Invasion: First Tracks Invasion: First Tracks The first map in the Great Outdoors Map Pack By Flying Shoe ILR EDIT: Video Link- YouTube - Invasion: First Tracks by Flying Shoe ILR - Gameplay‏ After 4 months of rigorous building, testing, and revising, Invasion: First Tracks is finally ready for action! This is my first Invasion map, inspired by a ski resort and designed to have great vertical gameplay. First Tracks has undergone between 30 and 50 tests since late January, making it work for enjoyable, medium-sized, action packed invasion games, and designed for that gametype only. First Tracks began as an idea that I wanted to make a ski resort after seeing a friend's map based on a ski lodge. After realizing I couldn't capture the feel of one on a 4 v. 4 map, I expanded it into my first larger design for around 10 or 12 players. While the map still plays well with 8 players and is possible with 14, 10-12 is optimal. First Tracks is also an expanding invasion map, so old areas are not left behind after each phase, but instead integrated into the next. I will describe the map in three stages to show how each phase works, but first here are a few overview shots to make things simple. This overhead shot shows all 3 slopes of the map, the first leading from attacker base at the bottom left to the P1 objective area (bottom right), left to the P2 objective (mid left), and to the defense base (top right.) Here is a view from the left side of the map. Phase 1 Phase 1, attackers will spawn at the bottom left base and attempt to take 2 territories at the top of the slope, with the intent of turning on the power for the parks lift and to shut down security for the upper slopes. There are 3 main paths for the attacking spartans- to the left a rocky path leading to bravo, to the right along the beach 2 gravity lifts leading to alpha, or straight up the slope in between the two. Defense spawns in the nearby buildings or on the rocky area connecting to the top base. ALL AREAS ABOVE THIS ARE OFF LIMITS FOR PHASE 1, YOU WILL DIE IF YOU CONTINUE UP. Loadout Camera showing both territories Attacker Spawn Defense Spawn All three paths up A very hectic battle for Alpha A quieter fight for Bravo Tips: -Use/Watch all three paths. This is a good strategy for distracting the defenders. -Attack both territories, defense is able to entrench themselves well, so keep them on the move. Phase 2 After the first capture, a bomb spawns in the circular fountain nearby. This area is now attacker controlled, but spawns are also available at bottom base and near the large circular building. A sniper spawns at the lower base and a grenade launcher by the bomb. A teleport (ski lift) is now open between the lower base and the circular building as well. As security is down, the entire map is now open, and defense spawns at the base at the top of the mountain's third and final slope. A Concussion rifle and Focus rifle are nearby. The bomb must be planted at the small control station near the circular building, up the next slope. Spartans must move the bomb up while using new weaponry and positions to flank the outpour of elites shooting down on the Spartans. Overview of phase 2 areas Lower base with new teleport Newly accuired spartan territory and bomb spawn Fight for bomb plant Spartans coming up new teleport from lower base Tips: -Attackers should use circle building as a secondary base to hold off elites coming down to control the plant spot, and also to pick off elites shooting down at the bomb carrier. -Defense should use their height advantage to slow down the bomb and not let spartans take over the circular building. Phase 3 In the final phase, spartans have fully taken over the circular building and bomb plant. Fried controls have revealed the prized snowboard (core) in the defense base and also have turned on the parks snow machines, which provide a quick way to the core and from the lower base. Players control some of the same ground, but elites have spawns on the beach to help them intercept the core after it has been taken. Attackers should be ready to split forces again, this time having the bulk of the group assault the top base from the final slope while small squads attack from the P1 objective area through the man cannon or by jetpack. Defenders should guard the core there until it goes off the cliff, then counter with one group firing down on the core and another spawning on the beach and returning it. Shotguns, swords, grenade launchers and concussion rifles are now in the loadouts, so be wary... or just plunge in headfirst. Your survival isn't exactly the point of the game. Stealing a shiny core that looks like a snowboard is. The defense base for phases 2 and 3 The side routes for attacker's during phase 3 Is that my snowboard they are stealing? The core gets back down the slope pretty fast after it is stolen... But the final battle at the lower base is a doozy. Don't put the core in the man cannon! Tips: -Distract those silly elites so they don't notice the core is gone -Elites, listen very well for the CORE STOLEN sound, it is hard to hear. Set someone aside before hand to alert the team. -Don't count your chickens before they hatch. The core is most often stopped right before it reaches the capture zone. Drag out that time to stop it, and never give up! Special Thanks Bones 153- consistent help with testing, feedback, and ideas Soul Slasher X- Inspiration came from his map Lodging on FH Mazz, Bluerunner, Hyokin, and other Custom's Clan friends- testing/comments Daboiboibert, Wienermelon- gave a significant review of the map All of the good people on FH, HBO, and otherwise who helped with testing and revisions Park City Mountain Resort- Inspiration Thank you for reading this long, tiring post. This map took a lot of work, but don't be afraid to vent all of your comments, frustrations, and condemnations into the comments box below. If I missed your name for the thank you box, it's not that I forgot you, I just didn't feel like it, so you are included in a general thank you. No seriously, thanks to everyone who made this map possible, I hope you enjoy playing it as much as I have had making it, and expect more in the near future- this is a map pack if you recall. Once again, thank you all, please enjoy (and freely criticize) Invasion: First Tracks. See you on the slopes! -Flying Shoe ILR
Yes! You finally posted it! I'm not the biggest fan of invasion but this map is the perfect size and I will play it again and again. You have managed to capture a team slayer and invasion feeling. This map must be played! _ Atlas
Four tedious months of testing later, this is the result. Im sure we've tested this beyond a hundred... no.. TWO hundred times. At first it was decent. Now it is all wrapped up to be played in an awesome way. Having inspired you feels awesome. Now for everyone reading this, don't mess wit dis place. The map itself, you and I know, some things, such as narrowness, are unrepairable. Teleporters and Cannonmans really help on the map, allowing swift traversing from level to level. The only thing i am disappointed at how you couldn't have made a seperate slayer version of the map. On a scale of one to ten... Chuck Norris.
