Hey bros, I'm creating this thread in hopes of spurring some discussion about map design and other things related to creating a good map. Anyway, use this thread for the following: • Ask questions about map design in general • Ask for opinions about designing • Post quick previews of your current work along with questions/concerns you have with it • Post your sketches of layouts (the Sketch Thread is being retired) • Disuss design theories. I'd like this thread to become the go-to place for solid forge discussion.
I suppose I'll take the liberty of being the first reply to this thread. Honestly, I have a couple questions that I'd like to ask some more creative forgers. • How do you come up with such solid map ideas? (My ideas generally lack in elaboration due to the fact that I seem to not be able to envision much more than 1 part of a map.) • When designing a map, do you prefer maps where the terrain is made with natural, pieced, or a combination of the two? • How would you ultimately recommend creating a solid map without any major idea in mind? (Or should I say, what is the best way to get inspiration?)
In response to your questions H3robr1n3, I would say: • In most cases, you need an idea of what the middle of the map and your bases will be, from there the rest of the map will generally flow together. Remember to try to make at least 3 ways to get to any given position that isn't a hallway. • A combination of natural and structures gives the best aesthetic to a map, and is what I generally prefer to see in maps. • Go outside, take a walk around and just look at stuff. Buildings, canals, drainage ditches, anything. Eventually when you sit back down to forge, you might try and think of ways to recreate what you saw, you may be surprised with the simple complexity of some things that are around you all the time that you just don't notice. My best advice I can give is to go into making a map with at least a vague idea of what it is you want it to end up being, whether that is a space station, a nuclear reactor, or even something more abstract as just wanting the map to play oddball well.
I like the thread! However, I have a question that no one seems to want to answer or reply to: Is there anyway I can find someone who will want to forge with me? Because for some reason, people on these forums tend to ignore me, and I have always enjoyed forging maps with friends. None of my friends really play halo or forge anymore, and now, whenever I try to forge by myself, i end up getting stuck halfway or so, then I come to the forums and ask around, post pictures, and no one seems to want to help. they just give me suggestions that i've heard a million times. Anyway, I will post pictures of a map i've currently been working on and i want some input as well as suggestions the map could use. I do NOT want suggestions on how to build/develop ideas. instead, I would like it if the suggestions were about what to build. The map doesn't have a name.
How duz I B gud at haro 4 forge? I r a noob. I get all of my map designs in a dream. I see one room and the rest is just combining other map ideas that I generate in my head so that they flow better.
Is this on your fileshare? I'll take a look and give you my thoughts next time I get a chance. Spoiler Here are two projects I started recently. Any feedback on either is much appreciated. In Solitude | I haven't done anything beyond the basic routing and play space, but you should be able to get a pretty good idea of how the structure and LoS are going to be placed. I had 2v2 in mind when making it, but it may be a little too large for that now, hahaha. It seems to circular atriums may be too open as well. Shelby | A 1v1 map that I've made too many times. I attempted to give it an Iron Yard-esque theme.
I think this thread is a very good idea. @Patrick - It's really difficult to join in on someone else's map and help them build it. For me, it's much easier to design something from scratch than it is to finish designing something that's already started. I generally feel too restricted by the existing layout, and can't create something I like without drastically altering what's already been built. From my perspective, the reason that people would suggest you should develop ideas prior to building your maps is because it can help prevent the situation you keep getting into where you can't finish maps. I would seriously consider taking that advice to heart. It may not be the advice you want, but it is what you need to do if you want to finish maps and have them play well. @Auburn - Shelby's looking sexy. If they're in your fileshare, I'll take a look at both of them and see if I have any feedback to give.
I agree with the concerns you've listed. Also, I can't say for sure because I don't know what kind of walling you'll have for each of the rings, but I can see the gameplay being somewhat repetitive since all of the main playspaces are essentially the same. This will also make orientation a real challenge. What I would really like to see is some of the rings overlap/interconnect. Something like...instead of having the top middle ring directly above the bottom middle ring, have 2 upper rings, with each of those upper rings overlapping/intersecting into the middle atrium and one of the exterior atriums. Something like this, for example... Lookin' good so far.
Great thread Idea! * How to come up with better Ideas? *What makes a "Great" Halo 4 map? *What are good examples of atrium sizing, Hallways, Walkways? Height differences? What works and what doesn't etc. *How to use natural better? I deRP that whole category...
The reason people are ignoring you could be put to the fact that if you co-forge in Halo 4 then all of your objects will move on their y-axis, with the amount of movement being dependent on the size of the object. This gets really annoying, because you lose more time than you save by having multiple people.
To be honest i did not even know that was the cause because i usually have 1 or 2 other people in my game when trying to forge. I am forging alone now. @ ACIDBURN *you can draw inspiration from just about anywhere. Something i really liked was that in the "sketch contest" they gave 2 peramiters for a layout of a map that you would not have expected. *when making a map, keep in mind that good design, good balance, and good gameplay make a map good. After that aesthetics of a map come in to play to make the map stand out more than others. No matter what map you are trying to make, take your time while building to immerse the players into the feel of your map. *this all depends on the overall size of your map. Never make long and narrow hallways, in fact i tend to stay away from long hallways in general.(that is just me.) as for atriums, that all depends on what you are going for, without much information it is hard for me to grasp what you want to know, there isnt the "perfect size for an atrium" it varys greatly depending on the map design and size. *turn off rotation snap completely unless you really need it. Don't overdoo it on trees or rocks(i mainly use trees to add an interesting LOS blocker. If you are making something large from natural pieces do not just spawn then place, rotate them and manipulate pieces so they are not repetitive. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fz70z0fQQOE&feature=plpp
A good map often has -more than one entrance/exit to a room -balanced locations, as in equal weapon spread and evenly spread focal points to keep parts of the map from being empty to often.
I will eventually get a preview thread up for Elixir, which I believe a few of you have probably seen already. It's had very little testing, so I'll be looking forward to feedback on...well...everything. Here's a little preview of the preview, lol.