for one, great pictures, it shows a great overview of the map. you can actually see what you'll be playing, and that's really just what alot of people want. I'll download it and check it out when i can, but i think you did a great job.
Battle Mound Overall Enjoyment Durability Aesthetics Originality Balance Map Recap: Battle Mound, the first thing that catches your eye, is the "Battle Mound" which dominates the landscape of this map. While the catwalks flank each side of the main field. There are two, symmetrical bases which act as starting points for each team. These bases feature a nice supply of weapons but not any that can prevent your flag from being taken. Things that I really liked about this map is the catwalks, on each side really adds some nice aesthetics to the map. Although if you jump at the wrong time in the middle of the catwalk you will fall from the catwalks. Not necessarily a game breaking thing but an annoyance. Also I loved the mound in the middle. Things I didn't like were the Rocket Launcher placement. Now it was a good idea to place where you can only get it by going to the middle of the map and using a gravity lift to propel you up so you can achieve it, while leaving you open to fire. BUT, it wasn't to obvious that the Rocket Launcher was placed there, and it was kind of hard to stop and jump up there and get it. The aesthetics were nice but the catwalks could have been better by not leaving that ugly gap in between each Double Box. Durability wise, this map failed. You can easily get out of this map. And when you do you have access to every weapon, equipment, and power-up. What, was it too hard to delete the stuff you didn't need when you were done with the map. This ruined one of the games I played since a guy kept popping up and sniping people from the outside of the map. Overall, good map, nice idea, but nothing new, two bases fighting each other.
Look at this, another rater appears! (pokemon battle music begins) My rating: 5/10. Now don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad map, a 5/5 is average. The reasoning behind my decision is: 1.Respawn areas. Now in CTF, you might not have noticed, but it appears as though you placed a spawn flag home on one side of each base and a spawn flag away on the other. If you're going to do that, just have both respawn areas cover the same area, that way there isn't a slight lean towards or against a certain escape route. What I mean is if you take the flag, kill someone, they will spawn on either the left or right(I can't remember what side of the base you placed the spawn flag away) making the left or right a poor escape route as you have people on your ass in 10 seconds. I'd like to see the respawn areas the same size or have the respawn flag away towards the middle "pit" of the level to make the outside routes more preferable to use in an escape with the flag. 2. That being said, the catwalks could use a little more loving. Firstly, there's a little lip that, if you don't jump towards correctly, catches you. Like I said, having respawn flag away areas in the center pit of the map would make the sides a better escape route. Maybe having a bubble shield in the middle and splitting up the rockets into 2 sets of 2 rockets on either side of the catwalk would work. 3. Weapon placement. It's pretty good, I mean, I'm not a fan of the rockets in the middle of the level up high, I think it would make for a better game if the rockets were, like I said, separated to either side with a bubble shield in the middle would do well. 4. The level layout seems a bit "klunky" at either base. What I mean is that you have to purposefully go out of your way to get to where the flag is. This can cause slower gameplay and it just seems planned poorly. Making it have easier access would be ideal. Grav lifts or a better base layout in general would do well. Altogether, not a bad level... there are some areas for improvement, but it's not that hard.
Thanks alot for the review! I'll skip the stuff that was already covered in previous posts... about the obviousness of the Rocket Launcher. Not too sure how its not obvious, its in the dead center of the map, 2 boxes high, with a noticeable grav lift below it. Its about as obvious as 90% of the weapons on Bungie maps. And just like Bungie maps, you now know where every weapon is. Not sure why this map is any different. I wish you would have waited til i released an updated verison, which ill talk about at the bottom of this post. I really appreciate the time you took to check it out though, its a sign of respect and i appreciate that. Thanks for the feedback homie! These numbered responses match up with your numbered reviews. 1. I could be mistaken, but im fairly sure i didnt place any flag home/flag away respawn areas. Its scheduled for the update. I do however have 3 or 4 (cant remember which off-hand) respawn areas per side...so maybe its possible you mistook a normal respawn area for a flag home/away respawn area. 2 & 3. Check the bottom of the post for whats tentatively planned for the updated version. But the Rockets won't be split for two reasons. First, they are in the middle like that as sort of a risk-reward, and immediately force fast gameplay right from the beginning with both teams rushing for them. And 2nd, having 2 different sets of Rockets in such a small gamespace will kill games. Suppose one team completely dominates the first 60 seconds of the match, and is left with both players weilding Rockets...pretty much round over. 4. No offense, but heaven forbid CTF be challenging and make you go out of your way. Remember Colossus? now THAT's going out of the way. The bases arent meant to be complex, they are meant to be fairly simple and force the issue. While still being simple, multi-flag features 5 ways into each base, 4 ways out. One Flag has 4 ways in and 5 ways out. It flows better than you think. But I'm really glad to hear what members of the community think of my maps and i appreciate it greatly despite having some objections. Thanks for your time brotha, see ya round. TENTATIVE UPDATE LIST: - more respawn points toward the center of the map - flag home/flag away respawn areas - Bridging the column catwalk gap - Making it impossible to get out of - Cleaning up a couple "loose" walls here and there I'll probably try and get an updated version sometime next week... I'm currently working on a couple other projects right now so ill work Battle Mound in when i can. PLEASE hold further reviews until V2 is up and running. Thanks catch ya on the flip side
You know, I really appreciate that response, not only did you defend your map logically, but you didn't do it insultingly. I really do appreciate it. I had someone else earlier who claimed their map was god's gift to forge hub after I gave it a 6/10 claiming I didn't know what I was talking about.. Also, with the respawn areas, I can't tell what type each respawn area is, I can only tell if it's a respawn area... so if the respawn areas are actually as you said they are, then it shouldn't be a problem. Splitting the rockets doesn't sound like a bad idea, in my opinion. You claim that it could make for the dominance of one team, however, if you only have two people with two rockets each, I don't think that would cause the utter destruction of one team. It would just make the side parts of the level more useful, in my opinion. I'm not saying you have to, but I'd think that it might make for a more interesting game. You wouldn't just have to watch one power weapon spawn, but two without making the map more power-weapon-driven. Again, your map is not bad, I do like it.
