Hardpoint V2

HARDPOINT Version 2


Covenant orbital strikes reduced New Mombasa's skyline to dust. What little remains stands tribute to the fallen. 2-10 players


Hardpoint: n. - 1. A series of fortifications. 2. A strong defensive potision.


Totaled Time (initial construction): 13 Hours
Estimated Time (Tweaks): 1 Hour+
Estimated Time (Version 2 Changes): 2 &1/2 hours+
Estimated Time (Playtesting): 3 & 3/4 Hours+


Well, the original Hardpoint was good, but There were some things that needed tweaking, so here's V2. MOST of the changes are listed later in the post, but there are a few minor adjustments that I felt would be pointless to mention.


Not long after publishing "Stalwart" I realized that no matter how the map was changed, tweaked or otherwise redesigned, it could never accomplish my ultimate Forging goal; to create a fun, visually impressive map that incorporated gameplay elements from Compound, Guardian and Lockout. Following a rather lengthy Matchmaking spree, I returned to the forge in an attempt to succeed in this endeavor. After way over 20 hours of construction, playtesting and tweaks, Hardpoint, formerly named Metropolis, is now complete.


Hardpoint is an Asymmetrical map that is set in the outskirts of New Mombasa, just past the wake of the slipspace rupture that destroyed most of the city.

Three Large buildings comprise the map.

The High-rise, also known as the Sniper Tower or Bridge, serves as a base for the Attacking team and offers an excellent vantage point of the rest of the map. The coveted Spartan Laser spawns on the Mauler side of the building.







Attacker's starting point (The balcony was deleted for this screen to give a better view.)











Each corner of the High-rise offers a route to the top, and a portable Gravity lift can be used for additional access. The open Double box near the Attackers' Brue Shot is useful for a quick shield recharge and also permits access to the top of the structure.
Directly across from the Attackers' base is the Office, a structure with enough holes that it can be likened to a sponge.







Not only can the Shotgun be found here, but the non-merged open double box in the back houses the Sniper Rifle. After three minutes, the office's basement also becomes an area of contention (in asymmetric games) as players rush to secure the map's only Sentinel Beam.


Three Battle Rifles and a carbine are also available within the Office. The roof of this building can be accessed via stairs, a jumping route in the middle of the first floor, or by a jumping route above sniper spawn. The Rooftop has hosted some Heart-stopping, epic BR battles, as opponents struggle to kill their opponent without falling off at the same time.


A slightly different angle with the bridge deleted to give a better view.






Connected to the Office via a Skywalk is the Defensive Base. Defense base has the map's only Bubble Shield. After 90 seconds, 2 shield doors spawn in the lower entrances, making the defender's job easier.







Weapons:
Shotgun: x1 | Respawn Rate: Never | Extra Clips: 0 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Shotgun: x1 | Respawn Rate: 150s | Extra Clips: 1 | Spawn at start: NO | Symmetry: Both
Sniper Rifle: x1 | Respawn Rate: Never | Extra Clips: 0 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Sniper Rifle: x1 | Respawn Rate: 180 | Extra Clips: 2 | Spawn at start: NO | Symmetry: Both
Spartan Laser: x1 | Respawn Rate: 180s | Spawn at start: NO | Symmetry: Both
Battle Rifle: x10 | Respawn Rate: 20s | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Sentinel Beam: x1 | Respawn Rate: 180s | Spawn at start: NO | Symmetry: Asymmetric
SMG: x4 | Respawn Rate: 20s | Extra Clips: 1 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Plasma Rifle: x4 | Respawn Rate: 30s | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Magnum: x2 | Respawn Rate: 20s | Extra Clips: 2 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Needler: x2 | Respawn Rate: 120s | Extra Clips: 1 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Brute Shot: x2 | Respawn Rate: 45s | Extra Clips: 2 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Covenant Carbine: x5 | Respawn Rate: 30s | Extra Clips: 2 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Mauler: x2 | Respawn Rate: 90s | Extra Clips: 1 | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Plasma Pistol: x1 | Respawn Rate: 60s | Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both


Grenades:
Fragmentation Grenades: x4 | Respawn Rate: 10s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Plasma Grenades: x6 | Respawn Rate: 20s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Spike Grenades: x6 | Respawn Rate: 30s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both


Equipment:
Power Drain: x1 | Respawn Rate: 150s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Radar Jammer: x1 | Respawn Rate: 180s |Spawn at start: NO | Symmetry: Asymmetrical
Regenerator: x1 | Respawn Rate: 150s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Gravity Lift: x1 | Respawn Rate: 90s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Deployable Cover: x1 | Respawn Rate: 45s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both
Bubble Shield: x1 | Respawn Rate: 180s |Spawn at start: YES | Symmetry: Both


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Version 2 Changes:

Weapons and grenades.:
Spartan Laser: Spawn time increased to 180s. Set to not spawn at start.
Needler: Spawn time increased to 120s.
Plasma Grenades: Spawn time increased to 20s.
Spike Grenades: Spawn time reduced to 30s.
Sentinel Beam set to Asymmetric spawn only.
Attacker's Carbines extra clips increased to 2.
Plasma Pistol moved to office roof.
Attacker's Mauler, Brute-Shot, and Magnum repositioned.
Defender's Mauler, Magnum, Needler, SMGs, and Plasma Rifles repositioned.
Reduced Clips in all SMGs by 1.
Added 1 Battle Rifle to the roof on the Office.
Moved Sniper Rifle (YAY!).
Slightly altered Laser Spawn. The jump to the second floor is slightly easier now.

