DL links at the bottom Here's a small video to wet your feet before you go any further: YouTube- Tayari Plaza (Thanks to ChoasMaster for rendering) Earlier this summer I released Lumumba District; and got a lot of great reviews and comments. Now, I am about to present The ODST Map Pack, featuring four, thats right, four ODST maps for you to enjoy. The ODST Map Pack contains Lumumba District V2, Tayari plaza, Rooftops, and Castle Base; along with three remodeled gametypes: ODST Slayer V2, ODST Infection V2, and my favorite, ODST Escort V3. Many ODST maps that I've seen always had one fatal flaw: ODSTs didn't have shields; and according to Halo canon, they didn't. But the halo 3 game engine wasn't designed to play in that manner. Many weapons have armor piercing capabilities, such as the Assault Rifle and Spiker, while others are better at taking down shields, such as the Plasma Rifle and Plasma Pistol. Games that follow this idea literally make half the weapons in the game useless against ODSTs. There are three separate gametypes that play with the ODST maps, which I will explain more in depth later. Essentially, the gameplay of ODST is centered around three basic rules. ODSTs have 200% damage resistance, which means they can take up about twice the damage compared to normal matchmaking. "How is this fair" you might ask. The downside of being an ODST is that their shields don;t regenerate automatically like a Spartan's shields do. This means they are required to pick up Health Packs to replenish their shields. Every map has four Health Packs located at strategic corners around the map. The Covenant Soldier's job is to kill the ODSTs. They choose a class and then go in the appropriate teleporter. The one major rule about Covenant soldiers is that they can only pick up weapons 15 seconds after they spawn; if you wait too long to choose a class, you won't be able to pick up weapons any longer. The Soldiers Ready to drop ODSTs are elite soldiers that specialize in special warfare tactics. They spawn with an SMG and a Magnum. Right off the start of the game, their goal should be to locate where the Health Pack first spawned, since it randomly spawns around each map, and to find weapons that suit them best. The Covenant soldiers generally make their way into the game in about 10 seconds, which is definitely not time to prepare which requires you to think on the fly. Since ODSTs have 200% damage resistance, every ODST should generally survive the first round, although there will be casualties. If a player reaches about 50% health, that is the best time to find a Health Pack. One of the most important goals in Team Games in staying together. Teamwork is incredibly essential and knowing which players are injured and need Health Packs is key to winning. Once of the new changes to the gametypes is that ODSTs can no longer drive or hi-jack vehicles. Some gametypes involve Spartans. In ODST Infection, the Last man becomes a Spartan II with Overshields and a little faster speed. In ODST Escort, the VIP becomes a Spartan III. Although not as strong as a regular ODST for balance reasons, they wear their SPI (Semi-Powered Infiltration) Armor and have Active Camo. The Covenant play a little differently than ODSTs. They aren't as strong in combat as ODSTs, since they only have 100% damage resistance. However, unlike ODSTs, they do have self-regenerating shields, so guerilla tactics can become lethal to ODSTs. At the start of each round, Covenant soldiers might feel a little uncomfortable, since they die right away. This is to initiate their respawn traits so that they can pick up weapons. Don't worry, you aren't losing any points. After that, they spawn in a area closed off from the rest of the map. There they have five different classes to choose from. These classes change on each map, so your always playing something new. I'll explain the classes in a moment. After choosing a class, they go into a teleporter that randomly puts them on the map. The teleporters are generally hidden, however a watchful ODST might see one appear, and attack it instantly. Show Covenant classes: Spoiler Jackals are the long range infantry of the Covenant. They generally spawn with a Carbine and in some occasions, a Beam Rifle. They also have a Deployable Cover on some maps that can become temporary relief from ODST fire. Since their weapons have such longe range, one of the most popular tactics is to shoot from the tops of buildings and then back away when thy begin to get shot at Elites are a very strong support class. They usually spawn with three Plasma Rifles, although sometimes they carry a Needler, which is surprisingly powerful against ODSTs. They also carry a choice between one of three equipment: Bubble Shield, Regenerator, or Deployable