Sandbox Synapse

Synapse - The junction across which a nerve impulse passes from an axon terminal to a neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.​

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YouTube - Synapse:: 8-12 Player BTB Competitive Map​

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Synapse is a large Big Team Battle style map that I forged together mainly for XForgery's Big Team Battle Forge contest. Synapse will play well with parties of 8-12 people. Unlike most Big Team Battle maps however, Synapse is symmetrical, and plays out much like Avalanche. But instead of having a large open field of snow, you have a small open floor of ancient stone. Each base consists of a small platform and a ramp leading up to it with a two-way node that leads to the ghost spawn. Opposite of the teleporter is a ramp leading up to the top of a sniper tower much like that of Lockout. Featuring two fusion coils, a bent beam, and a sniper rifle this tower will be a sure hit for your campy customers. But be warned, with the combination of the bent beam towering over your head and the two fusion coils at your side, one grenade can be the end of you. Each base also includes a single warthog, two mongooses, and a chopper. However in asymmetrical games such as One-Flag the red base will not feature a single warthog, but a ghost in it's place. As you exit these luxury bases you will instantly notice alongside you are little windows that you can peer through and watch the opposing team. Don't fret over being beat down through these windows, they are thick enough to block any attempts at a beat down. And just to prevent firing through them they also include a shield door seperating both teams. This large, open styled map will be a big hit in your parties, whether you play with serious MLG people, or goofy infection style kids. Watch your back, this might be the most chaotic map you have ever played on!​

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This might actually be the first competitive map I have actually planned before making it. Well, if you count rough sketches in my head as planning. I had started with building a geomerged wall of double blocks through the middle of the map, from there I came up with the shield door windows, then it all stopped there. I had no idea what I would do from there with the wall. So I stopped forging the wall, and went to the red base. At the time Synapse wasn't planned to be a symmetrical map. After a couple days of foring out the bases, and completing the wall through the middle, I had thought I was finished. So I pulled a couple friends in, like Daywood, Public Servant, and Doww. I think I pulled Doww in.. I forgot. Anyways.. oh yeah! I just remembered Gunnergrunt.. I told him I was going to build this map with him. Boy will he be upset! Now he doesn't have a submission in the XForgery contest. Darn! Sorry about that guys.. So after I pulled a couple friends in, who weren't helpful at all and just wanted me to look at their maps, I decided to continue on my own. At first I had planned to build pyramid structures beside the spartan laser spawn, but I didn't have the dedication, or the inspiration to do so. So instead of forging out that complex design, I got lazy and forged a bunch of pillars, and my teleporter cove things. A little more than a week's time was put into this map, I hope you all like it as much as I did!​

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Ever since the beginning of time man has conquered. But when man gets something, he wants more. Man is always fighting for power. That is the same for Spartans. Although they are super human, they are not super smart. And they will turn on each other, just because another Spartan is a different color even. Well Synapse wasn't always named Synapse. It was named Whole. As in, not seperated. Until the two Spartan tribes; Red Team, and Blue Team realized their differences, and tore the colony apart. A wall was driven in between them, and for awhile these tribes lived in piece. Until mating season came. Like most men of different species, Spartan Men had to act ferocious and brave in order to claim the females. One man, Spartan 117 was his name, wanted to be real ferocious in order to compete with the other adult Spartans over the most beautiful female spartan of the Red Tribe. Her name was Cortana. So what Spartan 117 did in order to compete with the other Spartans was he climbed the forbidden wall that seperated both tribes. This wasn't forbidden among the tribes, this was forbidden among the Forerunners that had seperated the tribes. The Forerunners anticipated Spartan 117's coming, and as soon as he reached the top the Forerunners shot at the wall with all their might. The wall did not tumble, but instead cracks formed, and allowed access from one tribe to the other. Like man does often though every lifetime, man conquered. But which tribe will prevail? Only you can decide your fate...​

I recommend playing with 8-12 players.
Synapse plays with all default gametypes.
I recommend you play Synapse with Battle Rifle starts.​

