Map for anyone who wants to check it out (with phased/fixed weapon spawns taken out): http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Reach/FileDetails.aspx?fid=6360728&player=Flamingarmadilo Ok, so this is my first Halo Reach map completed, although it hasn't been playtested at all, it is an ancient forerunner platform that has since sunk a little into the sea, and has been taken over by UNSC forces. The forging is as clean as I could make it, and all but one piece (would not fit right with snaps) were layed using the coordinate system to assure 100% symetry (except spawns, they are 99% symmetrical, didn't feel like going through and snaping every single one) It has a fairly open top area, with 3 connected towers on each side, with a tunnel (sewer) system running underneath the whole structure (blocked off to humans during infection). Most weapons have spawn times set by MLG, with me improvising on some that were not used in MLG maps. All areas of the map are accessible without jumping, although gravity settings may impair use of certain parts of the map. All gametypes supported except race and Invasion. # Weapons [spawn time]: 2x Rocket [178] (no spare clips) 2x Plasma Launcher [178] 2x Sword [135] 2x Sniper [118] 2x Grenade Launcher [118] 2x Concussion Rifle [118] 2x Machine Gun Turret [100] (next to two mines at 115) 4x Plasma Pistol [90] 2x Shotgun [90] (no spare clips) 2x Needler [90] 2x Needle Rifle [60] 2x Magnum [60] 2x Assault Rifle [60] 2x Plasma Rifle [60] 4x Plasma Repeater [60] 2x Frag Grenades [30] 4x Plasma Grenades [30] 8x Health Pack [30] Here is my video walkthrough of the map (weapons have been removed from walls, concussion rifle propped up on a rock.) I'll be getting a new one up soon with updated weapons and such, but this one still applies as structure layout. YouTube - Echo Base Preveiw Wow just totally forgot that I didn't post this map to my file share, I'll be doing so shortly. Added after 4 minutes: Forgot to mention, I need some help with playtesting, mainly want to test slayer, CTF, Assault, and Zombies. If anyone is available any time before 4:00 PM EST, help would be greatly appreciated. GT: flamingarmadilo Added after 1 44 minutes: Feedback appreciated, btw even though this map looks finished, I'm waiting until I can submit it to the testers guild to get it fully tested
Testet's guild will soon be resuming playtests. Submit it when it opens again. Plasma rifle is a bit hidden. If a weapon is hidden, even slightly, it may as well not be on the map. It blends in too well with the wall. Move it away from its current place beneath the stairs. To a more open location, perhaps on the actual stairs? I hope you know what you are doing with the huge number of power weapons on the map, especially the rockets/plasma launcher and sword. Just because a map is symmetrcal doesn't mean that weapons have to be on both sides. You can place weapons in the middle, similar to the sword, rocket and camo on the Pit. Having so many weapons, even on long respawns does not evenly balance it out. There is enough weapons for all player to cary a power weapon or semi-power weapon. Move some power weps like the sword or rocket launcher to a more neutral location. The sewers are nice. I've said this before in other threads: add a yellow or purple light to add to its murky feel. While compensation for turret power by explosives and long respawn is sufficient for this map, it is always better to block of Line Of Site (LOS). This goes for the sniper as well. Think the Pit, it had the huge wall across the middle that blocks both sniper and turret fire. Keep this in mind for future map designs.
Yeah, it has me in a bit of a connundrum though, I want to attract people to less used areas of the map to encourage varied gameplay, and my best way to do this is through power weapons, especially in the sewers. I could probably replace the swords with concussion rifles, and the rifle with a plasma rifle/pistol. Also thinking about totally removing the plasma launcher (replace with needle rifle), but then again from the range of where it is, it's not too big of a threat, plus there's what? like 8 shots in it, which are pretty difficult to hit no matter what. As regarding LOS, I feel that there is sufficent cover within reach of just about every area of the map to semi-safely traverse the map, with the two tunnels to rockets, the cover provided by the towers, and the little cover diagonal to mid. Also another thought I had was to possibly swap the grenade launcher and sniper to make it more of a risk to get the sniper, as it is definitely the more powerful weapon on the map, and reduce the clip to 1 or 0 spares. I wish I could add some purple lights (or add a purple filter to only half the map), but sadly there are only 2, and it would not cover nearly enough of the sewer area, so instead I used the lights in the campfires. Oh and I realize that testers guild is not open, thats why I posted it up in here, although Oct. 5 is only a week away
Yeah I hate how they're glitched, its so annoying (although the only weapons that affect anything are the swords, and I can move those to the corners), anyone know how to create walkthorugh floating weapons? (like the sword on countdown)
Place it how you want it, set it to fixed, pick it up and drop it (as a spartan), and then set it to normal. When you restart the round it will spawn in the spot you placed it with the normal properties.
As soon as people realise that there is weapons down there, they'll go in there. Even if there is less weapons than there are now. What I suggest is moving the power weapons down there to more central locations and deleting one of each. Eg. Rocket moves to mid bottom and one is deleted. Maybe move a concussion rifle up to plasma launcher, take that out and move plasma rifle to concussion rifle. The worry I had was of the three long range power weapons (sniper, plasma launcher, turret) possibly dominating the entire top. I like the sniper where it is because it'll encourage sniper battles, and that keeps a sniper on his toes. He'll have to concentrate on the other sniper not on 'normal' targets. But reducing to one spare is an option you have. Wait, there are only two lights in total? WHAT!?!!?
First off, I realized i need to look more into the weapon placement, as I just found out about the fixed weapon glitch (where when you drop/die with them, they are immovable objects.) Thank you noklu for your continued help with this map. I realize power weapons are defnitely a huge issue on this map, and I'll try to show an updated version tomorrow if I can complete it, I will be looking deeply into your suggestions. I see your point with cover more clearly now, but not anything I can do with the budget (only $10 remaining, and I need 2 of everything. Plus the cover here is accessible, but not overwhelming like in some maps, so I think it will do. Also if it is difficut to traverse the top of the map, the underground section will be used, which is a big plus for me, as that's the whole reason I made this map, I built it from the sewers up (started off wanting to be a big city, but realized the object count, and more importantly, gameplay limitation) So to me as the designer the underground sewer area is the very heart and soul of this map (although it will probably be less played than the top, due to the narrowness). And sweet feedback on the sniper, I'll keep it where it is, and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to reduce it to one clip, as I feel 12 shots is just way too much, but 4 shots doesn't give the sniper the power it deserves. Yeah, there is an object limit in the lights category, which only allows 2 lights (mix'n'match) to be placed, really annoying. I see that bungie wanted to prevent noobs just spamming lights (and probably causing stress on the engine), but in good hands a few extra lights would be really helpfull.
Just FYI... I went to the link at the very top of this thread to download the map, and it is broken....
Thats cuz I've taken it down since like 3 weeks ago, because I've made a few rennovations to it (taking out fixed weapons, and rebalancing them a little) Link fixed now to my current version, I'll be working on updating the rest of the post
This is one of the better maps that i have seen, but i see a clear lack of cover especially since there are two snipers. Maybe try replacing them with focus rifles, that way there is a small warning to find cover,any for a map this big, and open, maybe a mongoose or ghost to try concentrate the fire from the numerous power weapons away. Also the mongoose would help with flag bomb games. But why this many power weapons?