SQUIDSHIP
by Flying Shoe ILR

view original map thread​

Today we're taking a look at a very interesting 4v4 map called Squidship by FlyingShoeILR. This Covenant themed inverse-symmetrical map supports 8 - 10 players and features two banshees. While this may come to a surprise to many, FlyingShoe carefully tailored the geometry of this map, balancing encounters between flying vehicles and players on foot. The map is designed to play 4v4 Capture the Flag and teams spawn catty-corner from the neutral banshees, leading to an interesting initial encounter. The banshees are forced to use tight tunnels to move between the two sides of the map, as well as to the central atrium. We've decided to bring in a special guest to talk about this project in more detail with you. Please welcome the author of Squidship, FlyingShoe.
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WARHOLIC
Hi Shoe, thanks for taking the time to talk about yourself and your new Halo 5 map called Squidship. Why does it always make me feel awkward when I write or say that name?

Flying Shoe
Hey War. Don't worry, the name is intentionally weird.

WARHOLIC
Squidship is a very experimental map considering its sandbox design which provides 2 banshees within a 4v4 setting. What were your goals before going into this design? Did you know that the map was intentionally going to feature 2 banshees before arriving at your final player count?

Flying Shoe
I had always wanted to make a map featuring dueling banshees, but I had never found a way to force them to interact with infantry in interesting ways. I had an image in my head of a map where banshees had to fly through hoops that the infantry could walk in, as well as an old concept where banshees were always stuck flying around in trenches. That concept was scrapped because it didn't provide enough freedom for the banshees and due to the limitations of the old forge. Originally I expected that the concept would work best on a 6 v 6 map, and I started sketching a sort of "Rat's Nest with Banshees" concept where the banshees would fly through tunnels to get around the map. Eventually this design shrunk down and became more of a 4 v 4/ 5 v 5 map in size due to the geometry just kind of working out that way.



WARHOLIC
For those that may not know your forging history as extensively as I do could you tell us how long have you been a fan of Halo and perhaps a few of the maps you created in the past that you're most proud about?

Flying Shoe
I started playing Halo:CE and Halo 2 at a friend's house in junior high, and then got into Halo 3 and forge in high school. I was pretty terrible at it for a while in both 3 and Reach, but I really enjoyed creating spaces that I could run around in and so I kept at it. Eventually I found some testers on HBO who let me run my one playable map (a giant ski slope with a bunny statue) every week. After a while I joined Forgehub, got to know some people, joined the Tester's Guild, and got integrated with the community.

I've always had an interest in BTB and vehicles in Halo, so most of my work has been focussed in this area. My first decent map was a 1 Flag CTF map set in the streets of San Francisco called Embarcadero. From there I kept wanting to create maps with more interesting vehicle gameplay, both from the perspective of the vehicle operators and from the people fighting them on foot. This is a theme that has persisted through most of my maps, and is one of the core tenants of what became known as Squad design.

WARHOLIC
I know you've been studying game design for a number of years now. Could you let us know where you are attending, what your focus is and what you would like to pursue once your education is complete?

Flying Shoe
I'm in my final semester at Arizona State University. I've been doing my best to study Game Design in College, though unfortunately my school doesn't have the best program. Still, I've learned what was offered and I've worked on several small game projects, mostly working on design, art, writing, and management of projects. My goal is to become a level designer for a game that I have a passion for. I love designing 3D spaces that are interesting to move through, and while I'm not limiting myself to shooters I would certainly enjoy working on multiplayer spaces in an FPS.

WARHOLIC
Now that you are studying game design at a college level, does using Forge provide you with meaningful learning experiences that could compare to your current curriculum? How do the two differ from each other?

Flying Shoe
While a lot of the programs I've used are more powerful than forge, such as 3D Studio Max, Maya, and Unity, they are also much more focussed on accomplishing specific tasks. Nowhere else besides forge have I been able to take an idea from sketch to blackout to testable map as quickly as forge, and the ability to immediately load up a game of Halo on whatever I have thrown together allows for incredibly fast iteration of my designs. This is the true strength of forge: the ability to rapidly prototype and refine ideas into playable geometry.

WARHOLIC
What are your forge plans for the future? Can you tell us a little bit about your current work in progress?

Flying Shoe
Outside of forge my plan right now is to graduate and then figure out this whole "real life" business I've been hearing so much about.

I'm working on a new 6 v 6 - 8 v 8 map right now. It's mirror-symmetrical but with a few geometry differences for looks and interesting angles. I want to create a symmetrical strongholds setup that has an interesting A/C hold as well as a good A/B and C/B holds. I also want to create a slightly more simple and relaxed map for warthog and ghost gameplay, something that has strategy to it but that can still be played in a more laid back manner, as that's something we don't have a lot of in H5 right now. The aesthetic is going to be a seaside town with boardwalks, sand dunes, and a tugboat. I'm also playing around with the idea of redesigning my map Cairn from H2A which had some cool 'hog jumps but was a bit too restrictive in its vehicle routes.

WARHOLIC
The overall concept design for Squidship has changed quite dramatically as you've said. When you began building in forge, were there any equivalently large changes that took place? I'm assuming this map was quite evolutionary.

Flying Shoe
I actually figured a lot of the map out in forge, so there weren't too many changes from the sketch other than that there was a whole map there. My initial drawing was mostly just the 4 tunnels interconnecting with the central atrium and a few other small areas. The majority of the corners of the map were designed on the fly.



WARHOLIC
Thanks for providing all of us with an insight into your design and building process. We're really excited to share this map with others as I think they will have a really unique gameplay experience here. Can you provide any gameplay pointers for players experiencing your map for the first time?

Flying Shoe
At the start of the match there tend to be a few different rushes that take place. The banshees are the biggest targets, and as they are semi-neutral there tends to be a bit of a battle. Off spawn, the banshee to your left and across the trench is slightly closer, so at least one person should rush that. The opposite banshee is closer to the other team, but it is often worth rushing to try to deny or hijack it. The railgun in mid is also important to control, as it is arguably the most powerful anti-banshee weapon on the map. The banshees are on a two minute respawn, and usually come up about three times in a normal CTF match. After the start of the match make sure to keep tabs on who has the plasma pistol for each team, as one well placed burst can knock a banshee out of the sky. They spawn right behind the bases. An often forgotten weapon is the scattershot, one of which spawns in each of the lower tunnels. These allow for some powerful pushes from the bottom of the bases. Finally, remember not to push in a banshee without team support. The trenches and tunnels are very dangerous for the banshees, and your team will not be thanking you if you get hijacked. Playing defensively in a banshee is often a better strategy.

WARHOLIC
Thanks for the pro tips, I'll make sure to keep that information in mind the next time I play some custom games on Squidship. Thanks again for taking the time to share your map and story with all of us here. Can't wait to see what creative concoctions you cook up next!