When I first saw that "First Tracks" had been posted, I assumed someone else stole your map because I never thought you were going actually post this *****. Yet at long last, here it is. There are definitely annoyances to be had on this map, as there are on just about any map, but in the grand scheme of things First Tracks is a unique, tense, and fast paced Invasion map that deserves some recognition for the sheer amount of time put into it in order for Flying Shoe to deem it worthy of posting. Not enough people truly put their maps through the paces before posting, and I think many could learn something from this. Anyways, glad to see this posted for the masses, though at this point I think more people have seen it than not haha.
This is the first and so far the only Invasion map I have played on that I have actually enjoyed, Flying Shoe has done an amazing job, I really hope this gets a feature on here and a place in matchmaking, it well deserves it, keep them coming
I will definitely give this a go once I get a group together although getting a group together is easier said than done :'D Im sorry I cannot comment constructively just yet Although I must say running around and looking at the design I seems like a very possible place rather than the usual abstract buildings that look like they have no real function it seems like a place that was once used for something very well put together
Wow it has been a long time!! Way to go getting it up and i have to say it was great fun testing this many times. I'm sure it is balanced to perfection by now. Great outdoors map pack?!?!? ohh im looking forward to this.
I'm so glad I got a game on this with you. This invasions map is very creative and in such a unique and perfect location. The spawn areas were done well, IMO. The aesthetics were great as usual and the gameplay was very smooth. I love invasion and this map makes it worth my whileto play on. Great job, man.
I'm glad to see that you've got this posted now so others can see and more easily play it. I've managed to be in a number of your tests sessions, and can say without a doubt that this map is fun to play. This is an invasion map that progresses naturally as the attackers are attacking up hill, then once they reach the top they retrieve the core, they take it back to the start. Its a simple concept that is often hard to due properly, but you have done it not only well, but great. When playing this I have enjoyed being on both teams, the two teams are balanced through out. I feel like either team can win at any phase of the match. This is one of my favorite invasion maps, it has a very natural progression, and is a blast to play.
The map's location is great. The basis of the map is also great. At a glance, the map looks rather impressive. However, while playing I noticed a lot of the same problems I noticed with Riparian: at its base the map is good, but beyond that it's just not as good as it could be. I did not feel the structures were very well built on either map. Great ideas were had, but weren't implemented as well as they could have been. This left us in a confused state: we saw a map that could have been great, but wasn't due to some issues. The overall setup of invasion is great here, but broken down by the phase, problems with objective and spawn placement are revealed. If you make another invasion map, try to capitalize on what was done well with this map, but also try to put more thought into spawn and objective placement and the design of your structures. Please don't take this the wrong way, your map is fundamentally good, but stumbles beyond that. I still had a mostly enjoyable experience playing it, but I feel it could be so much more. Finding good invasion maps to play isn't easy, and while I wouldn't put this up there with the few great ones there are, I also would not classify it as one of the poorly built maps that are so often released. First tracks is a mixed bag: it provides some great gameplay and interesting design, but has numerous flaws that hold it back from meeting its potential. Good luck on improving with your future efforts, as I feel you could have had something truly special with this one. As always, feel free to invite me to any future tests or customs you hold.