Cover and one Plasma Grenade. Many Elite classes also have a unique teleporter that carries them to powerful vehicles spawns, which can turn the tide of battle. Their Plasma Rifles are effective against ODSTs, and inside a Regenerator can become quite a threat. Brutes usually have a variety of weapons at their disposal. They carry a Brute Shot, Spiker and Spike grenades. Some maps also use a personal teleporter that spawns way at the top of the map, so they can drop down as if they were using Jet Packs. Some also carry Flares which temporarily blind ODSTs, and others have been seen holding Radar Jammers Elite Honor Guards carry an Energy Sword and have Active Camouflage. These soldiers are great at killing ODSTs who camp. Remember, that it takes two sword slashes to kill with a sword, so don't expect to kill on the first hit. Brute Chieftains carry the most weapons of any Covenant class. They have Overshields, a Gravity hammer, a Plasma Cannon, a Flame Grenade, Power Drain, and a Spiker. These beasts are definitely a threat, especially when combined with an Elite holding a Regenerator. Again, it takes two hammer kills to kill an ODST though. Hunters aren't very common in ODST games, but are a very strong presence on the Battle Field. They hold a single Fuel Rod Cannon and have a Set of Overshields. Killing these threats should be a top priority for ODSTs. Brute Stalkers are the Brute version of Elite Honor Guards. They wield a single Mauler and have Active Camo. While they don't have a lung like Honor Guards do, their Maulers do have quite a range. The last Covenant class is the Arbiter. The Arbiter has a set of Overshields, an Energy Sword, and a Plasma Rifle. The Arbiter is only seen on one map, but is a big threat if used properly. Health Packs Health Packs are used to replenish health for ODSTs. In the form of Custom powerups, they play a huge role in the game. The settings for Health Packs are 100 % shields regeneration for 10 seconds. The picture above shows an ODST picking up a Health Pack at the right time: when he is 'one shot'. Health Packs respawn in a different method than most equipment and weapons in the game. They have a 3 minute respawn timer and aren't placed at the start of the game. However, the run time minimum is set at one, so there will always be at least one Health pack in the city at a time. Picking it up will automatically activate another Health pack somewhere else in the city. 25% of the time it might just come back to where you picked it up. If a Health pack location doesn't respawn for 3 minutes, it is force-spawned and then there may be two health packs in the city at a time. Since Covenant soldiers already have this trait, picking up a Health Pack has no effect on them whatsoever. Guarding the Health Packs would be a better strategy than picking it up like this Honor Guard shown above. Another strategy that occasionally works is standing on each location of each Health Pack so ODSTs can't pick up any. This is hard to pull off, but can make it a lot harder for ODSTs The Gametypes Now you know how the classes work in ODST, I'm going to go a bit more in depth about the gametypes: ODST Infection V2, ODST Escort V3, and ODST Slayer V2 Shadows on the walls In ODST Infection V2, a quarter of the players start as Covenant soldiers. As mentioned above, they die at the beginning of the round. Covenant soldiers have a slight damage decrease since the ODSTs will soon be facing a whole horde of Covenant soldiers. Since this is considered a Free-For-All gametype, teamwork isn't as essential compared to the other gametypes, but it still is important. Remember, ODSTs do not have the ability to drive vehicles. Once there is only one ODST left standing, he becomes a Spartan II. The Spartan has Overshields and still has 200% damage resistance that the ODSTs had. He is also able to run a bit faster than the Covenant soldiers, so use this to your advantage. There a three rounds of Infection. ODST Escort is my favorite gametype of the three. Two even teams play four three-minute rounds. One player on the ODST team becomes the VIP. The VIP is a Spartan III is SPI Armor (Semi-Powered Infiltration Armor). They aren't as strong as ODSTs (for balance reasons) but they do have Active Camo, though they still have a marker over their head. The ODSTs must escort the Spartan III to the different locations throughout each city. You get two points for arriving at each destination, and the Covenant receive one point for killing the VIP. In ODST Slayer, two teams play two rounds so each side plays each faction once. Although the gametype uses the VIP variant, it plays the same as Team Slayer; one point per kill. This means that there is not difference for the VIP, no extra points or upgrades. 15 points ends a round.