Equipment Changes:
Radar Jammer and Power Drainer positions swapped.
Portable Gravity Lift set to Symmetric spawn only.
Moved Regen slighty.

Spawn points added, moved and removed. (Spawns Overhauled)

Objective points overhauled substantially:
Moved attacker CTF goal points.
Moved attacker Assault goal points.
Territory sizes (& some positions) modified.
Swapped Territories 1 & 3.
Hill sizes modified.
Moved Hill from top of bridge to New Mauler Spawn (Attacker side).

Geometry:
Replaced double box above attacker's needler with an open double box. Added a pair of fusion coils in those double boxes.
Added balcony area behind high-rise bridge (Provides additional access route to previously mentioned bridge and increases playspace).
Added a bridge between attacker's base and office roof.
Set double box inside defense base to asymmetric spawn only. In symmetric games it is replaced by an open double box.
Added an extra "B" Sign below Shotgun Spawn.
Moved Truck in courtyard.
Added open double box around corner from Sniper spawn, Moved sniper into it. (Provides additional access to roof.)
Shield door in stairs set to not spawn at start, 180s spawn, symmetric spawn only.
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Supported Gametypes:
Slayer
Capture the Flag
Assault
Oddball
King of the Hill
Territories

Reccomended Gametypes:
FFA Slayer (3-6 players)
Team Slayer (3v3; 3v3v3; 4v4)
King of the Hill (Team & FFA)(3-6 players)
Territories (Some of the MOST intense games you've ever seen)(6-8 players)


Tips:
Defense
- In Territories, The Bridge (#2) and its sister (#5) are often the first territories to fall to enemy assaults. The longer you can protect these, the better your chances of winning.
- Capture the flag games are often quite difficult for defending teams. It often pays to send one man to hide in Offense's base to stop the Flag carrier in the event that your defense is overrun.


Offense
- Taking Territories 2 & 5 early on can provide 2 easy captures, but as these territories are often neglected by defending teams, it may pay to have only one member of your team take these while the rest of your team focuses on the other territories.
- Once secured, Territory 2 is an excellent position to support your teammates as they attempt to take territory 4.
- Initially, it may seem that anyone taking the Bubble Bhield entrance into defense base must go through the double box housing defense's Brute Shot. However, a little clever Crouching can permit you access over the red pipes.


Symmetrical games/FFA
- Securing the Shotgun provides a significant advantage when it is used in the close confines of the Office. However, the sheer number of entrances to this building make it very risky for campers.
- It is possible to jump into the hole where needler spawns in the Sniper Tower, but crouch-walking to the other side renders you extremely vulnerable to grenades.
- Removing a sniper on the bridge becomes a much easier proposition with Plasma Grenades or a Brute Shot.
- There is a small ledge in the new Sniper spawn that can be used to camp. Be careful however, as a small gap there allows opponents to throw grenades in behind you.

Special thanks to:
Honour Blade; Weaselman5; The Winja; Blackprophet77; Elite 208...
...For suggestions and coments relating to the map.

Playtesters:
Honour Blade; BlackProphet77; XAmAzINgLuCkX; The Winja; WeaselMan5; ShadowedVeil7; elite208; TTR xxLiLMiKExx; DeSneakyOne; MSGT Waller; SMSGT waller; Broadloom Flame; xRAPTORx Kyuubi; PHOENIX11882; NoDak MasTa; Krum Snitch; Axenreign; ShotXXsniperXX; banshee0000; The Hairy Lips; Cobra Ops Delta; Others whose Gamertags have escaped me.

Version 1 had over 275 DLs!


Download Hardpoint V2

 

Thank you. That was an incredibly detailed post compared to what I usually see. as to the roof being so open, that was intentional. if too much cover were present up there, anyone on the ground would be helpless to defend themselves against persons on the roof. Additionally, it adds an element of intensity to BR fights up there. The final product that is the office's roof is the result of much playtesting and experimentation.


As to assault rifles and weapon variety: Most games start with an AR but I'll classify weapons present on the map

Power weapons:
Shotgun; Sniper Rifle; Spartan Laser
Precision weapons:
Battle Rifle; Carbine; Magnum; (Sniper)
'Normal' Weapons:
Needler; Sentinel Beam; Bruteshot
Dual Wield Weapons:
Mauler; SMG; Plasma Rifle; Plasma Pistol; (Magnum)

 

That was actually an unintentional outcome. When I make my maps, my first priority is to make them fun. Looks usually come second, if at all. With this map, I knew that at least the office would play nicely, so I put a lot of work into making it look pretty too. It ended up visually reminding me of Ghost Town, so that turned out well. Something that I didn't even see coming was how beautiful the destroyed skyscraper (offense base) would become, both in terms of gameplay and looks. It actually started out as half of what is there now. Originally, I built the section where the needler spawns and then agonized what to do with the remaining space. I really don't know what gave me the idea to make the other section of what is now the Sniper Tower. I guess good map-making is part inspiration, part skill, part experimentation and part luck.

The majority of that post seems to have been copied from Hazza's comments...