this is an excellent map. Ive played on it a dozen times atleast and it still stands as one of my top 5 invasion maps. It been test for a long time I know that and the finish product shows excellent workmanship and polish. definitely be playing this in tgifs
This is actually pretty close to how I feel about the map. As it was my first Invasion map, I had no idea what I was doing at the start, and it was horrible. Since then, I have changed almost every area, but in the end it still is built on a map that was not so great to begin with. I think some of my structures fit, but I agree that not all of them are beautiful, or even completely clean. There is already a lot I have taken from First Tracks, much of which are things I would never do again, some I do like however. The map is a little cramped, and if you don't play it right you are often screwed just because the right strategy isn't easy to see. Thank you for the good, constructive feedback, I enjoy learning how I can improve my maps. I am working on a new design for asymmetric games such as 1 flag, territories, or even invasion, so I hope I can take what I learned here and make it great. P.S. My initial drawings of First Tracks were actually very different, but no area of Forge World would really fit it, and at the time I didn't think I could do it without an area to use, so I altered it to make it much skinnier and more infantry based. Maybe someday a re-do could happen, whether on forge or elsewhere. Also, if you have any ideas for fixing these problems, take the wheel. I feel that I have done all that I can do on First Tracks, so if you had some fresh ideas feel free to implement them and show it to me.
I look forward to seeing your next project. If you can combine as good of a fundamental idea as First Tracks with better execution and equal testing you will truly create a fantastic Invasion experience. I don't really have any further ideas to improve this map without a full redo, but if you're interested in the future we could possibly co-forge an Invasion experience. Also, why the name First Tracks? It doesn't really relate to a ski slope, and it didn't really seem to be reflected in the map itself. When I first heard of this map I was expecting a racetrack more than anything.
I hope this idea works, before building I am being much more careful, I am having a friend do a driving analysis on the basic path layout for starts. A re-do of First Tracks could happen someday... but not for awhile if I did. Co-forge would be great, I notice some of the best maps come about from that method, and constant feedback about ideas would be so helpful. My next idea is a design based on the city of San Francisco, with several hilly streets leading from the bottom area of the map to the top. I believe I will be able to capture a good balance between infantry and vehicles finally (my last few ideas were scrapped because they didn't do this.) If it drives well and lines of sight are good, I could use some help on structural aesthetics, I just end up with a few ugly areas on each map I make. Thanks for the interest, I will invite you onto it once the basic streets are drivable. -First Tracks is a ski term that describes the first marks left on a slope by skis each day after snowfall or grooming. The last time I was skiing, I made first tracks on one of my favorite slopes, but I do realize the name isn't well known.
This is a fantastic Invasion map that I know has gone through months of testing. I've been involved along the way, and I love the way the gameplay has turned out for it! What it really needs is a snowy makover, but, as we know, that can't be done. The best thing you've got going for it is the many routes you can take throughout the Invasion to scale the mountain and obtain the core. Congrats on completion. Whenever I do play customs with you, this map was always fun to have a go on as you kept updating the gameplay. I do hope you'll continue to update as more ideas surface, because we both know this map has a lot of potential. You've brought it up there, but I'd be interested in seeing where the next level takes it. Keep up the great work! [br][/br]Edited by merge: Interesting... If I have time in the future, I may also take a look at how the map could be improved. Credit goes to you, outright, but I'd like to see different takes from other perspectives on how the community could bring forward new ideas for you to work with. Also, the San Francisco maps holds great promise. I loved the way the streets never met in one perfect intersection, which provides cover in its own right (and frankly helps framerate issues). Perhaps you could play with the theme. You'll have vehicular combat, though stationary freight cars will fill the streets. Maybe you could play with the idea of a destroyed city and abandoned cars on the side of the road. Use Reach's and ODST's campaign for inspiration - just a thought. Best of luck!
Thanks man, like I said, I don't have any new ideas for First Tracks for now so feel free to work with it. The cable cars won't really fill the streets, but I am going for about 25% on foot, 25% vehicular, and 50% mixed. I really want to avoid the "destroyed" look, I want the map to feel like it is in its prime, the destroyed feel seems overused to me. don't worry though, I have plans. I submitted First Tracks to the Community Cartographers yesterday, so wish me luck!
Hey SHoe. As you know we really had a blast when we tested this map. You used that location the best I've seen it used to date. Also it had a lot more of a fun atmosphere to it than most invasion maps do. Maybe it was just the people I played this with, but we absolutely loved it. Great job!
Thanks to Dt92 and Haloremakescom, I have a brand new video showing how horrible I am playing my own maps! I'll pretend to be modest later, but here is the most excellent vid now! Thanks again for this and my fist nomination for FHF! Enjoy: YouTube - Invasion: First Tracks by Flying Shoe ILR - Gameplay‏
I'm really glad this map is receiving the recognition it deserves. Someone actually pulled this up to play the other day, and when I told him I had helped tested it he freaked out. This map seems to be getting a lot of love from the community. Both on FH and off.
Man, I still havn't gotten a game on this! Everyone seems to be really enjoying it, so i've been really eager to give it a go. From the gameplay vid, I will say that this looks like one of the most unique playing invasion maps out there.