Heatwave

Heatwave




Influence: Cloudtop (unreleased) by Tender Bisquit. Be on the lookout, I’ll link to it here once he finishes it. It’s a great, motivating map. His and my maps have once noticeable similarity. In Cloudtop, he uses 2 separated vertically-angled open boxes as means of travel from one level to the next. I loved it, and consider that part of my map homage to it.
“Heatwave†was named by Furious D18.

# Players: 8-10
Suggested Gametypes: 1 Flag, 1 Bomb (3 minute rounds)
Download link: http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=21364993

Background: After decades of research, UNSC opens its first training facility utilizing Covenant technology, as means of knowing thine enemy better.

Brief Overview: Heatwave is an asymmetrical map designed for one-sided gametypes. Defense spawns in the sky base, and the Attack spawns in Standoff’s red base. I wanted to break the mold of the traditional sky base, by giving the map a semi-Lockout feel, with several angles and some challenging jumps. The first step I had to do when making this map was decide on where in Standoff’s sky I wanted Heatwave to take place. I knew it couldn’t go in the middle because I wanted it to be asymmetrical and work for 8+ players. That left the 4 corners, essentially. I ended up on choosing the Southwest corner, due to the sun’s proximity.

The View: You’ll notice when playing, especially on attack, some great views which really add to Heatwave’s atmosphere. One of my favorites is the view after taking the mancannon up to the base, you turn down the shield door hall and look up at the flag spawn. Seen here:


Also, when running up the slanted fence boxes towards the flag in the sky base, the sun really adds to the map. The attack base with the shield door garage isn’t too bad to look at either.

Basically, you don’t realize how bland Foundry really is until you Forge on Standoff. This is my first non-Foundry map, and I can’t believe I didn’t forge here sooner. The colors and views motivated me so much I actually hit Standoff’s item limit!

Screenshots&Description: I thought I would do a different style of map description this time around, incorporating the entire description around the screenshots, so here goes:

Heatwave’s main attraction is the defensive sky base, seen here:

There are 5 ways to enter, infinite ways to exit.

The most notable method of entry is the man cannon, hovering over a rock in front of the main attacking (red) base.

The mancannon is moody. Some times you will sail perfectly into the double box, other times you will sail to the top of the box… occasionally you won’t make it at all, but it’s the quickest route into the base and is worth the risk (jumping a split-second before hitting the canon is youre best bet for a sure route to the top of the double box). Deplyable Grav lift spawns on the ground here.

Once on the lower sky base platform, you have a great view of the flag spawn up to the left (protected by the shield door hall), and a few paths to choose from for your strike. Some obvious, others not so obvious, but extremely rewarding (hint: the grav lift is handy)

The D’s missile pod is located here also. Note the Banshee spawn and turret, both extremely valuable. The Banshee is attainable by jumping upwards from directly under it, glitching through the top of the fence box.

Here you see the bridge leading to the flag spawn. The shotgun spawns by the radio antennae.

The 2nd and 3rd entrances to the sky base are here. The horizontal open double box houses a receiver node (sender is by the tree, shown later), and a couple fusion coils. A player who enters here can be very helpful to his team attacking the flag with a rifle after he destroys the pallet inside. The vertical box houses another receiver node, from which you are propelled upwards into the base via gravlift (you’ll see more later)

Action on the bridge. TXGhost apparently didn’t think too much of our turret, brute shot, and hammer, as he got a triple kill shortly after this shot.


More bridge action. Regenerator spawns exactly where you see it here, below the banshee spawn


This is the flag platform. Another trademark feature, the horizontal radio antennae, used as rails.

These antennae give you access to the Overshield located in the open box (fusion coils spawn there also). Sniper Rifle spawns on top of the double box, at the barrier.

Flag platform action

D’s Sniper Rifle spawns on top of the open box, with a firebomb.

Now onto the Attack base (Standoff’s red base)

I created a shield door “garage†for the banshee, protecting it upon spawn. Note the Camo on the right.

Sender node connects to the Neutral (blue) base, shown later.

The Hammer is extremely handy in the sky base. Even if you don’t kill them, you have a solid chance of knocking them down to the ground. Bubble shield in the room to the left.

This Gravlift sends you up into the vertical box, where a sender node connects you to the previously stated receiver node in the sky base’s vertical box, propelling you into the sky base.

One of the coolest features of the map, in my opinion… you don’t even realize you went through a tele. Hold RB for a surprise.

Attack base overview

Sniper Rifle spawns at the barricade to the right, Deployable Cover spawns at a rock to the right of it. Mongoose spawns inside the gate hallway.

Attack’s flag return point. Sender node sends you into the said open box underneath the middle sky base platform

I chose this location as the flag return point simply because it was a further distance to travel for the Attack to score. You can still take quick refuge in the base, then take the side exit to the return point if necessary. Attack’s Missle pod spawns at the side exit.

The receiver node in the Neutral (blue) base (from Attack base)

Neutral base for the most part is bare of weapons, minus a couple grenades, a smg, and…

The Radar Jammer in the missile hall


The end of the hall there is a sender node which takes you into the sky base, underneath the Banshee spawn. You can have a sneak peek of what you’re getting into before heading up there.

In the pics I had it on the lower platform, but I moved it into the fence box above it.

This is the Mongoose outpost. Its purpose is much like that of Last Resort. That is, basically offensive mongeese on the defensive side.

Attackers with the flag may find it wise to coordinate flag attacks above with a driver down here.

Outpost action

Matty about to save the flag from being returned


Notes: Heatwave, aside from being my first released non-Foundry map, is the fastest map I’ve ever made. I had it built in about one night, and just tweaked here and there for about another day or so. This is partially due to Standoff’s forging limits. However, I feel it turned out really well, and I am quite proud of it. I hope you enjoy it, and all feedback is welcome. I’m new to vehicle supported maps, so I’m open to constructive criticism.

Download link: http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=19309589

 

Haha thanks buddy. I feel I've gotten to the point where if i can dream it, and i have the patience, i can forge it. Hopefully the new system provides more of a chance for us lowly regular forgers to show what we got.

Thanks! I'll definitely update with a link as soon as i know its done. Its worth it. quite different from mine, but just as good

Haha my bad homie, yeh we'll play again soon dont worry. And yes, the grav lift entrance from the red base to the sky base is pretty tight. I'm really glad how smooth it turned out. I'll probably have to start using it in other maps as well.

Appreciate it brotha. Yeh sky bases have definitely been done before but I felt that thy could have been done better ya know? They are always too flat/linear, and make for bad gameplay. I tried hard to avoid that. The shield door hall is one of the products of that. It protects players from gunfire from the flag platform, despite its proximity. The best part about the shield door hall is the fact that I intentionally didn't put it all the way at the edge. So an attacking player with a rifle can step to the edge of the platfor and still do battle a bit before stepping back to safety. Jumping also will give a player a headshot or two. Makes for some interesting game dynamics.

Appreciate the feedback alot guys, keep it coming. Would love to know what, if anything, you would change or any suggestions you might have. This is my first non-Foundry map so there's bound to be a need for adjustment here and there

 

Thanks squid. It was good to get some fresh air, but i miss the resources that old warehouse offers. I have a bad feeling that while Avalanche will have the forerunner themed forge pallet, it might be more like Standoff (limited resources). Hopefully thats not the case... only time will tell. Looking forward to your thoughts, as always