Exerpt from top secret ONI document, dated October 14, 2552 During the space battle in the [redacted] system, the UNSC frigate Crescent Moon stumbled across a peculiar anomaly in the system’s asteroid belt. The asteroid had a much higher heat profile than those around it, and, upon closer inspection, was revealed to be a space station. It was a medium-sized station, built into the asteroid which had been hollowed out. There were two docking tubes on the station which were the only visual sign of anything strange from the outside. Crescent Moon was able to dock with the base, and a team was sent in to investigate. The station was found to be of Forerunner origin, and appears to have been built as a place to hide from the flood, too deep in space for them to reach. Unfortunately, the station was uninhabited, and no remains were found aboard. More unfortunately still, the covenant seemed to notice Crescent Moon breaking off from the rest of the fleet. The sent a team to investigate. A small-scale battle took place within the asteroid base soon after… Some of you may recognize this map from the original thread, which was posted months ago. I decided to simply start a new thread for version 2.0 of this map, given the “success” of the original thread (one reply, woot!). Others may recognize this map from testing, seeing as a very large number of people helped test this map. Anyways, this is version 2.0 of Asteroid Base, a map that I made quite some time ago. The map wasn’t great, but it was a good foundation for me to build off of, and I am quite happy with this new version. Asteroid base is a medium-sized, asymmetrical, competitive map which supports all game modes except for race and invasion. The map plays best with 6-10 players in team games, and 4-6 in free-for-all. Favorite gametypes on this map include Team Slayer, One Flag CTF, Stockpile, Headhunter, and Slayer. So what sets Asteroid Base apart from other medium-sized, asymmetrical, competitive maps? Well, for one thing, it takes place within an asteroid space station. Parts of the map are reminiscent of Orbital, but the center chamber has more in common with maps like Guardian and Ascension. This creates a great mix of close and mid-range combat, and encourages use of all armor abilities. Of course, the central chamber’s similarities with these maps are from a gameplay perspective only. The looks are very unique due to the setting of the map. Weapons List: DMR x6 Needler x2 Plasma Rifle x1 Spiker x1 Plasma Pistol x1 Concussion Rifle x1 Grenade Launcher x1 Gravity Hammer x1 Plasma Grenade x4 Frag Grenade x2 Health Pack x4 Changes from version 1.0 · Set up for CTF · Set up for Stockpile · Set up for Oddball · Set up for Assault · Set up for Territories · Set up for KOTH · Set up for Infection · Shotgun replaced with gravity hammer · Spiker added · DMR spawns reworked · Grenade Spawns reworked · Spawn Points reworked · Spawn system implemented · Kill zones reworked · Red base redesigned · Red maintenance shaft added · Blue platform lowered · Other (minor) structural changes People I’d like to thank · Video: Grif Otage · Review of version 1.0: Tediums ***** · Map modification: Stevo, Mattkestral · Testing: BurningThunder4, Bacon Donut, Kizzie5, Inferno, Mattkestral, Stevo, TheOneHawk, ThrowinDemBows, Nibbles, Hi Im Errupt, Kittenpaste Company, Security77, Im an Anamal, iMy Endi, Grif Otage, Godly Perfection, LambChop, Mr Saddo, Nerdslayer2000, I Timothy I, Dart3Rocks, Bioraptor, Nikatorus, and a ton of other people I don’t even remember. If you helped test, and your names not here, post here and say so and I will add you to the list. YouTube - Asteroid base- halo reach map Screenshots: I know its been a long post, thanks to everyone who got this far! Download
Have to say that this map looks really good. Very original and a theme I never seen forged before. Looks like a real fun map to. Good work. // DeStarfighter
I'm loving the theme, and the extensive backstory you gave to it. I'll DL and get back here with some feedback.
This was extremely fun for FFA! Heck, slayer in general is great. CTF worked very well too but there was one I didn't enjoy... I think it was KoTH. I still don't like that Elites can't fit your shaft (dirty joke) though.
This map is well cool. Nah, just kidding, I have more to post. I really like the aesthetic feel you've got going with all the glass boxes, reminds me of Orbital. The structure is also cool although it takes some getting used to, there's loads of little side passages which make it all neat and everything. You already know exactly how I feel about this. Stop asking me to post here!
CO-FORGE CREDIT CLAIMED! Lol j/k. Glad to see a better version up and running dude. I'm always here for future test(e)s too when you're ready
I'm glad someone appreciates the backstory. I'm looking forward to your feedback upon actual;ly seeing the map. Most people cant fit my shaft... I'm not sure what you didn't like, but it's probably been improved since you played it anyway! Blimey! Thanks for the feedback... and for being a **** about it I know, you like my testes. It's ok. Well thanks so much for the video man. I actually just made a youtube account so I could comment/like this and subscribe to your channel. Great choice of song BTW, I used to be a prodigy fan for sure. I'm glad you enjoyed making the video, and that you like the map.
