XIPHOS - Sword of the Spartans - Overview Created By: I RIFT I Working Gametypes: All Suggested Players: 4 - 12 -- 4 Assault Rifles -- 4 Battle Rifles -- 4 Carbines -- 4 Plasma Rifles -- 4 SMGs -- 4 Spikers -- 2 Plasma Pistols -- 2 Magnums -- 2 Maulers -- 2 Needlers -- 2 Brute Shots -- 1 Energy Sword -- 4 Frag Grenades -- 4 Plasma Grenades -- 4 Spike Grenades -- 2 Bubble Shields -- 2 Grav Lifts -- 2 Power Drainers -- 1 Overshield This is Xiphos (pronounced 'zi-fas'), a map built in the manner of a bowl, with similarities to a Coliseum. A Xiphos was the kind of sword a Spartan of ancient Greekan times used. It was double edged, short in length, and in some cases curved (see 300 for semi-realistic reference). It was a tool of battle used for close combat melees, long enough to strike the enemies with, but short enough so you didn't hit your friends. Though the spear was the Spartan's primary instrument of war, coupled with their shield and their phalanx style of defense, the Xiphos was the Spartan's secondary weapon of choice, and was far more romanticized. - Center of Coliseum The bottom of the map consists of 4 jump points to get to the second level, 2 for each side, and 2 ramps up to the third level. There are Battle Rifles coupled with Power Drainers in little openings on the second level, and an Overshield in the middle of the whole area. In the original design of the map, there was an Energy Sword here, but that turned the whole middle area into a blood-bath that was avoided rather than a conflict point, so the sword was substituted for an Overshield, as it was much less overwhelming. As well, a Sniper Rifle occupied the center of the bridge, but that didn't fit well with the concept of the map, and with the Energy Sword needing to be moved, I simply removed the Sniper Rifle entirely. - Red Base Corner - Yellow Base, Coliseum Entrance The 2 bases, Red and Yellow, are identical mirror images of each other. The pictures above show the corners of the bases and their surrounding area. There's the small pillbox, right next to a ramp leading into the coliseum. A pillar stands next to the ramp, and just past the pillar is a set of stairs that lead towards a jump pad, taking you to the third level. The pillbox stands as a base for a team, an approximate area where the team will spawn, as well as where their flag or bomb point is located. - Yellow Base, Carbine Hall On top of the pillboxes is a Battle Rifle and Plasma Grenade. In the surrounding area are Plasma Rifles and a Plasma Pistol-Magnum combo. Going to the right of your base will take you through the Carbine Hall, with a sign to your base to indicate where you are. Just ahead is the Grav Lift. It's uses are limited, unless you know what you're doing. - A Grav Lift used to get to the third level from a base As the Xiphos was the weapon of short range melees, this map was designed to be more of a brawler map than a long-range dual, but with plenty of tactics mixed in as well. Every gametype was designed to function differently, therefore the spawn points in one gametype are completely different from the spawn points in another. As well, Symmetrical and Asymmetrical spawn points have been set up, base on what kind of game you're playing, from Multi-Flag to FFA Oddball. I hope you enjoy this map, because I had a lot of fun making and testing it. I'd like to thank ForgeHub and it's community for providing a place for the Halo Family to present their works. I'd also like to thank all my friends that help me test this map. Rock on FH! DOWNLOAD XIPHOS
I like it alot, but the outside area seems sort of dead and lifeless. in my opinion u should just block off the outside and have the level inside it. but thats just me. it might be a TON of fun out there.
Thanks for the input guys. I was actually planning to block the whole thing off, and make it one big bowl, but that would have been too difficult to balance gameplay-wise. It would exactly be a competative map as much as it would have been spawn and shoot. Plus, CTF and Assult are great on it, as well as KOTH and Territories.