Leapfrog on LilyPads Players: 2 or 4 teams, 2 to 4 players per team Gametype link: Download Leapfrog Map link: Download LilyPads Map Haiku: Leaping through the sky / Brave men hold to their platforms / And taste my splazer Map/Game Overview Well, I'm finally releasing it. This is Leapfrog... on LilyPads. That name's a bit dumb, but the game is great, and really... what else could I have named it? Basically, Leapfrog is a minigame with a conquest-ish foundation that makes novel use of Halo3's gravity settings. You want to capture as many of the five territories as you can. You have reduced gravity and increased speed so that you can make the jumps necessary to get from platform to platform. HOWEVER: if you are in the process of attacking a territory, you have increased gravity and will fall to an inevitable doom if you attempt to leave your platform... unless you've picked up the custom powerup, that is. Here's a general layout of the map. Overview Schematic Gameplay Spawns Teams start on elevated spawning platforms. There are four spaced evenly around the map... one for each team. In the spawn area, you can pick up a grav-lift or a trip mine to wreak havoc on the other team(s). Everybody starts with SMG's. This was chosen so that the ARs and BRs are more coveted and to keep the action within the separate platforms. At the spawns, you can pick up a grav-lift (for making landing conditions a bit more difficult for incoming opponents) and a trip mine (for similar, more explosive results). You'll want to either jump to one of the inner platforms (you can reach two of them) or run forward into the downward-facing man-cannon, which will take you to your team's outer platform. Spawns The Platforms Your team's circular outer platform has 3 important things on it: a plasma grenade, a battle rifle, and a custom powerup (CPU). The custom powerup allows you (for 15 seconds) to jump through territories without any of the negative gravity effects. However, it'll also place a beacon above your head, making you an easy target. There are no territories on the outer platforms, so once you've got your gear, you should jump over to one of the inner platforms and start a-capturing. Each square inner platform has an AR and a spike grenade available for use. Unless you have a CPU activated, you'll want to make sure you're ready to go once you get here, because you can't easily escape until you've waited out the 15-second territory capture time. You do slightly more damage while you're inside the territories (attacking or defending), and everybody has increased damage resistance, so you won't have to worry as much about long range attacks from the outer platforms. There are also two sniper rifles and two brute shots that can only be reached by jumping from inner platform to inner platform. The sniper is quite useful for clearing the skies of jumping enemies, while the brute shot can occasionally knock an unsuspecting enemy off the platform. Overview The Central Tower Both levels of the central tower can be accessed from any of the inner platforms (you can only jump to the top level if you have reduced gravity). The central territory can be captured from both the top and the bottom level. The bottom level holds a Spartan Laser and a bubble shield, so it might be good to send someone down there early on. Using a grav-lift here will give you a steady shot with the splazer at all the surrounding territories... but you will be a sitting duck. Also, you can't escape the bottom level until your team has captured the central territory. The top level has an active camo for the sneaky types out there and is much easier to escape - just jump down. If you have a grav-lift on you, you can throw it down, float into the structure, and capture the territory in relative safety. There is, however, a nasty drawback of the upper level. If somebody shoots the fusion coils at the top of the central tower, anybody standing in the top level will be quickly vaporized. Ka-Boom! The Down Below This map was built above blackout, since it was the only place big enough to pull this off. As such, if you miss a jump, you'll either fall into the ocean or onto the map itself. There's no way back up to the main area, so your best best is to find a Death-porter (strewn liberally across Blackout) and jump into it for a trip back to the spawners. Death-Porter Grid Overtime If there are contested territories when the time runs out, all uncontested territories will lock, and each team will have to do their best to get to the un-locked ones. The bottom level of the central tower will sprout some bridges to make getting around easier (for those who weren't careful with their closer territories). Alternate gametypes I made this map hoping that there would be some flexiblity in the gametypes people could play on it. Two simple modifications are just weapon changes: 1 - "Leaping Lasers" - Give everyone lasers as their starting weapon, unlimited ammo, and change the capture time to 10 seconds. 2 - "Rocking the Pads" - Same as above, but rockets instead of lasers (or go crazy and give the lasers AND rockets) Additionally, this map should work with other game variants as well. King of the hill can be pretty interesting if you set the people in the hill to 100% speed, 100% gravity while everybody else gets 150% speed, 50% gravity. You can even play some simple slayer games here... just be sure to give the players you want to be able to move around 150% speed, 50% gravity. Maybe the leader could be confined to his platform... Whatever you want! Go crazy! If you create a gemtype you like, tell me about it in the thread and I'll add it to the OP. Extra Screenshots Action Shot! Blue Team Wins! "Cheating" at the central tower Gametype link: Download Leapfrog Map link: Download LilyPads
Yay! 1st post! Anyway back to Business. I tested this with you a couple of hours ago and I have to say it was an amazingly fun game. The Idea is very unique, the structures were simple, but complex at the same time. The center tower with the fusion coils was a very effective hiding spot...until someone found you. Playing with lazers was more challenging (I blame you and your splazering skills, lol) but also more fun at the same time. 5/5, great job.
