your only limit is your creativity (and 1024 objects...)