no problem homie, i appreciate the time you took to check out the map and give me some feedback, acknowledging it was the least i could do. Be on the lookout for a brand new map by me in the next few days...im excited i think its a winner...its different, in a good way.
Hit X twice and it'll bring up what the object name is your centered on. It'll also tell you how many of them are currently on the map and how many can be placed. And please don't go fanning that flame war over again (the whole 'god's gift' comment wasn't necessary). It was what it was; just let it die. I'm looking forward to your update, LIGHTSOUT225. I liked the layout of this thing a lot.
"You know, I really appreciate that response, not only did you defend your map logically, but you didn't do it insultingly. I really do appreciate it. I had someone else earlier who claimed their map was god's gift to forge hub after I gave it a 6/10 claiming I didn't know what I was talking about.." You don't. Why can't you tell which spawns are which? If you dl'd it then just pull up the item attributes right? Though the guy you are talking about earlier certainly was an asshole, you really are not a very good critic of maps.
Atheos, hold your tongue. In fact, both of you are wrong. The item's title does not display when the item options are brought up, the system assumes you know what youre pointing at. But since both respawn areas and flag at home/flag away respawn areas look identitical, its nearly impossible to tell. clearly though he did DL and check out the map...as his comments on the bases' layout and the lip you can hit if you dont jump correctly on the catwalks demonstrate...perhaps if you had read his actual review near the top of the page you would know... not sure why youre flaming someone you dont even know in someone else thread...drop it please
I would like to see his criteria for judging maps. For instance, how does he measure aesthetics? Is he using any of these: Measures of Balance, Equilibrium, Symmetry, Sequence, Cohesion/Unity, Proportion, Simplicity, Density, Regularity, Economy, Homogeneity, Rhythm, Order and Complexity ...or randomly offering opinions based on little more than a quick glance over? I just can not stand the self appointed critics on some of these sites who are probably no more than teenagers with an opinion coming on and off posts providing potential down loaders reasons not to download maps. Does anyone on here have an actual background in design performance? Like I said...this is a very good map despite the lacking review. Show me an example of what this guy thinks is a near perfect map...please. And no he has never critiqued my maps, in case you think I am simply jilted.
honestly, it doesn't really matter if you or him have a background in design or not, im not too worried about it, and you shouldn't be either. any and all feedback, whether positive or negative, is appreciated. What's not appreciated is others coming into my thread and giving someone **** for the sole reason of making himself feel a bit better. Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning? Go play some sports or something to release some of that pent up anger, and please steer clear from my thread from now on.
LOL if only it were so easy to keep people out. Listen, I was not directing anything to you. Doesn't it irk you to have someone who is a self-proclaimed "Map Rater" come in and give you a 5/10 without really having any kind of criteria for doing so? After so many claims of how good a map looks and how few flaws it has in it, giving an average rating is the proper example of "making himself feel a bit better" If you can not see that and want to accept the all too common average rating from the "expert" then OK. Sorry I stepped in. But I'm surely not leaving.
well given maps that usually get 7, 8, 9, or 10/10 are much better than mine (for example Runway, Different Level, Warehouse, Exacted, Unchained, Steelworks, Rebirth, Gehenna...the list goes on and on and on), I really dont see a problem with his rating. Honestly, Im not sure why Battle Mound has been even this popular. And like i said, any and all feedback and criticisms are welcome. it doesnt mean i have to agree with them, but i appreciate them. i know a good map is a map that people like, and will play over and over again. maybe if you had the same respect for those who give feedback to your maps like i do then we wouldnt even be having this conversation. its over. please refrain from cluttering up my thread anymore.
I promise you it works. When the green hand appears when you center on any object, be it respawn areas or a box, when you tap 'X' twice and look at the uppermost part of the menu it will display the item name. You should give yourself more credit; this is a well-made map. Regardless of what people think (and boy, it didn't take long to get some review haters), Battle Mound has caught the attention of several people. Hopefully you've received some constructive criticism and can use it towards everything else you come up with. I, for one, will be on the lookout for your future stuff.
Have you met someone so willing to take the abuse? "And like i said, any and all feedback and criticisms are welcome...its over. please refrain from cluttering up my thread anymore." Which is it? I wasn't even criticizing the map...I think its worthy of 7-8/10 I am criticizing the poorly developed reviews from "expert reviewers"