This map is very good, and after about 9203840924 games helping you test it still hasn't shown any flaws. One thing i liked is how it plays for all gametypes minus juggernaut which we played about 10 minutes ago. I prefer one Flag, it really distributes the map evenly. One thing i think you may want to consider is collecting some clips and making a video, i have seen the map plenty of times, and from what i can see the pictures dont show it as well as they need too. I'll edit this once i recollect some thoughts.
your last map? say its not so! the interl0ckings are very nice (yes i spelled it like that intentionally) and so is the geomerginag and the gravlifts look awesome and that cross structure
ZOMG THAT IS ME FLYIN THRU TEH AIR IN PIC 5!!! XD Anyway, this was a great map to play on. Im sorry I had to leave after only 3 games, but it was fun... sort of. To Matty... STOP HEADSHOTTING ME!!! OMG... Alright as for the map, I thought it was, as always, a masterpiece by one of the greatest forgers ever. However, there were several gameplay flaws I noticed while playing I was unable to mention at the time unfortunately, because I had to leave. 1st, the mancannons for the attackers. They are somewhat inaccurate, and I found myself 85% of the time hitting the side of the big curved walls, instead of flying into the map. 2nd: The defenders stronghold was somewhat too powerful against attackers. With no high ground for attackers, you must rely on cover, which there was not as much of as I'd have liked. There was a good amount, but not in a map where the defenders soar above attackers with BR's and snipers. This made it so I had to really crouch in corners and such so as almost not visible to an above defender. 3rd, I felt that there were not enough entrances to the flag spawn as there could have been. 2 really, and they involved running into the open and up stairs and such. It's a hard thing to do with defenders waiting at the top. Now I know you can easily say, "Well we managed to pwn thru u gaiz witz our skillz and win", but it's still pretty difficult. (Plus, our time was always changing, only me and one other person had mikes, and we all didnt know what to do at first... on the upside, I did like the design and thought the sniper towers were neat, as well as the attackers base. The design there was great. Out of the two gametypes played, single and multi flag, I think multi was easier, but it made the rest of the map (the defenders base in one flag) more useless. So though its more challenging, One flag better fits the map IMO, because it utilizes the entire map, and was funner. Anyway great map Matty, and too bad this might bey your last... it is quite sad... :'(
Apeture By Matty Going into this map I had really high expectations, and they were met. I must say this map is VERY good. The game play is great. To start I really want to comment on the game-play. Its addictive. I played Team slayer, VIP, Oddball, Flag, and Neutral bomb. All of it was great fun and the party didn't get bored the entire time, they just kept asking for more games. I little to know spawn troubles the only one I could recall was on bomb when planting the bomb but that's it. The map flowed extremely well, none of the map was under used. The only complaint I have is the sniper location. Its hard to see, and we didn't notice it for a while. Maybe move it just to a brighter location, its not a big issue but just something to look out for. Next I want to comment on the layout. Its great the lifts make the entire map used, and I find anywhere on the map the BR is your best friend witch I really like. The whole look and feel of it remind me so much of a campaign map. The ghost are great but I bit tricky to get down. All in all its a great map, and strongly deserves all of you're downloads. You won't be disappointed.
Looks great! Testing this was fun. It does look like you made a few additions. I remember there were a few issues were i felt bumps but lets hope those were fixed!
I will reply to some of the longer, more thought out replies: The Snipers have been increased in spawn times quite drasticly, but i must say they were in no way overpowered. There are few locations that provide a strong vantage point for them, and they are so open that anybody with a good BR can take them down. I tested this game many times, and i never found that a player with a Sniper could survive well on his own, no matter how skillful he was. And keeping the Laser because of noventy value? Son, this is a competative map. The Laser stays because it works. Yes, i am making a video, i have been collecting exciting clips from the test sessions which i will compile into a video with some tactics and a nice overview of the maps main features. If you have a 'wtf!' moment, please recommend me the clip, and i will see about getting it in. And i know the screenshots are not very informative. It's hard to get screenshots of a map so big, and i lost two of them and forgot to save the picture setup as a .PSD so i will have to re-do them all tommorow. I semi-understand what you mean, but every gametype is completely different, so it is hard to get which gametypes you are having troubles with. With the flags getting moved closer to the bases, people are more inclined to use the mancannons for escape in multi-flag, which brings the rest of the map into play. I would also like to note, that when playing with some co-ordinated people, control of the entire map is a must. This map was designed for some heavy competative play, you need to learn the map. And the mancannons are dependable on the player, they are horribly unpredictable. I understand what you mean, but that angle had to be like that to compensate for the low roof. If you walk into it straight on, it will always work, it is when you enter it side-on that it does not, which is understandable. I have been told about the Sniper before, but it's staying. It is probably the best location to have one, and it is just a case of learning its location, like any map. I know it is hard to see, but it is the same with the Ghost. You just have to learn it. I wanted my map to have a bit of depth, i wanted players to be rewarded for learning strategies and how to place themselves in accordance to their opponents. Thanks for all of the in-depth comments. Please, keep them coming.