And now: The Maps Click for more information: Spoiler Lumumba District was the first map I released for the ODST gametypes. While not much has changed aesthetically, a lot has changed to gameplay. As you can tell, a Banshee have been added into the map. The classes have gone through a few modifications. Lumumba District is your basic city map, and it has the darkest setting of the four. The map is surrounded by a 'road' of sorts, and then linked together through a series of alleyways. The classes featured are the Jackal, Brute, Elite Honor Guard, Brute Chieftain, and Elite. Recommended for 6-12 players. Lumumba V2 features a combination of long streets and small alleyways for epic battles. The Sniper Building is one of the better locations to attack the Covenant from since it has the high ground and a Health Pack is located right beneath it. Vehicles however can be a threat to this area due to the lack of cover. The Banshee adds a whole new dimension to gameplay. Always watching the sky is a necessity. Jackals can become powerful on this map if ODSTs don't dispose of them quickly. An Elite in a Regenerator can become very lethal Death from above Street Fight Callouts * * * Click for more information: Spoiler Tayari Plaza (formerly known as Liwitoni District) is based around a central courtyard. The courtyard is inspired from the Halo 2 campaign level in New Mombasa where you have to defend the courtyard against different waves of Covenant. The vehicles are similar to Lumumba District, a Ghost and a Banshee. The filters are a little bit lighter than Lumumba District. A feature that many players may notice are doors that close at different intervals throughout the game. The classes featured are Jackal, Jump Pack Brute, Elite Honor Guard, Hunter, and Elite. Recommended for 6-12 players. The central courtyard attracts a lot of attention Vanish Double teamed The Sniper Tower Callouts
Click for more information: Spoiler Rooftops brings a while new style of gameplay to the ODST map pack. Defend yourself as Covenant forces attack you from above. This is the only map in the map pack that features 2 Banshees flying around. However, to help you out, there are plenty of anti-vehicle weapons lying around; 4 to be exact. Combined with the unique walkways and long expert lines of sight, this map is definitely something new. one thing that should be remembered is that the teleporter that leads to the Banshee spawn is a two-way teleporter. If you find that there are no Banshees, simply hop back in the teleporter and go into the normal Covenant teleporter. The Covenant classes are Jackal, Brute, Brute Stalker, Brute Chieftain, and Elite. Recommended for 6-10 players. Neutralized The Last Spartan There are plenty of long lines of sight across this map. Watch yourself. The Chieftain While Banshees can be a threat, using anti-vehicle weapons can scare them off; and most likely kill them if they stray to far away from the skyscrapers. Callouts * * * Click for more information: Spoiler Castle Base was originally designed for small parties, seeing as it only uses half of the original Rat's Nest, but it still supports big parties surprisingly well. The name Castle Base was based off the book The Fall of Reach. While generally most of the battles take place on the outer pathway, the middle area is generally the safer area. Castle Base also features some unique classes that aren't seen in the other maps. The classes are Brute Stalker, Jump Pack Brute, Elite Major, Arbiter, and Elite. Recommended for 5-10 players. Skirmish Blue Base The Elite Major mentioned above is simply an Elite the wields a Needler and Plasma Rifle. Don't underestimate the Pink Mist. Kill the Demon Like sauce on a sandwich Shockwave Callouts (Yellow dots are health packs) * * * The gametypes *ODST Escort V3* *ODST Infection V2* *ODST Slayer V2* The Maps *Lumumba V2* *Tayari Plaza* *Rooftops* *Castle Base* * * * Also, here are the rules in 3 simple sentences. In case you have to explain the somewhat complex rules to a party who's never played the ODST gametypes before. Also, while I tried to make the ODST maps Honor Rule Free, there is one honor Rule that is still able to be broken: Covenant soldiers shouldn't pick up Human weapons. Yes its possible, but it ruins the fun of the game.
The only one I've ever played out of this is ODST Infection on Lumumba with Phoenix of Wei (maybe you know him). I absolutely love it! It's nice to see a class system being used for something other than L4D remakes all the time.
It's a little annoying watching everyone make their own ODST gametype which a always ends up inaccurate. If you want it to play like it will in ODST, raise the speed to 125%, raise the gravity to the next option above 100% so that they barely jump lower, normal shields, 90% damage resistance, no recharge. That would probably be as accurate as it gets. However, if you're going for playability I can see where you're going.
Hey, I played this map with you yesterday. It was fun, I really liked how if your an alien you can pick who you want to be whether it was a brute, a jackal etc. But for slayer you should've just made everyone an ODST spartan. Anyways it was decent.
and i thought your first ODST map was good you added more strategy more maps amazing originallity 2/5 sorry a lot of odst maps going around gameplay 9.5/10 minor flaws nothing big design 10/10 well thought out and forged fun 11/10 i absolutly loved it as did my freinds by far the best ODST map ever so far keep making maps man
Oookay. I WILL DOWNLOAD THIS, I MUST DELETE MORE WORTHLESS ITEMS. But besides that, pre-download info, does the needler spawn at start? Because in all ODST games the Needler has always been byfar the most lethal to me, and I believe it should be introduced later in the game. And second, the Elite has many of the Brute equipments (Bubble, Regen). I know this doesn't really affect gameplay, but it sorta does, and it also makes your maps inaccurate. But besides that this map pack is a 5/5 and I WILL download it as soon as I delete some other stuff.
I played with you last night on these maps, are any of the screenshots from them? and i loved all of them but i think convies should be forced purple rather than blue and the slayer wasnt my favourite, but the maps did rock, you mentioned releasing them all together now. I was waiting for them
Excellent presentation first off. Now I loved Lumumba and I like how you made a variety of maps like with Rooftops and Castle Base. All these maps and games are definitely gona be the highlights of some parties... lol. I love how each map brings a different experiance for the same gametype. And it was smart to choose different covenant classes based on the maps. - Lumumba V2 doesn't look much different but I like the addition of a banshee and I can't wait to see how that plays out compared to V1. - Tayari Plaza looks excellent and I like how the map is kind of inverted compared to Lumumba. (If you get what I mean). The openness probably gives some classes more of an advantage than they had on lumumba, which i like. - Rooftops is probably my favorite of the new three. Just a completely different environment than the others. The vehicles definitely will affect gameplay alot in this map. For some reason it also reminds me of blackout (which is a pimpin map no doubt). - And last Castle Base. Definitely one of my favorites (even though I said that about rooftops also). It seems like it's got a much smaller setting than the others but Rat's nest is one of my favorite maps and I think it'd be fun to see how your gametype plays on this map. Cory you outdid yourself with this map pack. All 4 maps are amazing and will definitely come up in some customs in the near future.
