Forgetacular - Get Your Map Tested

Hey! My name's Bishop and I got an infection map that I need tested. I just found this forum today, and I think it's an awesome idea!

I know that this Thursday is already booked, but please keep me in mind for later sessions or in case somebody can't show.

Also, a map under the infection category is supposed to support 8-16 players. Testing with 8 players would be great, but playing with 12 or 16 people would be even better.

Keep me Informed! This is an Awesome idea!

Gamertag: Bishop349
Map: Carnage Cathedral
Gametype: Infection

 

I know Thursday is currently full, but if you get some no-shows, I'd like to test a map.

GT: Paragon Fury
Map: Crucible
Gametype: Capture the Flag

 

Gamertag: Flywheel1
Map Name: Submersion v1.1
Category/Gametype: CTF

I'm unavailable Thursday evening thanks to college football, but I certainly want to get into the next session, if you do another. Let me know!

 

Gamertag: Salty Fingaz
Map: http://www.forgehub.com/forum/halo-...forerunner-geothermal-powered-comm-relay.html
Category: Slayer / Invasion

we could start a 2nd group of testers, or maybe if there are no-shows...

 

Just a heads up folks, cause I know the Testers Guild(TG) was mentioned in this thread as well. We're making some important changes to the TG allowing us to better serve the community while making the TG easier to run. If you fellas need anything you can contact me as I help run the TG. If you can run these tests with just you folks, cool. If you cannot, talk to Adventblood and he may be able to lend you some testers.

 

Just giving this thread a bump so as to remind people about the testing session today.

That said, today is me and my gf's anniversary, and she comes home around 6:30 Pacific time, give or take, so I can only stay to test for about 2 hours or so... not sure if we can do all of it or not within the 2 or so hours I'm available, but I definitely still want to be a part of this. Maybe when I leave you guys can pick up someone from the stand-by list? Or maybe we can get all the participant's maps tested before my gf gets home?

 

its 4:35 EST... I'll be home from work at 5:45EST... 70 mins from now.

I want to get my map tested and want to check out some new maps as well.
I am already on the backup list... mabes I shall be lucky today...

My map is in my sig... though "Eternal" is now the working title...

 

Salty Fingaz

theres a space inbetween... if that matters.

TY

 

You have one too many people for the 6:30 list. If you were to be in the party as well, then there would be nine players in that lobby.

 

my map

I would like for my map to be tested, it is my first map but I feel very strong about it

Name: Protection
My GT: vVSalvationVv

You can find the map in my file share along with a 5 minute walk through

here is a link to by Bnet profile Bungie.net : Stats Sign Up

Thanks and let me know if it totally blows... oh and its probably 4v4 and bigger in slayer, a 1 flag or neutral bomb map.

 

I'd be up for testing some maps, and getting one of my maps tested sounds good to me.

Let me know when the next available test session is, I'd appreciate it.

 

Hey guys, great session tonight, was a lot of fun, and I really did enjoy playing on all of your maps. After each map, I made a few notes/comments in a notepad file, so here they are, along with some afterthoughts (denoted by *'s).

@titan, look into side-bases as power points, especially in DMR matches, they offer good sight of most of map and good cover/limited entries. I don't think they are overpowering, but they also don't do too much to encourage movement. Also, I spawned in the same sidebase as other team a few times, half the length of the hallway away.
*I'd be interested in playing the map again with the intended weapon spawns, and seeing how that turns out.

@impact, where possible/reasonable, replace solid cover on bottom (such as the X's with med-packs on them) with solid windows, to allow for cover while not removing too much actual line-of-sight. Especially in the corners of the map, it seemed very easy to transition from a piece of cover to higher ground, without re-entering LoS. Not necessarily a bad thing, of course.
*I could load up the replay and point out a few specific times(&players to watch) to see cases of this, to better explain

@spartan, throw some DMR's/needle rifles on the bottom level. build at least one physical way up to the top level that has decent cover (doesn't require grav lifts to get up). perhaps throw some slight elevation changes/bumps into the bottom level, nothing taller than a spartan, just something to make it less of a "flat floor with lots of cover". Maybe look into some structures on the bottom floor, to tie it all together, rather than just scattered pieces of cover? I think you could definitely do something with that big blocked off section between the two gravlifts to maintain the LoS blockage, but use the space for something useful.
*Aesthetically, the map just feels disconnected. If one team maintained control of the top level, it would -literally- be like shooting fish in a barrel (or forcing them under cover until the timer ran out). This could be alleviated by keeping the catwalks as a centerpiece of the map, but lining the map with building/tunnels (or more catwalks, ala Hang Em High), and also using the buildings to allow for physical movement between the levels, all while tying the different levels of the map together thematically.

@jovial, not sure about the filter effects. Nice for custom games, but for competitive maps, I've never been a fan. Personal opinion, so take with a grain of salt. When on the bottom level, it might be nice to have some sort of indication that there is a hole above you/where the drops are, at least early on in the game I felt like I got dropped in on a *lot*. Perhaps getting used to the map would alleviate this, as you get to know where everything is. The height between the floor and ceiling on the bottom level was just enough that you couldn't look forward and see any potential holes in the ceiling near you at the same time. I'll run through it again tomorrow and edit this if I notice anything glaring, or if I see that I'm just totally off base, heh

@bishop, love the environment, if only there was an effect available to create rainfall, it would just set the mood perfectly (dream on). I'm partial to infection games, so I loved playing here. The biggest thing I'd suggest is just some soft killzones on the rooftops. we didn't have an issue with it in our games, we've all seen what happens when there *is* an exploitable position in infection (high up on rats nest, the rocks on Asylum, etc).