Actually, no. He was in a play-testing party with me only hours ago. Good try, though. Also, I don't know how unimpressive your **** is, but I would certainly call slamming my **** into a wall anything but mediocre.
he dereted his post lulz. and for me. im not really diggin the idea. idk. ill c what its like. it might turn out really cool. but this forge just limits people so much. ill get back to u sometime edit: i think it was i didn't have the gametype, but without it, traveling around in the monitor. it seemed pretty cool. i dont understand the fusion coils stuck to the ceiling though
Looks like another great map Cosmic! I really like the idea of the players jumping from lillypad to lillypad. The idea is a very original one and looks like it would be great to play on. Also, props to you for doing something other than another map on foundry. I also like the varity of long range weapons you provide. That would make the gameplay very great and very addicting. And to the guy above me. That is an great example of spam and double posting. Great Map cosmic, and hope to see more to come.
Evan though I didn't do the manjoraty of the testing, the couple games I played on this map were really fun! The gameplay was perfect and so was the placement of everything. The gametype created gameplay too. It made the techniques and stratagies different and creative. I had a great time. 5/5 Cosmic!
Aha! Leaping frogs of death forthewin! But in all seriousness, this looks amazing. I am a little at a loss in terms of how player move from platform to platform. Is gravity set to a lower level than usual? The map really seems like the newborn baby brother of TDF's Vertigo. Gameplay looks intense, and epic. However, I must debate the choice of Blackout as the canvas map. In my humble opinion, this could be implemented much more smoothly on Avalanche. The cliffs provide ample death traps, the sniper tower buildings, when flipped, would make perfect lillypads, and the addition of color filters would give you the option to change the lighting as you see fit. A linear conquest gametype would complement this hypothetical map, and make it into a jumping, shooting, screaming, pile of fun. SMGs are the perfect starting weapon; excellent choice. The other weapons present on the map are, as you say, vital to control, which should result in a fun power-struggle. I'll give this map a DL and try and get a group to play it. Excellent work.
looks cool cosmic you have done it again! But i don't know if i will DL this since i hardly have any friends who wants to do customs and i don't think playing this 1v1 with my bro would be as fun as playing it 2v2v2v2 for example. But you should have credit for an amazing map and extra credit for not making a map on foundry. Keep forgin' !
Funny you should mention that. Up until yesterday, I had a beat version of the game/map in my fileshare built on Avalanche. Unfortunately, there's no area with a big enough death-pit to make the gametype work with these kind of ranges between platforms (with my 4 team setup). So I had to set it up over the regular play area. The elastic ceiling was too low and ruined the spawns for 3 of the teams, and the running around to teleporters below killed the gameplay. I am thinking about making a more linear (though not totally linear) version of this in the future, which I think would be a more competitive, risk-like experience for 2 teams at a time.
Very Very nice map! I must say for floating objects it is amazingly clean and smooth. I love the idea and love the layout. Now my one question is did you say death tele porters or they just pt you back at the spawns? Also in the game type I like that you made the people capturing the territory, heavier so as to prohibit them from just running away from their death! Nice clean map, good pics, good job! -Irish
i love the concept, it seems really fun, but unfortunately it seems like this is one of those games that you have to explain to people in you party, so that kind of sucks, but its still a great map. 4/5
Sweet this finally is finished! I remember playing this when it was a "secret project" in TGIF 16 with Vicious Vice. This map is so intense at time, you never know what team it gonna kill ya or who is taking what you just know there is lot of dying but that makes it really fun! 5/5 A definate DL for all people who like casual/competitive maps(casuatitive, lol)
First off Cosmic you have created another well forged map that is breaking new ground. The only this is i would of liked it not to be over the main map just cuz thats like a lifeline if they fall. and maybe of added more complicated platforms. But overall 94/100
The A17 Review Creativity. Check! Inspirational. Was MLK? Check! Fun. Well... The Good (+)TGIB! (Thank god its Blackout!) (+)Another perfectly forged map by Cosmic with perfectionism in mind. (+)The casual experience is great when its all under controlled! The Bad (-)Well, I see you tried to avoid this problem, but is there really a point of making a map like this when RIGHT BELOW YOU is the biggest flaw, which is Blackout itself! Look, when it comes to custom made maps, after the map has had all the fun raped out of it, or if you play with just one douche, people will want to exploit a flaw and use it, which is what happens EVERYTIME I'd host a match. Avalanche (you pointed this out before) seems a little more practical if you made this map in between the lifts in the center of the map, so think a little more about how people are going to play your map before you start posting. (-)The innovation is there, but we've essential seen these techniques on Forgehub Featured maps before (the nuke tower has been done too). (-)Doubles maps are awesome...right? We've been getting too many lately, and you can see that Cosmic is trying to create it into a more casual experience, but the feeling isn't everlasting, nor is it a satisfying break from just playing a regular doubles matchmaking game. THE Question (?)Why didn't you use an infinite money map to make a wall or floor so people wouldn't get out of the map? The Verdict So, after the all has been said, should you download? Yes...and no. Look, things need some fixing, we can all agree, but when played right, this is enjoyable. I suggest that you remake it on either Avalanche (don't barrage with hate plox) or make a floor/wall as a blockade. Nonetheless, download this if you are tired from playing the 2v2 maps that Forgehub has been craping out for the tournament, or if you want to get away from matchmaking in team doubles. Or you could wait until a V2 is made, or someone copies this formula again and calls it original. Therefore, I give Leapfrog by Cosmic Rick a 3/5. Great job Rick, hope you consider a redux or make it a lot less cheat capable. P.S. Sorry about the harsh words of choice. Its just a thing I do to get your attention and to make the moderators stand on their toes a little. Grading Scale 1/5-DON'T DOWNLOAD! 2/5-Lame, don't recommend, but if you like the looks or you dig the feel, DL away. 3/5-Lacking, but it is worth checking out! 4/5-AMAZING! DL for sure! 5/5-Don't expect seeing this too much, I'm looking for PERFECT! As in its in my fileshare FOREVER! Contact me if you want a map tested, I am part of the Tester's Guild!
