Spirit 3.1: Map preview Above: Oddball on Spirit. new platforms and cover help make a previously cramped space into an explosive gameplay locale. Hey Forge Hub- You may remember my first map, Spirit, which was posted a month or so ago. It's cropped up now and again as people have taken a look. I've been getting a lot of helpful feedback and made some big design choices on the interior of the map that I am excited to get to show you guys! We are planning on testing Spirit's version 3 this weekend. I'm going to put up some pictures and write a bit about the changes, but here is a link to the original map thread here on FH: http://www.forgehub.com/forum/reach-competitive-maps/114170-spirit.html Version 2 was a privately tested variation that added new cover and platforms to the mancannon side of the base. Much of this can be seen in the first screen shot and the new top down view. Version 3.1 This iteration of the map has seen a major overhaul of the interior space where the sniper rifle is located. The small gravity lift on the upper balcony has been replaced by a floor-level man cannon to the top. The balcony and stair ramps themselves have been scrapped. Glass covers have been implemented to allow more space in the ceiling, giving the room a much bigger feel. The dish at the center has been flipped over, the tin cups removed, and more interesting cover has been added. The sniper rifle now will hopefully have some room to maneuver inside. The small needle rifle balcony has been duplicated and moved to either side of the atrium. Unusual cover and more teleporter-rocks have been added to allow clever players access to these perches. On the outside, there is a new set of small platforms and ramps wrapping around the shotgun side of the base. These help players get to the top of the map by a fourth route as well as providing flanking options. This means flag/bomb locations for teams have a total of 4 direct routes in and out. Other small issues with the layout have been improved and cleaned up. However, the topside still uses the steep inclines. In our play tests, this hasn't really been an issue for gameplay. I have taken out the columns in the upper courtyard to help encourage long range fights. The new wrap around route will help players use this side of the map more. Without further ado, here are the new images: Spirit: now with more floating rocks. King of the Hill happens here. The atrium is much more open than before! New wrap around platforms leading up and to the right in this shot offer a new precarious and exposed route to the top of the map. The new glass covers let players see the action inside from without. The new top-down view. Note the new mancannon platforms. Thanks for checking out the new images. I can't wait to get this all tweaked and ready to re-release! It's been an absolute blast. I have also optimized the map for all gametypes except for territories, invasion, race, and infection. I plan on getting infection and territories working soon as well. The weapon set on this map is also under review. Thanks again! Give the original Spirit a download and look out for the new release sometime next week! -Slamm
Glad too see you are releasing a new version. I like the changes to the man cannon platform, along with how you opened up atrium. It's hard to tell but it looks like you changed up the cover in the room I had mentioned in the original thread, which only makes the map better. I also noticed you decided to keep the 2x2 steep incline ramps. Is there a more specific reason you are keeping them besides not affectin gameplay? I don't think they flow well with the map but in the end it is a matter of personal preference. Unfortunately I am not digging the new wrap around paths to the upper level. The 5x1 blocks don't flow well with the rest of the map aesthetic wise, and they seem very narrow. If it would be possible I would try to copy the pathing structure you use on the bottom level and apply that to the top level as well. The 5x1 blocks just seem out of place IMO. All in all I like most of the changes, I just think that the new path leading to the top of the map needs some work. To be honest I don't see many situations where I won't nominate this map for Forge Hub Favorites once you release it. If you ever need any forge advice or are running customs on this feel free to add me, my GT is D0NT SH0OT ME.
Thanks, I did take a lot of your advice with this one. And yes, the interior where you suggested new cover has some fun blocks in there. It went over really well in testing. The new wrap around path is something I tried today and I want to see what my testing crew thinks. It does break the original aesthetics a little, but I like having them there. I went ahead with building them knowing they'd be a narrow, dangerous way to get around the map. With the enticing middle opened up, I figured they would be nice as another route to surprise/flank opponents. I don't think I envision any serious fighting happening on them, more around them as it were. The steep ramps are something I did try to replace on multiple occasions. It is very tough to find a good alternative that preserves the original spacing. If I had room, I would most certainly go for a less steep incline, but it's hard to work around it with the budget issues. It still comes down to the space around the lift, etc. I was debating about trying to scrap the tunnel braces and find a different way to do the top floor, but that would be another large overhaul. I may play around with that in my sandbox copy of the map and see what I can do. Thanks for sticking with me all this time, too. It means a lot to have someone watching the map grow. I will add you and send you an invite if you are on while we're testing. Also, if I am reading your double-negative right, thanks for the good faith in this map's potential to be favorited. -Slamm
Yes you are reading my double negative right. Considering I am an English minor I probably should have caught that earlier. *Sigh*. **** it, it's 3 in the morning and I'm tired as ****. I am entitled to one or two gramatical errors. Anyways, as for the steep ramps, it is probably one of the things you should worry the least about, just something that I personally don't like. If you can't find a cheap alternative then just leave them as is. Also, while I do like the new gameplay elements the wrap around path probably creates, I don't like the way it looks at all. If there is any way you can change the way it looks with your current budget, and only your current budget, I would advise you to do so. As with the steep inclines, while it is something that bothers me, it is not an issue so significant that you should sacrifice other areas of the map in order to improve it.
Right on. I will look and see what I can do. If I keep the aesthetic pieces in the background, the budget is tight. I will delete them in a sandbox copy and mess around with it, because I am getting some ideas now... I'll post pics when I figure something out. And no worries, I've been writing essays all week. My brain hurtz too. EDIT: I messed with platform and bridge options for the wrap around, and it looks a ton better! I also found a decent solution to the steep ramps. I am pleased with the changes and I'll post some pics up soon.