@LiWar, definitely throw some weapon variation in. Needlers, DMRs/Needle Rifle. Not many, just enough to dilute the use of ARs. If you did that though, you'd need more cover on the floor, since the tower provides such excellent vision. The tunnel is great for the return trip, but on the approach, there's really only one way to go. Perhaps have the tunnel wrap around behind the tower, with a mancannon that can shoot you up to the top, or at least an extra set of ramps up to the top from the rear. If you have the budget, I'd suggest looking into some sort of canopy over the central depression (doesn't have to be much, a "5x5 Flat" with "1x4 Tall"s acting as support columns would be plenty, just a place to provide some cover from above. The angle the plasma turret has would allow it to still shoot under the structure, but I just feel like you need some sort of interference (especially if you add DMRs/NR's in), to prevent the main area turning into a crapshoot.

@jovial (again), The outside isn't used much, I'm not sure if you meant for that to happen or not. It's got huge, unobstructed lines of sight, which deters trying to escape with the flag that way if they are chasing you (If, though, you manage to get in the base, grab the flag, and get out without them seeing you, the sides make for a nice walk home, since they are so rarely traveled. This tends force you into the central structure (intended, I'm sure), but in doing so, you're really only effectively taking one route home. This can be good for highly competitive games, with organized teams, as the team who does a better job of escorting their flagcarrier should come out on top, but for day-to-day matchmaking, this could be a problem, as trying to run your flag down the middle takes you right through the heart of the action, and is nigh on suicide.
In retrospect, we played "Flag at home to score", so in matchmaking, crouch-walking your flag around the outside could very well be an effective strategy. Heck, you might not even have to sneak it. As for the rockets, well, you heard the exclamations in the lobby after you told us what was actually out on that platform. I certainly didn't notice the RL down there the one time I snuck the flag around, base-to-base, along that side. The logic behind putting them out there is sound, but I think it was taken a bit too far in practice.


Well, that's what I've got to offer. Again, I really enjoyed playing with you guys tonight, and look forward to any future sessions. Also, as far as my map goes, I'll be looking into the spawns a bit more, as well as weapon positioning and area-incentive. From what I saw, the combat seemed to centralize itself just outside blue's spawn, between the tower and the tunnel, with very little attention being given to the upper trails. I'd like to try the map again sometime, on Slayer DMR's rather than plain old Slayer, and see if the gameplay changes significantly.
*I was actually really disappointed that there wasn't more of a battle for control of the upper trails, or even any significant use of them. I put extra time into planning/creating multiple ways up, figuring that with the openness of the map, and the huge field of vision it offered, it would be a huge asset to hold. For now, I'm willing to chalk this up to spawning with ARs rather than DMRs. But hey, that's exactly what testing is all about: seeing how people *use* what you have created, versus what you designed it for, and this was a very beneficial test run, I must say.

Other things I remember being mentioned were the positioning of loadout cameras, and an infection variation. I'll definitely give some more consideration to the cameras (though I have several set up: the FFA one, for example, looks down from the top of the mountains and lets you see the "lighthouse", crane, and boat all at once. The cameras for red/blue were designed to give a preview of the landscape you were going to be faced with immediately, to allow you to orient yourself before you spawn). As for the infection, the gears are already cranking away upstairs, and I've got some really interesting ideas that I can't wait to try out in the next few days.

 

Thanks to everybody for the feedback. Swils, I'll definitely give what you're saying some thought. It shouldn't be too hard to either move the Rockets, or at least make it a more obvious spot.

If anybody has any suggestions about what I can do to highlight the murder-holes, though, I can't think of anything right off the top of my head.

I've tried to spice up the outdoors a little with the turret bunkers and the Sniper. The trick is that in a CTF game, it's only real function is another route to cap the flag. I put three routes (Ground floor, upstairs drop via murder-hole and sweeping around the outside) and put respawns along each to try to encourage use. I'll see if I can't take a good look at both the game film from last night and the map itself.

And if I'm online and you're looking for help to test a map, guys, feel free to invite me. If I'm in matchmaking I may wait until the round is over, but I'll join you as soon as I can. I had a blast last night, and got to play on some really fun maps.

 

so i missed last nights session... had to pick my friend up, which took an hour... bummer, sounded like fun.

maybe today....

 

Thanks Titan! I'm still on board for your next session. Please keep us in the know. This seems to be my best shot to get the 4v4 video required for the contest.

 

Thanks for the advice. I've already added in a new section in the back with a 1-way teleporter and a grav lift to assist blue base.


As for weapons, there's already 1 dmr, 1 needler, 1 sword, 1 shotty, 1 rocket launcher, 2 plasma pistols, 1 plasma rifle, 1 brute spiker, 2 plasma turrets, and 1 magnum. They aren't all in the open, any suggestions on where to move them?

Also, I'll probably switch out the magnum for needle rifle then, and I'll think about how I want to add more cover to the middle