I just did a forge-through, and WOW! Great job! Aesthetics/Layout: This map has a lot of cool features aesthetically. The layout is very unique, and I love it. The "ribcage" columns are cool, and the man cannon is a nice touch. The merging is absolutely great, and so is the interlocking. The walls under the stairs on the far left and right are really cool looking, and when I saw the ghost suspended in the air, I couldn't help but laugh! Overall it's very clean. Aesthetics/layout gets a 5/5 Gameplay: I havn't played on this map yet, but I'll be sure to edit this post when I have. BTW it's spelled aperture, not apeture
I enjoyed the tests on this map Matty. Seemed to play pretty solidly from what I gathered in a game or two, and used the whole of Foundry very well. Ive yet to find out how to unhinge the ghosts from their holsters, though. At first I thought it was purely aesthetic, with a sort of auto-mechanic shop feel.. but then I saw Bl00d ravaging n00bs on the ground with one of the ghosts and I was flabbergasted (yeh, i said flabbergasted). Enlighten me, good sir? One note about the map post that you may want to adjust.. the map title pic reads "Apeture" rather than "Aperture." In complete honesty I don't feel this map shows your fullest forging potential, but it is still a marvelous piece none-the-less... just not my personal favorite work of yours.
I think that stud in the third picture might be me =D. But this is a great map. I love your Ghost "swing" and I love how you utilized the whole map. The only bad thing was is the man cannons; sometimes you wouldn't make it all the time.
Actually, I found the easiest way to dislodge the ghosts from the window panels was to shoot at one of the wings on the side. It uses one BR burst to do it. =)
The Ghosts are dis-lodged by a burst (preferable BR/Snipe), a melee or a grenade, to either of the wings. The further on the sides you shoot, the more the Ghost will rotate on a horizontal axis, and fall over. It is a very simple mechanism. And i realised i spelled the title wrong, fixed. Onto more important issues. My aim in this map was not to show my aesthetic skills, which perhaps are probably my greatest. I wanted something with very strong and versatile gameplay. I looked back at my previous maps and thought 'meh'. I needed something to be proud of. I play this, and i feel it is the closest i have come to how Halo should be, in any game, ever. Maybe that is just me.
Ah, i never thought once about shooting the wing.. thats brilliant. still, i like them hanging there. they offer some cover in there and i like the auto shop look. it is, how they say "1337." Yeh Im just a sucker for asymmetric maps, but I completely know what you mean, and you nailed it. Perhaps one-flag would change my mind
Oh I loved it from start to finish. Testing this was awesome, one of the best Foundry maps, and thank god it feels new and stands apart from the hum drum of maps lately. Congratulations on making your last map before epic sauce Far Cry 2, this was worth it. The mancannons were excellently used, and you got a real cheap splatter on me thanks to you iz teh modz. Oh, and you spelled signiture wrong in your description.
yay you posted it. First of all I had fun playtesting with you. Snipers was a blast. Now about the map. The interlocking was really really good and smooth. the thing you did with the ghosts and the windoww panels was really cool. The structures are great as well as they provide cover and aesthetics at the same time. Once again had fun testing, great job.
Matty, i have to say that this is your best map yet. Your interlocking,merging,weapon placement,and spawn placement are amazing. You're probaly saying "oh this is Ting,he doesnt know a thing about weapon placement or spawn placement." Well you're right,I dont know a single thing about weapon placement or spawn placement,but by the balanced gameplay i can tell it's good. Now i can't do my usual pros,cons thing because well...there is well nothing bad about it. Can interlocking be too good? Yes,on this map,yes. Those pillars are amazing.They are lined up exactly with each other. Time for new color Geo-merging is also amazing. Like everything on the bottom floor was merged. I just wanna know how you merge the bottom side into the ground and the side into the wall at the same time. Also how do you get it to merge so low? I'm not going to say testing was awesome because you were screaming at me the entire time. "Ting instead of looking for cool jumps,why dont you help us kill the juggernaut." "Oh now you go in when we die and he is camping in there with overshields and a gravity hammer." "Ting,you fool, why dont you knock down that ghost and help us win instead of dieing,trying to get that ghost." "Ting why did you pick up that sniper,you suck with it." Other than you screaming at me it was fun though. Now,I dont know why this is your last map. All your other maps were amazing.The only difference was that they were smaller.You are an amazing forger and why would you put your skills to waste? I'm not going to badger to not quit forging but i hope you dont. One last thing See im not the only one...
You finally got it posted... i really enjoyed testing it with u and Rick on friday. i really love ur ghost contraption, and the spartan laser area/base you've made. the geomerging was almost perfect and i love the man cannons. this is one of the few custom maps that can pull off using man cannons very well. once again i liked testing it with you and i look foward to testing/playing your maps in the future. great job
There are so many things about this map that I like, I'm finding trouble finding something wrong with it. There is nothing like a symmetrical map to show of your forgery skills when it comes to precision. Geomerging where it is seen is beautiful. Merging, for the most part, is perfect. The only smidgen of a complaint is the curved structures. The little lip extending off the first box is just bothersome but looks deliberate so I'm not sure if that qualifies for fixing. All in all 5/5. Keep forging. I am downloading this and will take up 1 of my 100 slots for a long time.