Yo dawg, I heard you like map previews so I made a map preview so you can preview maps while your maps get previewed. Seriously, though, I thought it was high time I hopped on the map preview bandwagon, it looks like all the cool kids are doing it. Since MCC came out, I've been working on a remake of Panic Attack. This map is designed from the ground up around competitive arena gameplay, but uses vehicles as an additional competitive element. So, I guess you could call it "arena BTB" or something like that. I've always seen warthogs as skill vehicles given that they require coordination between two players to be used effectively and that they require support from other players on foot, but that they can also provide support and turn the tide of the battle when used skillfully. That is the idea I've been designing maps around for a few years, and Panic Attack was the culmination of those years of experience.
Given the maps competitive arena roots, bringing it to Halo 2 Anniversary was a logical choice. Unfortunately, there were several obstacles to contend with. First is performance. I forged the map on all three canvases in H2A in an attempt to avoid framerate issues, finally settling on Awash. By replacing most of my colliseum walls with block 10x10s thanks to A Haunted Army's recommendation, I was able to avoid serious performance issues. I will be working to improve the visual theme of the map with a focus on player orientation while avoiding frame drops moving forward.
Another obstacle is some of the mechanics in H2A regarding vehicles. In H2A, rockets and plasma grenades instantly kill warthogs in a single shot. Obviously, skill vehicles should not be getting instantly removed from play unless there is a serious amount of risk and skill involved in doing so. Given the rockets' tracking ability and the relative ease of sticking a warthog from close to mid range, I would not be able to achieve the vehicle balance I want with these weapons. Unfortunately, there aren't many soft vehicle counters to choose from in H2A either, with the plasma pistol not having an EMP function and sniper rifles not dealing much damage to vehicles. So, I got creative. This build sports two no-clip brute shots (a single clip from a brute shot is not enough to kill a warthog outright) and a no-clip fuel rod gun. The FRG requires three direct hits to kill a 'hog, has a slower projectile velocity than rockets and no tracking. These weapons not being able to instantly remove vehicles from play forces more interaction between infantry and vehicles which is always a major design goal for me. I also added EMP fusion coils under the outpost drop downs. These are attached to switches placed at the base of the large jumps, creating risk in activating them. Timing the switches properly to disable a moving warthog is also difficult. Lastly, I added fixed machine gun turrets to the windows in the bases. These are powerful and further encourage organized pushes against the bases, but their fixed nature means that they cannot become a mobile power weapon.
Other than that, the geometry is almost identical. I made a few small alterations to preserve jumps that were previously only possible with sprint. I added new platforms and cover at the bottom roads in order to aid pushes on the bases from there. I preserved the previous theme of having red side a more natural theme and giving blue a more industrial construction-y theme. Again, I'll add to that performance allowing. Anyways, looks like China wants their wall back.
An overview of blue courtyard and stuff
Red's brute shot and new platform
A look at red side, note the red tint on the outpost window
Red courtyard
Top mid, with fuel rod gun
Bottom mid, sporting each plasma rifle type and room for neutral objectives
Red's switch and EMP
Red garage, and hoggy
Red's flag and turret
Red plaza and jump
So yeah, that's about it. i also have a preview video from an earlier build where I talk a bit more about the process I used to build the map.
Thoughts?
Given the maps competitive arena roots, bringing it to Halo 2 Anniversary was a logical choice. Unfortunately, there were several obstacles to contend with. First is performance. I forged the map on all three canvases in H2A in an attempt to avoid framerate issues, finally settling on Awash. By replacing most of my colliseum walls with block 10x10s thanks to A Haunted Army's recommendation, I was able to avoid serious performance issues. I will be working to improve the visual theme of the map with a focus on player orientation while avoiding frame drops moving forward.
Another obstacle is some of the mechanics in H2A regarding vehicles. In H2A, rockets and plasma grenades instantly kill warthogs in a single shot. Obviously, skill vehicles should not be getting instantly removed from play unless there is a serious amount of risk and skill involved in doing so. Given the rockets' tracking ability and the relative ease of sticking a warthog from close to mid range, I would not be able to achieve the vehicle balance I want with these weapons. Unfortunately, there aren't many soft vehicle counters to choose from in H2A either, with the plasma pistol not having an EMP function and sniper rifles not dealing much damage to vehicles. So, I got creative. This build sports two no-clip brute shots (a single clip from a brute shot is not enough to kill a warthog outright) and a no-clip fuel rod gun. The FRG requires three direct hits to kill a 'hog, has a slower projectile velocity than rockets and no tracking. These weapons not being able to instantly remove vehicles from play forces more interaction between infantry and vehicles which is always a major design goal for me. I also added EMP fusion coils under the outpost drop downs. These are attached to switches placed at the base of the large jumps, creating risk in activating them. Timing the switches properly to disable a moving warthog is also difficult. Lastly, I added fixed machine gun turrets to the windows in the bases. These are powerful and further encourage organized pushes against the bases, but their fixed nature means that they cannot become a mobile power weapon.
Other than that, the geometry is almost identical. I made a few small alterations to preserve jumps that were previously only possible with sprint. I added new platforms and cover at the bottom roads in order to aid pushes on the bases from there. I preserved the previous theme of having red side a more natural theme and giving blue a more industrial construction-y theme. Again, I'll add to that performance allowing. Anyways, looks like China wants their wall back.
An overview of blue courtyard and stuff
Red's brute shot and new platform
A look at red side, note the red tint on the outpost window
Red courtyard
Top mid, with fuel rod gun
Bottom mid, sporting each plasma rifle type and room for neutral objectives
Red's switch and EMP
Red garage, and hoggy
Red's flag and turret
Red plaza and jump
So yeah, that's about it. i also have a preview video from an earlier build where I talk a bit more about the process I used to build the map.
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