Assault
All variants of Assault play well on Synapse. Synapse carries the same gameplay with Assault as it does Capture The Flag. The bomb spawns on top of your planting point, as does the opposing team's. If you play on Synapse with Neutral Bomb, the bomb will spawn next to the trip mine spawn. This bomb spawn prevents players from driving by it and picking it up. Placing it where it is prevents players from even driving to it.
Capture The Flag
Alike to Assault, but most likely your first choice over Assault, Capture The Flag is my second favorite gametype on Synapse. Synapse is a very chaotic map however, so if you are into serious business, this would be the best gametype for you and your party. This is the least chaotic gametype for Synapse.
Infection
Playing Infection on Synapse is like playing Infection on Avalanche. Minus the snow, and the largeness of the map. Synapse, however open, provides the most unique Infection gameplay you will find in a competitive map. With plenty of cover for the humans and zombies alike, and the two-way nodes, you will be spinning in circles because you won't know which way the zombies are coming from.
Juggernaut
However not one of the tested or recommended gametypes on Synapse. I'm sure it will still be a phresh experience among you and your party. Just don't be expecting much, who plays Juggernaut for fun anyways?
King of The Hill
I had tested Capture The Flag first on Synapse because I thought it would bring out the best in the map. How wrong I was. This is my favorite map to play King of The Hill on. I don't care if you have never enjoyed King of The Hill before, because this map will blow your mind. I'm not even kidding. It brings out the best in your teammates, and is all in all the best possible gametype on this map.
Oddball
The oddball is located next to the trip mine and there is no way to get the oddball out of the map. With FFA I would try and keep the maximum amount of people at 6 or 7, but with teams it plays with the regular 8-12. I have found there to be no camping issues on the map, and there really isn't a superior place to keep the Oddball. You also cannot drive a vehicle up to the Oddball. This has already been said about Neutral Assault. The barriers around the middle areas prevent vehicles from entering.
Slayer
I recommend sticking with Team Slayer, because FFA might play out a bit odd. Keep your teammates close, work together. All that hardcore stuff you do in Matchmaking. Although in order to make this map playable with FFA, it has caused problems in such gametypes as King of The Hill, Oddball, and Territories. But no worries, these problems have since been fixed and shall not bother you again.. I hope.
Territories
Celestial works with Territories, Land Grab, and Flag Rally. Playing best with Flag Rally, due to it being a symmetrical map. But regular Territories plays out just like any other map.
VIP
Synapse isn't set up for Rocket Race, however it does work with any other regular VIP game variant. ​

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6 Battle Rifles - 30 Second Respawn - 2 Spare Clips
Finaly after all my competitive maps. After all the replies suggesting I make that said map have BR starts, I have finaly said it. Go up to Gameplay and look at the third bold statement below that. Synapse is my first recommended BR starts map yet, and that's because assault rifles really don't do much on this map. Every fight is always at such a long distance you are going to need a BR.
1 Shotgun - 90 Second Respawn - 1 Spare Clip
There are three types of people. One who will rush for a vehicle at the start of a game. One who will rush for the spartan laser at the start of a game. And the person who will rush for the shotgun at the start of the game. Sorry I didn't include you in this one MLG battle rifle/sniper rifle guy. But this weapon is just so amazing to use. I love going through the teleporter, meeting eye to eye with some guy with a sniper rifle, shooting him in the head with a shotgun and shouting "BOOM! HEADSHOT!"
2 Sniper Rifles - 120 Second Respawn - 1 Spare Clip
Sorry I just made fun of this guy, whoever has the sniper rifle shouldn't even be near the teleporter. I recommend you pick the sniper rifle up, and blow up those fusion coils. Otherwise they will screw you up later in the game. You can count on that.
4 SMGs - 45 Second Respawn - 2 Spare Clips
Everybody always asks why I don't ever put dual wield weapons on my maps. Well I do, you're just not looking hard enough. You will find this pair right next to the rocket launcher. However the SMG isn't the main dual wield on this map, the spiker is. Sad day for you Mr. MC.
2 Spikers - 45 Second Respawn - 2 Spare Clips
Hmm... I wonder why the two spikers on the map are better than the four SMGs... It's because these spikers are alongside a sweet plasma rifle. I did this so you don't have to take the extra step towards the SMG. You can thank me later by bringing cookies to my house.
2 Plasma Pistols - 30 Second Respawn
The plasma pistols on Synapse are without a doubt, the most annoying thing ever. It's not because they bring your shields down to 0. It's because they make that annoying sound that causes you to turn around. I get noob combo'd every time!
2 Plasma Rifles - 45 Second Respawn
During the testing process of this map I grew bored of the dumb people on Blue Team, so I picked up the spiker/plasma combo that sit alongside one another, and started shooting at the opposing team's chopper. I then found to my suprise that the chopper blew up at the cause of my two dual wielded weapons. Pick the combo up, they pwn.
2 Needlers - 90 Second Respawn - 2 Spare Clips
I think the only reason I placed these on the map were to make Deathtoll happy. However much I miss him, because I haven't seen him since last TGIF, I still place needlers on my competitive maps. I love these things to death. Besides, with all the long empty places on Synapse, I'm sure you'll put the needler to good use.
2 Brute Shots - 90 Second Respawn - 2 Spare Clips​

I swear I didn't even know I put these on the map. In all honesty.. I have nothing more to say.