my favorite out of all these maps is definatly rooftops. all of the other ones like really neatly forged as well. your gameplay also looks very in depth; especially since you named and described all of the different types of players that could be played as throughout the map pack. I would love to play a 8 vs 8 match on on of these maps. Nice job on the map pack once again. it looks like you put a lot of effort into it
Wow. All I can say is that these maps. are. awesome. Especially towards the castle base map, so we could play with our friend that didn't has the Mythic maps (the noob, psh). I also like how you added banshees in, it added a whole new dimension to the game.
well i downloaded it and i got to say, this is one of the funnest class gametypes i have EVER played. It was even fun with 2 people! I loved it so much because each covenant class had its advantage, yet do to some settings they werent overpowering at all to the odsts, it was perfect balance. of course i only had enough people each game ive played to do slayer, so i havent been able to check out infection or escort. I really like that there are four different maps so it doesnt get old. My favorite is probably rooftops, because i love the feel to it then the next is certainly the rats nest one(castle base i think). Although the other two maps are good, i really dont like the effects. It makes them not nearly as fun to me. But i could just find them and delete them. I really dont have any complaints to this gametype or the maps, its just extremley fun! way more fun then i has thought it would be good job! Also i really think you should try and make 2 more maps, because i would download them in a second any day. good job and thanks for posting this
I really like the Rooftops map. That idea just seems really cool, and, if you don't mind, I'll probably keep it in mind next time I start up forge on Sandbox. But back to topic, the whole concept seems really cool. I just don't really like the idea the enemy have access to Fuel Rods, Banshees, etc. Either way, it fun to play. Like I said, the Rooftops game/map was exceptionally fun.
Like the maps great to keep me interested in Halo before ODST. My favourite map by far has got to be either Tayari Plaza or Rooftops. So far I've only played the ODST Infection but if I can get some friends to play with me this week then I can say about what I think of the other gametypes. One thing that I really liked witht this map is the class choices and how the zombies can choose what type of covenant that they want to be. It is a very innovative idea because it succeeds where many other maps fail.
Amazing Post. The Amount of thought and Planning That Has Went Into Making these Maps Is Immense. Yes ODST Maps Arent Original But These Are The Best Iv Seen 3/10 Originality 10/10 Forging 10/10 Gametype 12/10 Playability
Would this be a flaw? I havent played it, its just a problem Ive run into in many a game. Couldnt the covies just pick up the powerups to make it so the healthpacks arent there anymore? If they instantly respawn then the ODSTs could also just camp in the pack... just an observation.
Health packs have a run-time minimum of 1, so picking up a HP will move it to another part of the map. Also, the HPs are in locations are in open areas so defending that area would be difficult, but Covenant spawns are still somewhat placed a distance from the HP locations, so ODSTs have a little relief when trying to defend a HP spawn. EDIT: But seriously, if you guys could keep commenting and keeping the thread alive that would be great. I put a s***load of work into these maps and they're barely getting any attention
I just downloaded this and played the Infection on every map with 2 other people. I have no complaints. This was so amazing, everyone was inviting friends(we had 13 out of the original 4 by the time we played all the maps), the scenery is perfect, and the gameplay is amazing, the rush to get to the custom, or the rush to ambush them before they could, was the most fun part, except maybe tearing up the ODSTs that got caught on the rooftops onarmed on Rooftops with the banshee. The class idea is brilliant, and you perfected the ODST feel; I felt like a badass ODST, but also realized I was a very vulnerable human, not a cyborg. The best ODST out here, the only objection I have is that some people were dicks and would grab the custom with full shields when someone else or I had low shields. But, of course, there is no way to take into account the human factor when making a map. I can haz MOAR maps? EDIT: No, really. One of these on Foundry would let me play with my non Foundry friends, and since it's in a warehouse instead of a desert, would make it more city and CQB like.
I love the opening post, err... posts... well presented. These maps are the best ODST maps out there. When playing you really can tell just how much time was put into these maps to ensure good gameplay. Rooftops is my favorite, but each map offers up slightly different gameplay then the rest which definitely makes it worthwhile to have them all. But all of the maps have one thing in common, and its that they offer up fast paced and hectic games. The class system youve implemented works great, and having different classes of covenant specific to each map is simply brilliant. Overall, these maps are extremely fun, and if you want some ODST action before the real thing comes out then here it is. 10/10, great work.