This is a conversation about MLG make designing that I snatched from the Lolbox. I am sorry that you have to start reading from the bottom but it would take to long to turn the whole thing around. I deleted a lot of the spam and color coded it. The only way it could be explained any better than this is if Insane decided to make a clean more organized version. PS: READ FROM THE BOTTOM UP!!! INSANE did say I could post this here.
I enjoyed the read, but I do the exact thing with vague shapes etc. I don't think about LOS until I make the map though. Maybe I should rethink that. Insane, you were spot on about just about everything. PS- I can't use the link to the structure. BROKE
I agree, this helps alot more than forge 101, I wouldn't have thought not to think about drawing the actual objects.
Nice map design discussion. I feel a lot of those good points made by Insane can really go in depth. Making the napkin sketch and making the transition to make it a realization of the initial idea is a much needed attribute to a map designer. The concept stage, then attention to detail and finally a playable version is that entire forge requires. The map guideline is a lot easier said than done. I've heard of a lot of ways to make the most out of forge and to make the forging part as efficient as possible. A notebook for pen sketch and idea jotting is very, very useful and it can even be used for a checklist of goals to accomplish while map creating. There's also a very beneficial and a much more organized approach to map saving beyond the 100 limit, but pretty expensive if you’re a hardened forger - using Xbox 360 memory units per project. For the idea thought process itself, the idea spawns a map design theory. Should the idea be attached to a four-base, two-base, asymmetrical design? How about a one lined symmetry, a two lined symmetry, or even multi symmetry, just maybe invert your idea with inverse symmetry of design to create a non mirrored map. Vertically tall and/or horizontally narrow? Should the map play one-sided or neutral? What's the focal point of the map? How many focal points should you allow? If there's particular gametype you want to support, ball for instance, where the setup and anti setup potential? There start many questions to answer for an initial idea to pursue. I'd like to think that I take a jig-saw approach to my forge and collaborate it under the notion of - does it look good (gameplay), does it look realistic, does it look like it meshes, flows and transitions into a fluidity-like gameplay to make many decisions in game. I'm a big fan of ramps and I frown at consistency of lazy cover to make up for lack of design. I'm a big fan of the word Contrast, which is a powerful word to me, because having the contrast of risk versus reward presented well into your map - I'd like to view that as the art of forging. Design your map without weapons and worry about the weapons until the absolute end. As soon as you start forging and continue being consistent the designing gets easier. You begin to build tolerance to forge and create design theories of your own as long as you accept the facts as to why your particular idea and segments of your design play good in Halo 3. Keep learning map design within Halo and even outside Halo, it really helps.
This really shines a light on the fact that Forgehub doesn't have **** in terms of map design help. With all of the really, really smart people we have here there should be some better resources for map design theory. What we need here is one of these, a single comprehensive guide to building a competitive map, with posts and links to information from the best we've got on this site. In fact, I think I'll start that right now. Edit: I've got that thread started as a blog right now, will post to these forums as soon as it is ready. http://www.forgehub.com/forum/blogs/ladnil/1806-forgehubs-collaborative-guide-map-design.html
Good read but you should fix the formatting and make it readable. More like an interview, less like a chat log.