2 Rocket Launchers - 120 Second Respawn - 0 Spare Clips
Ever since testing Synapse, the rocket launchers have been toned down a lot. They used to have two spare clips, now they have none. I have found these to be the most effective power weapons on the map, besides the sniper rifle. But still... how odd would it be for a sniper rifle to blow up a vehicle? Or for you to earn a headshot with a rocket launcher? You can't even compare the two weapons.
1 Spartan Laser - 120 Second Respawn
However much I wanted this to be on everybody's mind when the game started up, it didn't happen. Instead, everybody went straight for the sniper rifle and shotgun. I even sat at it's spawn all game waiting for somebody to take it, nobody did.
2 Covenant Carbines - 30 Second Respawn - 2 Spare Clips
As effective as the battle rifle. But if every shot is a headshot, it's even more effective than the battle rifle. I wonder why nobody has ever said their map required covenant carbine starts.
2 Choppers - 120 Second Respawn
I almost lied there and said I never once got in one of these vehicles. Whenever my YouTube gameplay video comes up, you'll see how much I fail.
3 Ghosts - 90 Second Respawn
Ghosts are awesome on High Ground.. Why can't I ever make a map succesfully use a ghost? Because I am fail. Oh well, Synapse is still a great ghost map as long as you can drive.
4 Mongooses - 20 Second Respawn
Mongooses, not mongeese. Just thought I'd make that clear. I have seen these used the most often, even if there was a warthog sitting right next to it. I guess the players that drive mongooses just don't want to draw to much attention to themselves.
2 Warthogs - 120 Second Respawn
I'm getting pretty tired, so prepare to see even more fail among my comments on this map's thread. Well the warthogs only seem to surve one purpose on this map, and that purpose is to cause a lot of havoc and chaos. Nobody ever lets me ride on the turret.
10 Frag Grenades & 10 Plasma Grenades - 10 Second Respawn
I don't think I have ever used spike grenades on my maps. Oh well.. At least you can still toss these up and kill the sniper from across the map. The sniper always forgets to blow up the fusion coils before he starts camping. Stupid MLG pros aren't pros...
2 Bubble Shields - 120 Second Respawn
Your best bet when running with the flag is to drop one of these to ruin the enemy's LOS (Line of Sight). I love how you can drop equipment with an objective item in your hands.. Isn't that odd?
2 Power Drains - 120 Second Respawn
You will most likely pick this up while rushing towards the sniper rifle at the start of the game. Somebody will kill you with a grenade/fusion coil combo, and the power drain will be lost forever. Don't even bother..
1 Trip Mine - 60 Second Respawn
There was one moment during a territories match when the final territory was almost captured, everybody was at low health, and then the blue team rushed us with a suicidal bomber carrying one of these. When we all died all you could hear through the headset was "What the **** was that!?"
2 Regenerators - 120 Second Respawn
The final weapon on the weapons list. I can't think of anything to say but it provides pretty colors, and defence against the opposing team. ​

No updates or changes have been made to this map. Be the first kid on your block to criticise Synapse, and inform me of any changes or additions I can make to Synapse in order to make it the best I can.​

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Public Servant
You stand by me in every forge creation I make. I enjoyed having your company for a part of the map's creation. Although you swear a lot, I don't care, I've heard worse.
Dow (Doww)
Whatever you want to be called, either way, your avatar's are always so hot. I think you should post an enlarged version of your current avatar on your page. I don't remember if you showed up for a single match on Synapse, but all I know is that you were there in party chat with me and Public while I worked on it.
Daywood
Even though you betray me and others during testing sessions a lot. You still provided me with the inspiration I required to finish Synapse. Thanks a lot Daywood! Couldn't have done it without you!
Gunnergrunt
Ehh.. you were supposed to be my forge partner on this map. But then you got all caught up in your map. I understand why you couldn't help Bartoge with his map, and I'm sorry for abandoning you. But I still got to meet you! I'm glad about that. Thanks for trying to co-forge the map, and I'm sorry it didn't work out.​

And many other helpful people on my friend's list, and those in the Forge Hub Tester Guild! Without all of you, Synapse would be another randomly named map sitting on my hard drive wasting space! ​

In case you missed it up top.​

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Oh, hi there Dark! I'm not here to start a fight this time, so that's pretty cool, right? To clear up any confusion that comes up later, from now on... This is a BTB map for the XForgery contest. Says so in the first couple of sentences under description. The reason Synapse isn't as good as some of my other maps... Such as Celestial or Affliction is because I needed it done by the due date. And really... making a BTB map in the crypt was tough. I thought it would be simple like Foundry but without the back rooms it's difficult. But hey! It's my first symmetrical map.

I'm sorry to say, but I don't know what to do with this map. I'm pretty sure the XForgery contest will go down like every other contest I participate in. The maps with bad gameplay will get picked because the author is popular, and the maps with great gameplay won't get picked because the author isn't popular. But it would be nice if they didn't do a vote, and instead tested them by gameplay.