The aesthetics on the map are very nice, the map is original, however I am wondering a few things...I would like to know the weapons list, what happens if you fall off the path(I wonder if you just fall a little or fall to your death), and were did you find such a place to make a map like this?
wow, I packed so much other cool stuff into the OP that I forgot the weapons list! Well, it's there now. If you fall off the map there is a soft killzone to tell you to come back up. I wanted a death fall, but the pit isn't that deep and it just didn't make sense. Also, the map is just floating in midair near the island in Forge World... Of course you can't actually see this, and it just looks like you're inside an asteroid.
Your map looks killer and the changes sound reasonable I'm dl it for sure and kittenpaste has a crazy signature sorta poeterotica I noticed in the comments lol just saying
Nice looking map. Very cool idea of an asteroid base. Looking forward to playing this one, as I'm a fan of maps made around natural objects.
That reminds me. Another thing I really liked about this map was the weapon choice, they all seemed to fit very well even in a map like this where it's difficult to find a great weapon spawn. Plasma Rifles and Concussion Rifles fit very nicely with the theming (especially when I kill Stevo with the latter and he bawls ) and the Hammer is just too great to miss out on.
Well I'm glad they turned out well. Getting the power weapons right was a chore. Originally, there was a sword in blue base, shotgun in red base, grenade launcher on long bridge, and concussion rifle on bottom bridge. Then I removed the conk rifle. Then I put a GL in red, a conk rifle in blue, and a shotgun on long bridge. Then I had a GL in both bases, and a hammer on long bridge. I finally settled on a GL in red, a conk in blue, and a hammer on long bridge. I think having blue covenant themed, and red UNSC themed worked well.
All righty then, here's the feedback I promised... Pros: - First off, visuals remain excellent - the map does indeed feel like a base inside of an asteriod. This is helped by your narrow pathways - I feel like I'm on catwalks or something. -The way you layer them over each other helps the map to avoid feeling too cramped. -Also, when I saw the vent in red base, I may or may not have screamed like a little girl. Good decision to let players stand up in it - prevents campers from going unnoticed. I didn't see how it would handle elites, but at the very least, it'll make elite slayer more distinctive than usual. Very cool execution, although it seems to be closed off in at least one gametype, which means it's blocked off in forge, so I didn't see it at first. This isn't a problem for gameplay obviously, but you should mention it in your post so that people who pop it open in Forge know it's there. -Let's see... Oh yes, I like the weapon selection as well. It gives the map a distinctive flavor over a lot of the maps that have the same size. Despite the difference in selection, the weapons fit well, so kudos. -Finally, spawns were solid. Not fantastic, but in no way detrimental. I also noticed you have the map set up to support multi team. Couldn't test them there although I'm a little worried the map's too small for 12 players. It looks like 4 team Multi Team, however, would play like a dream. Cons: -Getting into the vent from the middle platform is kind of difficult - it looks really good the way it is, but if you don't have some kind of ramp or more head room on the jump, it can be very difficult from certain angles. If you go with more head room, I'm sure you'll be able to handle visuals fine - you've done so wonderfully on the rest of the map. If you go for a ramp, check out bank 1v1 - it doesn't have to be a flawless run; the player IS entering a vent/tunnel - but it should be doable in a short amount of time. -Another concern I had was that the very bottom room, the half bunker leading to the lift, would be campable, and very prone to congestion in objective games. By having only one entrance, being deep enough to evade grenades, and having an escape route when things get too hot, the room seems pretty powerful in terms of camping. -Finally, the death barrier at the bottom is very, very frustrating. It looks like you should be able to jump down there, but as soon as you do - BAM! 10 seconds to live. If you have a jet pack, it's no problem, but the only way up is to (quickly) scale the wall underneath the ramp. Granted, you quickly learn that the very lowest area is a bad place to be, but it still looks inviting. Suggestions: -The vent/tunnel - Like I said, ease the entrance from the middle platform a bit. It's a very cool room, and players should be able to use it as a quick place to duck into cover. -Spawns - Add some more spawns in the back areas. My friend and I were playing on 3 second respawns, and I'd frequently spawn in front of him if he was coming out of the center and into my base area. (blue base, in case you were wondering) With 5 seconds, the problem is mitigated somewhat, but having extra spawns in the back can't hurt. It also lets players who have taken the middle get a chance to recover shields, stock up on grenades, take new positions, etc; Like I said, your spawns are solid, but I think you could improve them if you added some more around the edges. (Playtest this, naturally) -Bottom bunker - I'm not exactly sure how you could fix this, or if it even needs a fix (if you've playtested oddball). If it is being camped too much, perhaps reconstruct the the bunker with an extra entrance using spare pieces - curved walls if ya' got 'em. That should let you keep the very cool visual of the bunker, but still allow an extra path. -Finally, the deadly bottom of the map. It's your biggest problem, in my opinion, because it just looks really, really cool. As soon as I saw it, I was all "OOOH, WHAT IS THIS PLA-erk. Dead." Credit to your artistic skills for making the aesthetics so inviting, but it caused my friend and I to end up there more than once. You've got two possible fixes for this. 1st: Extend the bottom. I noticed you had about 3000 FB left, so you've got the budget. You're out of natural pieces, and you can't really move from other parts of the map because they're needed where they are. (Like the uber-sexy red ceiling on the non-vent side entrance to red base. Nom nom nom, my friend) I'd suggest extending it with very sharp lined pieces, and making it turn into a spike and/or longer shaft. This could be like the anchor/base that is driven into the asteriod or something. Basically, make the fall be long enough to merit an instant death barrier, and do your thing with the visuals. 