What are your forge pipe dreams? Personally, I would immensely enjoy 3 things: 1. Editing objects as a group. Say I've got a base made of 10 pieces, I want to be able to select them and duplicate the entire structure to move it somewhere else. It would also make symmetrical maps much easier (build one half, select it, copy/paste). 2. Object editing/creation (for simple objects only) - For walls, windows, the station pieces on impact. Pick their dimensions, and go (with a max size of course). Also, you should be able to adjust curvature of items as well (such as the curved wall). 2.1: Object skins - a few covie, forerunner, and human skins for most items would be fantastic for aesthetic purposes. 3. Editting from a computer: this would be so fantastic. Basically, just set it up like AutoCAD - this would also make 1 easier to implement. What about you guys?
I thought this thread was about a forged version of Pipe Dreams... I was like WAAAHT! But this seems more logical. To answer number 3. They would never allow this because there are too many people who try and mod maps as is right now. *cough* s7 *cough*. It is a great idea, basically allowing Xbox 360 Halo 4 users to create maps using a streamlined version of HEK+/Sapien Tools. With the next version of Xbox we will see the next version of Halo [Halo 5]. This version will probably feature something along the lines of number 3. Think Far Cry 2 Map Editor/Creator.
one problem with that PC editor idea is that in Forge objects are not actually level archetecture, but 3D Objects. This is why levels made in Forge do not have the ability to show bullet holes like the level archetecture in the Campaign mode does. In Jedi Knight Outcast and Academy, lightsaber burns could be put onto architecture, but not 3DOs. It was easy in a single player level to see which doors would later open vs those that would never open by a switch, because the real doors could not be burned with the lightsaber. THis is part of the reason why the dynamic lighting doesn't always work as advertised too. I Definitely support the idea of 3 or more skins for many if not all of the main building block pieces, bridges and platforms, walls an buildings. All of our levels shouldn't have to look exactly the same asthetically. One major need is that we should be able to size more items and objects. The Soccer ball shouldn't need to be ginormous and the teleporters default to a certain shape and size, but there are still shape and size options that do absolutely nothing to the affected area of the portal itself. Give us switches and things we could script. That will make this game last forever in the modding community. The possibilities would be endless, while at present they were only expanded ever so slightly since the previous forge. Because all objects seem to be 3DOs and not architecture, we should be able to make any of them have normal physics and move when acted upon by an outside force. However, still most pieces do nothing when touched even when set to normal physics. That would make doors much more feasible. But keeping level pieces from moving very much if ever, keeps the frame-rate down so that might have had to be done out of necessity.
I thought up an idea similar to number 1, only... I wanted to take it a bit further. I think it would be even better if you could not only group and copy, but also group and save. Imagine it, take a group of objects, and then save it to a list of object groups, and from that list, you can select the group and it'll spawn an exact duplicate of said group of objects. And you could just use that same group from the list over and over again. Of course they'd have to make it deplete the appropriate amount of source objects for every group you place.
that the camera stays in place when I grab an object. also, I'm not sure why the camera can take damage or is affected by some objects. it should also be able to go through objects.
it's because they treat it as a player character not merely a camera view. It gets very annoying in close quarters. one major problem with this is that in Reach you could easily grab a very large object and still zoom in close to manipulate it's position. In Halo4 you are forced to move a huge distance from the larger objects (try a colleseum wall close to another object for instance)
exactly, very annoying to perfectly place a coliseum wall. sometimes the camera even manages to jump right behind a wall, so you can't see at all what you are doing. and what the point anyway? if I want to know how a player interract with the map, I only have to press up and it takes 2s. it's not like timesplitters, where you have 2 min of loading time to preview your map.
Yeah, this was actually something I thought I posted in the OP, but yeah. Not only that, but also being able to share them with others through the file share.
even worse is when you are holding an object and the auto-distance thingy puts you through a teleporter and you're not sure what happened to the piece. not wanting it to be counted as existing still and some how behind a rock face, you select "delete all of these" and hope it's not used anywhere else in your level.
lol, all of our wish lists just turn into ***** fests. I agree with what the OP is saying. This was a time for Forge to be recreated into a more 2010 quality editor but by the sounds of it, it was prioritized into a cupboard for last minute retouching. Simple things like group move/duplicating and multi texturing are relatively simple and I think I've touched on that at least a couple times in my wishes/complaints over the years. Object creation is a bit like a combination of those 2 ideas. It would be great if we could do it on the fly, but even a separate editor would be nice. The big problem with the editor is that instead of creating the object we want we work with the object we're given. The end result is more objects being used and a massive list of crap to search through in the forge items list. Realistically we should be able to choose a shape/size/texture and be done with it. I commend them on trait zones because it is the closest they have come to a combined object sort of thinking but we do need that to creep into other areas of the forge. I really do believe that gravity zones should be dropped and we should just add a +/- gravity force intensity option under trait zones with a tick box for visible/invisible. Simple/customizable. For all we know Microsoft may actually hate the forge because it has reduced the number of map pack sales. I don't know if there has been a decline or not but if there has been they could easily remedy that by offering features/textures or objects for the forge with each map pack release.