Airvalanche

Step lively pilots! This isn't a pleasure yacht. Welcome to the most death-defying, high-flying Halo map around.

Airvalanche is my first Forged map that I've tested, tweaked, and played around with. My inspiration for this map was designing a map that relied on air support and teamwork, utilizing the Hornet to it's full potential for objective games, and having Banshees for aerial support to protect the weaker Hornet that would return the triumphant flag carrier back to base. To guarantee air support, I blocked off the center passageway through the mountain and created a wall of Double boxes that blocked off most of the other pathway, under the far point of the structure. This wall guarantees that no one person can grab the flag and return it without aid of a teammate. As I played around in Forge a little more, I turned something simple into what could be considered a daredevil's dream. By adding ramps and mancannons, Warthogs, Mongooses, and even Tanks could have their place all over the map, instead of being bounded by the wall to one base or the other. The mancannon/gravlift/ramp combination provides a certain risk and added sense of adventure to any game, launching land vehicles through the air, over the wall. This high-flying stunt gaming is where the name "Airvalanche" was born.

On to the nitty gritty:
Supported Gametypes:
Capture the Flag (One Flag and Multi Flag)
Assault (Any type)
Team Slayer and Massive Free For All Games
All other games possible, in theory, but not recommended or suggested.

Weapon Layout:
This map is pretty much Avalanche as far as weapon set, and I'm pretty sure the only weapon that was relocated was the Spartan Laser, for balance and rush reasons. Due to its competitive and high-flying nature, this map is loaded with vehicles, as that is the only way to the other side of the wall. Two Banshees and a Hornet are available at each base in symmetrical games, but in asymmetrical games, only the attackers have a Hornet, as well as a Ghost where the objective would spawn in Symmetrical games. Each side has four Mongooses and two Warthogs. The Scorpion tank is available to the attackers in asymmetric games, where the defenders will have a wraith, but in Symmetrical games, Wraiths spawn for both sides, no Scorpion.

Aesthetics: This map is not the most interlocked map, but it does have some and will be tweaked as my Forge skills develop. The real crowd pleaser is the wall in the middle and the mancannon launchers used to fire vehicles across it. Due to sheer size, this map is best played in a game of at least 5v5, perfect for 8v8, but can still work even down to 2v2 if pressed.

Now that that is out of the way, how about some pics?


The Wall


One of the Launch Ramps


Flag Spawn


Ghost Spawn (Asymmetrical Only)


Defender Base


Attacker Base


Blocked Passages


Laser Spawn


Up and Over, but Chased


You'd Better Run

Here's the link for download:
Bungie.net : Bungie Online : Halo 3 File Details

I hope you all give this map a try. It's a fun competitive map that adds a little more flare to the mundane objective games. If anyone has any criticism, it will be graciously accepted as something to add to a possible v2. This map provides great replayability and is guaranteed some laughs along with some epic struggles unlike anything I've seen in Halo. It truly is entertainment and competitiveness blended in an amazing way that will get even those who oppose objective games to give it a whirl.
Thank you in advance everyone, and I hope you enjoy my first map! I certainly have, and am glad it's finally posted for download.
-Gnoiz

 

Yeah, the Ghost is only available in asymmetrical games for the attacker side.
-Gnoiz

 

Duly noted, as I also noticed it didn't have a ton of extras that make it more crowded than Avalanche itself. I didn't know the money glitch at the time, but I'll keep that in mind if/when I get around to doing v2.
-Gnoiz