I'm just a lonely, feedback-giving competitive lurker that has been forging for a long time, but always finds the capabilities of forge restricting my art-meets-layout goals... that's why I don't forge all to often anymore. I have a lot of ideas, just haven't had an opportunity to really make something worthy of my own standards. I tend to treat map design as an artistic, sculptural process - viewing the creation of a layout as an extension of principles I find important in games (hyper-precise movement, depth of play, complexity presented as simplicity, enjoyable gameplay at the highest level, etc.) and an expression of emotion. The texturing and "theming" of my maps tends to fall along the lines of abstract creativity and raw art meets mathematical processes, something which I don't think many people do (The 2v2 map is the antithesis of this, I just had to finish it). I view the creation of maps (all aspects) to be actual art, and how a map serves its function and promotes creativity to be akin to fluidity in expression. I have ideas swirling in my head for amazing designs, but I physically can't make them 100% as I envision them as Forge stands now, so I choose not to create until I am provided the tools I need to make my exact image reality. A bit of a tangent, but I digress; Be unorthodox, be imaginative, be you - not for the sake of false uniqueness, but for the sake of pure self-expression in a medium many of us find endearing and enjoyable. /rant?
Hopefully I can add to my acumen in your eyes, and the eyes of the over-arching Halo community, some day in the future. I am glad you view my feedback as beneficial, thank you. Cheers!
That was beautiful and if it is not clear. I was merely testing my debate skills by comparing apples and oranges against people who I know to be very stubborn because I knew it would be a challenge. I think there are a lot of depth you can achieve designing race maps. Whether that it is as much as core. I honestly, have no clue because I have never designed a track. I have seen a wide variety from the genre though. Which shows there are a ton of approaches just like core. This is what gave me a basis to make any sort of argument at all. I also like poking bears. Especially, bears that have a very high opinion of their opinion. Also, almost everyone who still forges is much better at technical art than design art even if they think they understand design at a greater level. Not to say they are not good designers. I just think they still have a lot more to learn than they actually think they do. My reasoning for this. The popular opinion seems to be an opinion I had about 5 years ago which I learned had a lot of issues and was just as limiting as the views it opposed. There needs to be more middle ground and more acceptance of the things we oppose because we can say we understand it all day but the reality is that biases stop this from being 100% true. That is why I troll people about making map styles they dis. It is basically me saying, "Hey, prove it." If you prove it it will just make me respect and appreciate your opinion more. If you don't prove it. It just gives those that oppose you more fuel for their fire and the witch hunt begins. Things everyone here can improve on: A.) Listen to feedback no matter how absurd it seems. There is always something to take from it. I can not emphasize ALWAYS enough. Some of the worst feedback I have ever gotten eventually led to me finding interesting compromises that made me like the map even more. B.) When giving feedback try to really understand what that person wants to do with the map. This makes it easier to push whatever concerns you might have with the design. Because you have shown you care about the persons vision. C.) If you have a problem with the way everyone is acting. Troll them about race taking more skill to design for and make a thread to let everyone post their negative opinions about people or just troll and have fun to ease tension. Organized rant is rant.
I sincerely apologize. I had no clue this thread reached 8 pages. I will read the replies and comprise my own list for my contest. Thanks to all of those who posted their opinions.