After multiple failed attempts at making a map support good falcon usage, I am starting to wonder how to make them work well at all. Working on projects I have learned a lot about ground vehicles, but it seems I just fail spectacularly when trying to implement a falcon or banshee. If anyone could explain how to use these well, please respond. Referencing maps should be fine, except that I don't have Noble so the falcon in Breakpoint is a bad example unless you can really explain it. I would like to integrate an air vehicle into a future map, so I need to know how for when an idea comes along. Thanks in advance for any comments, leaving feedback on any vehicle type is also appreciated!
Lots of space is a must, you need to have plenty of breathing room for banshee flips and whatnot. More so than that, however, infantry need to have a fighting chance against the aerial death machines, which requires two things: One, some anti-air firepower, usually in the form of a laser, rocket, or plasma launcher, although plasma pistols and grenade launchers can be useful as well on account of their EMP capabilities. Two, plenty of hard overhead cover. Can you imagine what Hemorrhage would be like with banshees? Yeah. You want the opposite of that. Infantry need buildings and overhead stuff to hide and spawn underneath. However, you don't want air vehicles to be totally useless either... it has to actually be fun to fly them around, and a skilled pilot/gunner team should be able to rack up a decent amount of kills before going out in a fiery blaze of glory.
I have some experience with it, but there's no easy way to explain it. Incorporating aircraft requires fundamentally different cover and structures on the map that aren't all that easy to just explain. Once you build this map I'd be willing to help out but there are no rules I can just lay down about how to incorporate falcons and banshees in your map.
Well I would have to say that you should go back to halo 2 and play containment (or get the halo reach forgehub version). That is a map that it is fun to have a banshee but is also balanced for those who don't. Plenty of cover and along with a tank and a gausshog (I think) on both sides. Just remember to make it fun and enjoyable for everyone. If you can do that then problem solved.