Looks good, even though the name hints otherwise. One question though, why did you post this in casual games? you yourself call it a minigame in the description. I pretty much only check out the minigame section of this site, just based on my personal tastes. But I was wondering if there were any other non-featured diamonds in the rough over here in casual games. Any suggestions?
It really seems to me from the post that you didn't play on this map at all... or if you did, you certainly weren't playing the gametype. Falling onto Blackout isn't cheating. All you can do there is either jump off an edge or go through a teleporter to your death. IT'S A TERRITORIES GAMETYPE. All the territories are in the air FAR above Blackout. Also, this map isn't really meant for 2v2 (though it plays ok 2v2... particularly with splazers). Try a 2v2v2v2 or 4v4 match, with the custom gametype, and I'm sure you'll see why I finally published this map. Answer: There's not nearly enough material to floor something this big... not even in foundry It's approximately 15x15 walls across or 255 walls. And I didn't WANT a floor. Sorry, but you obviously didn't understand this map.
I would not worry about him, he has been reviewing maps for a while without playing them. If you look at his game history he has not played since the 13th. He is very brutal and he has not played it.
I took the liberty of playing this map with a group of friends. It. Kicks. Ass. Very unique, original gameplay. I found myself dive-bombing enemies from above, no-scoping people who land on my platform, and falling to my death quite often. I have a few suggestions. The map plays great, but if you want my opinion, there is not enough variation between the platforms. All four lillypads have the same 1-wall configuration. By simply changing the layout of the walls on the platforms, or even building an interior space, new tactics will be created rather than the simple "Fly in from above smgs blazing". Because there are four platforms, you could keep the map nice and symmetrical while giving it a touch of the asymmetric feel. A shotgun would make an excellent addition to this map. Often, I found it difficult to control a platform I had just landed on. If shotguns with a single clip, 60 sec respawn time, and place at start: no were positioned by the shield doors at the starting points, players would occasionally have an upper hand in controlling platforms. This would not unbalance the game, as the two BRs and two Sniper Rifles could easily take out any shotgun whores. The rest of the map plays fine, although I am still a little confused as to what the custom powerups do: they seem to increase my gravity, causing my epic leaps of faith to transform into screaming plummets of doom. As to my Avalanche idea: What about the interior of the cave area? Cave Freaks has demonstrated to me that that area has a lot of unused potential. Excellent map, keep up the good work.
Yeah, I considered the interior of the cave, and I suppose it could have worked with very different platform sizes and gravity settings, but there's no place as big as the area above blackout. As for the different platform configurations, I agree. They could add more depth to gameplay, but I was just going for a casual , 4-team game, so the 4 platforms have to be identical... and the single walls seem to give just the right amount of cover. I am planning on a more complex, 2-team variant with more varied encounter geometry set up. I had Maulers that spawned (with those exact settings and placement, actually) in the avalanche beta version of the map. I found that it made defending the territories a bit frustrating from time to time, though, and that it put too much clutter in the spawns. Personal opinion, though, feel free to add them to your HDD version. It works fine. And finally: the CPU's make it so that attacking a territory doesn't cause your gravity to go up. You should be able to jump through all the platforms and get a more tactical position setup (immediately grab the sniper, laser, camo, or even take over a territory on the opposite side of the map... whatever) Glad you enjoyed the map, though.
awesome map definantly worth downloading awesomely smooth and symmetrical fast paced action inside territories crazy overtime pros and cons of custom power up 42/5 =D