Man... I also said "what not" meaning places outside the waywo. It doesn't really matter, can we get just get on topic now? --- Double Post Merged, Mar 14, 2016 --- Anyways, I should add salty and purely to my favorites. They are both extremely humble and just great designers. That combo is pretty rare nowadays.
@Given To Fly has better vision than anyone when it comes to forge, and it's always been like that. I think he'd translate to an actual map design position in the industry better than anyone. And when it actually comes to "forge skill" he's one of the best. Didn't think much of @purely fat before this game because I didn't know him but I think he understands map design conceptually better than most everyone. @CommanderColson is probably the most well rounded forger. @Demption has adapted to halo 5 forge better than anyone and has established a really cool and identifiable style. @aPK because he's the greatest forger that ever lived. And @Vyctoriouz because he's the actual forge goat even though he's retired and no one here knows him --- Double Post Merged, Mar 14, 2016 --- Oh and @Xandrith you're trash
I'll have to say that I didn't think much of salty in Reach (basically the last time I talked to him before H5) but his maps in H2A were impressive and he has some beauties in Halo 5. His design knowledge seems to have vastly improved since Reach as well just based off of listening to him give feedback/defend decisions on his own maps
I shouldn't even need to say... but I will. Seven oh Three because he was one of the people who wasn't a **** to me when I started forging and he always had great ideas even if he didn't finish them. Salty because we fill each others gaps as designers. I don't think there has ever been a time where are feedback did not help one another. Nexn for being creative to the point that people could not really imitate his style. People imitated aesthetics but nothing people ever did layout wise was anywhere close to it. Solo for showing me how to make maps cleanly in reach without some of his maps I would have just made sloppy messes. To be honest though I appreciate everyone quite a bit because there is always something to learn from everyone.
I thought this thread was going to turn bad. Glad to see I was wrong. Well, it's hard for me to just select a few people, because I admire many people for different things. But, if I had to pick a few: Lahont and Tyrant. I feel like I've learned a great deal from these two just by discussing level design with them, and constantly exchanging works in progress and sharing opinions on them.
IM THE GREATEST FORGER ALIVE. Reasons: Because I said so Why that reason matters: IM THE GREATEST FORGER ALIVE
I like a bunch of forgers and their work. If I had to choose however I would pick someone who probably doesn't receive as much recognition as they deserve, and one of the few internet strangers who I'd get a drink with-- @SecretSchnitzel --he's always been helpful and open to feedback. His maps have consistently proven to play well, working with the particular game's mechanics and and encouraging skillful gameplay--instead of detracting from it like many forge maps unfortunately tend to do. Also @SoloXIII because I ****ing love Rail. @hahakrazy for the insane amount of work we put into Onyx. Fun times. @Haunted for his solid understanding of design and always being open to give/receive criticism. @Xandrith because them maps always look great and many more that I can't think of right now
I can't even remember who made the stuff I liked when I first started. Probably blaze & thesilencebroken. They were making crazy stuff in Halo 3that blew me away before I started forging. So yeah, probably Blaze is in the top because he has consistently created quality stuff since H3. I saw a lot of stuff Shadow Viper made that probably never even became finished products that were really good.
Thanks for the mention Doju, appreciate it. Definitely agree that I do move on way too fast from map to map, but I never found the time to actually test my maps so I never was able to adjust my maps after playtests. I still don't have a xbox one so I won't be able to get anything out, I may be able to borrow my brother's xbone in May though. Although I am playing around in sketchup every now and then trying to come up with something cool. Not owning an xbone actually allows me to sit down and take my time designing a new map. This is my sketchup file now (got many other files though): I'm copy pasting a parts of the map and trying different things out so I do not have to redo stuff over and over again. Oh yeah and favorite forger, @Goat if he would ever finish a map in H5. Other than that probably Col Keller, since I really enjoyed seeing him refine Retroactive over and over again. Also taking me under his wing for his youtube series (which only lasted one episode) lol Honorable mentions would go to Xandrith, Chunk, Demption, Fro3po, Warholic. Also Remkings since he's Dutch as well, even though I didn't know until the vid with Zandril.
There are a lot of forgers who I have a lot of respect for. I've had the pleasure of collaborating with and learning from a lot of talented individuals in this community over the years. I've built strong friendships with many of these individuals and even had the pleasure of meeting several face-to-face. There are lots of people who have made maps I really enjoy, and some who have even done so consistently. There are maps I admire made by forgers I dislike. There are maps I dislike made by forgers I admire. But, what I respect and appreciate more than the quality of the maps themselves is the ideas and behavior of the individuals. For that reason, I would have to name @a Chunk and @xzamplez as my "favorites". I've liked maps from both of these individuals, but it isn't their work which has had a profound affect on me. Rather, it's their ideas. Xzamplez' courage to stand up to anyone and speak his mind honestly, no matter how unpopular the opinion may be, is something I truly admire. This is a man who will never do something for the wrong reasons, and that sort of idealism is in short supply. His ability to call anyone out on their bullshit is something which I found myself on the receiving end of at one point a few years back and for which I have respected him ever since. These ideals are backed up by one of the sharpest understandings of level design around, too. Chunk's humility and design expertise are qualities which I have come to respect greatly. When I stepped out of my large, vehicular comfort zone and began experimenting more with design concepts for smaller maps, Chunk was the best person to bounce ideas off of and learn from. This led to some very interesting and thought-provoking discussions about level design which I truly appreciated at the time and which I continue to learn from today. Chunk's dedication and fairness also make him one of the best community leaders around.
My favorites are probably Xdemption, SoloXIII, and The Xzamplez. Wonderful 2v2 - 4v4 arena creations ever since Reach. Honorable mentions would have to go to PA1NTS and WyvernZu.
I'm gonna add @MultiLockOn because he is a ***** and was angry that I didn't list him While I disagree with him on a lot of points, It's really nice to be able to show someone your map and have it ripped apart. Also, sweaty spaceships wouldn't be a thing without him, and chunk told me that if I get 1 more forgehub feature I get to be a cartographer So, thanks multi
For the record, I don't actually have favorites. There are guys I think have consistent track records with making maps I personally enjoy, and there are guys I enjoy chatting with (I lobby warrior more than forge), but I don't prefer any one forger over another. If I had to make a list though, right now it'd be Xandrith, Mawlty, and Given since they've been making **** I enjoy lately. There's also Sitri and Chef who've always made pretty solid maps as well. Then there are the forgers I respect, even if I don't like them or get along with them well, such as Solo and Xzamples respectively. But seriously, I don't play favorites. You could be my best buddy and I will **** all over your design choices if I don't agree with them. Case point, me and Mawlty don't see eye to eye on a lot of ****.
Nexn is your favorite forger's favorite forger. His stuff in Reach was ground-breaking. But before Nexn was Baron, who is also another OG who truly took Forge as a whole to the next level. Salty's creativity is unmatched. I love listening to him talk about where the scientists go to eat lunch on his maps for hours on end.