2nd - The other way to fix the frustration is to just drop in an instant death barrier on the bottom, instead of the soft zone. If a player falls down there, he's basically dead anyway, and with that soft zone, you'll be tempting jet packers or wall climbers to hop down and grab fallen power weapons, leading to mounting suicides on both teams. Also, for anyone who does fall down, it's ten, agonizing, terrible, seconds before they die, and they can't really do anything from down there. Since the death is generally counted as a suicide, they've got the ten second respawn already. Couple that with the original ten seconds of uselness until death, and you've got a twenty second respawn. Holy cow. That's too long. It's like a power play in hockey or something. So go for that instant death. It might still be frustrating to new players who think they can go down there, but it'll be less so than if they had to wait a whole twenty seconds to play again. -One final suggestion - You don't need so many fusion coils in the red base in front of the lift. They just seem to clutter up that alcove and add to a framerate lag that shows up when your second shield door (gametype specific) pops up. Overall, I did enjoy your map. With the exception of minor geometry issue and the bottom looking all-too-enticing to my curious mind, it played very well, and, as I've probably said about a million times already, the visuals really had me hooked. Great way to stick with a theme and solid level design. 6.5/10 Whoofta. I hope that was enough feedback for ya. ^_^ If you want me to clarify on any points, I'd be happy to.
I saw this on FHF... Why are people picking this? I DL'd it expecting a fun map but I felt closterfobic no matter were I went. The lag was not fun either. Maybe it was connection, maybe not. I think it was the map because there are a lot of pieces and I heard glass makes it worse. Not a very pretty or fun map to play on. Sorry.
Wow Sniper C! When you said you'd post feedback, I wasn't expecting a whole review! That's the kind of feedback that really helps me improve my maps and forging in general. I'm glad you like the theme so much, I was really trying to do something unique and special, and I think I succeeded. I know there are some flaws. The shaft is wierd, sometimes it's super easy to get in, sometimes not so much. I understand your point though. I have a plan in my mind for a V3 of this map, but I'm not sure I wanna go through the hastle again, I guess it's up to you guys to tell me what you think. Basically, Green Hallway would be lowered down a level, and there would be something similar leading from Red Base to the floor of the Central Chamber. The dish in the floor would be replaced with a circular, "botomless" pit, but everything else down there would be playable space, there would be other changes to accomadate this as well. This plan would fix the issue with the death barrier on the floor. I can tell it's an issue because it's gone from a softkill, to a hardkill, and back and people still aren't satisfied. Sniper C, the only thing I disagree with you about is the Orange Lift Room. At first glance, it looks campable (And that's why it's blocked off in Infection), but throughout testing NO ONE has ever camped there, and therefore, I don't think it's a problem. Other than that, Im glad you liked it. I'm not sure why you only gave it a 6.5/10, (V1.0 got a 7.5 in it's review, and V2 is vastly improved!) you made it sound like you really liked it, but whatever, that's your choice. Thanks again for such great feedback! And really Proximo? Closterfobic? Lol. But if that's what you think, then whatever... And FYI, there is no screenlag on the map except when standing in Red Alcove looking at Orange Lift, and possibly in splitscreen. There's very little glass in the map also.
Fair enough - I didn't get into the objective gametypes, but hearing that helps me sleep better at night. (Because, you know, I really care that deeply about Halo... Wait, why are the girls leaving?!) In all seriousness, it's good to hear that it's not a problem. TRUST THE PLAYTESTS. As for the 6.5, my rating system is a little "whack," as the homie-gee kids call it in da hood, dawg. For me, 4 is a satisfactory map. 1 is unplayable, 2 is major major flaws, 3 is minor major flaws, and 4 is passable. 7.5 is about where it tops off for me, unless I'm just feeling a map - and that has a lot to do with my playstyle, and not much to do with the map's creation. You would have had a 7 if it was hard kill zone in the pit, and a 7.5 if I didn't want to jump in that pit so often... but as you've said, that's a major point of update for a V3. So don't take the 6.5 too hard - I'm good at CQC, but a tight map like yours just doesn't always strike the feel with me. It's a good map, don't get me wrong, but like I said, not always my style. Keep forging though! And PM when you get that V3 out, and I'll give it a look over. ^_^
I really like this map... And everyone says it's really good for all these gametypes... and stockpile. I didn't like stockpile on this map, though. hm, peculiar. Maybe because I hate stockpile altogether. Also, why does every spell my name: Hi Im Errupt? ONE R PEOPLE. lol Anyways, I loved testing this map, looking forward to running custom on this, and your newer map sometime, sir.