I've been spending a good deal of time checking out forged maps by other gamers here lately, and I've realized there are a few traits that make me either love or hate a map. These can be lumped into the following categories: -Size -Avenues of Approach -Color -Natural Aesthetic With size, my peeve is a lot of these 4v4 competitive maps are a bit large. While technically, they don't have a large "foot print", they are large in the sense that a lot of space is covered and layered with a heavy decrease in line of site. Construct from H3 was "Large", but it was also very open with its like of site which made it an ideal size for 4v4 TS. Avenues of Approach is a balance issue. While you want to design your map to direct movement in a certain way, you do not want to force bottlenecks and over powered positions. Just about any spot on a map should have three different ways to get to it. Any power position should be balanced with the ability of another player being able to sneak up on it. Its a vulnerability issue. Color... This is a simple one. Boxed in "seas of gray" are not cool. They're bland and very irritating to play on. Every single one looks the same to me. If your dead set on boxing in your map, at least use some FX or color orbs to liven it up a bit. Natural Aesthetics is both the use of whats naturally available on the map; terrain and the such. There are some beautiful locations with plenty of potential for building on. Maps don't need to be all Forerunner buildings and such... There is also the use of natural aesthetics inside buildings, such as the tree in Vanilla. Such use adds a nice flair and bit of character to a map and really makes it stand out above it's peers. This more or less sums up how I feel about forged maps and what I look for. What are your takes on it? Do you have some more advice to add? Please add your input.
Its not that a boxed in map can't be good, its that its an over done approach to map making... And having a limited pallet to use, its very bland to look at.
We don't have limited pallets. We have no pallets. This is because we have a surprisingly limited palette. Srsly, though, you do make a good point. Back when I briefly attempted HCE modding (and then failed at it, and then gave it up), I saw a ton of box maps for the game. Trust me -- boxes are boring, be they in HCE or in Reach.
Lawlz. But it is a remake of a boxed map... Does the original no justice though. @DavidJCobb: I fail at spell check... Misspelled palette as pallete, which was corrected to pallet. :O Anyhow, the sea of gray and limited worlds to build on is a major hindrance to creativity. I hope Bungie releases another "sandbox" equivalent for Reach... And figure out some way to expand our Forge palette.
FX causes a HUUUUUGE drop in framerate, i almost go out of my way to avoid those things. However i agree on everything else. Though, a boxed map can be cool if it is done properly.
Another thing I forgot to write up was the "two base" formula that a lot of maps tend to go with. Making a symmetrical map is one thing, but does it really need a base as well? This build gets old when you think about it... Take a look at most "MLG" style maps, most follow this formula. Even SaLot, the original creator of Onslaught, has complained about this. You don't need bases to make a map great. Look at Construct. One of the most popular and competitively balanced maps to date. Where's your initial spawn? Out in the open on the platform.
If you want to make a truly symmetrical map, we really have three choices: Make it floating in the air, inside of a gray box, or inside the colliseum. It's not possible to make one anywhere else in Forge World; there just aren't any symmetrical places And FX's and lights are a very bad idea most of the time, due to the amount of lag that they induce, and FX's are usually not conducive to good gameplay because of their negative effect on players' sight.
Not to sound rude but I can't take a single word of this seriously. Well I did, that was until I saw your sig. Boxed in, pretty bland remake that wasn't even a great map anyways. I don't think your one to judge the Do's and Don'ts of forge right now.
That's cute, you're going to judge me because I wrote about how I don't like boxed in maps when I've made one myself. I'm not saying I don't do them. I'd rather not do them, and am avoiding it now. My remake of Onslaught was an exercise for me to learn how to Forge. It just so happens I'm rather proud of how it turned out. Sheesh. And I'm not trying to be rude either btw. I'm merely saying you're being a little overly critical.