-Feedback for 1/15/17-
Aerie by Skyward Shoe
Having played this map several times in the past, I've started to notice trends in player movement. Certain areas of the map are played in more often than others. The areas that see less traffic are the flanks around blue tunnel (bottom and side), the lower catwalk under the cargo container, and the terrain stretching from the bridge all the way around red tunnel. I believe these three areas suffer a combination of issues. The flanks around blue tunnel are very subtle, making it difficult for players to notice them. However, even when players do know they're there, the small amounts of dancefloor pushed against a sheer drop pose too much of a risk to use on a regular basis, creating standoff situations with blue tunnel. The catwalk under the cargo container suffers similar issues. The path is far too narrow and there are too many sightlines into it for players down there to effectively combat enemy players pursuing them.
The stretch of terrain all around red side feels too linear and disconnected from the rest of the map to have an impact on other areas. This disconnect make encounters here fully self contained, making the space feel pointless when fights are going on elsewhere. Because the size of the map overall is fine where it stands, I would recommend a redesign of this area that better connects it to other areas rather than simply adding more routes and flanks.
ODA-214 by The Grim Dealer
The recent (or maybe not so recent) overhaul to this map has worked wonders for it. The art and gameplay on here are leagues ahead of what they were last time I played it, and I think it's down to a final polish stage. As we discussed in the lobby, I think the long hall area where Rockets spawn and the lower courtyard by blue deck could benefit from having the walls pulled in slightly. Obviously, players will make use of the amount of playspace they need, but having tighter walls could help focus engagements in those areas. It could also help with spawning, as I noticed some of the spawns against those back walls being too heavily favored despite enemy players being in the same room/area.
Another thing that could use some work is stronghold locations. The current setup makes it too easy to lock down all three positions, as they are all visible and accessible from the top mid platform. Blue platform and long hall have direct lines of sight and are connected by a single straight pathway, whereas red room is a lot more separated from the other two and harder to travel to from either one, creating an obvious "best hold". Keep in mind that an ideal setup for strongholds places each stronghold in a recognizable and fun location equally distanced from each other around the map, with three adjacent areas between the points that each have power over the strongholds. The closer you can get to achieving such a setup, the better.
Silence by The Grim Dealer
As far as initial blockouts go this one isn't too bad, even if the design is pretty "safe." As you undoubtedly noticed, the Fuel Rod spawn was the most sought after position, as it is the highest point in the map and is easily able to control all approaches to it. Lowering the height of this area, as well as better connecting it to the surrounding structures could help reduce its power. The other area I had a major problem with was the giant trenches in front of each base. These are long flat stretches of space that span the distance of the map. Having such a sightline with few other options for cover or vertical movement nearby ensures that players will never travel in these areas, and that the long sightline will constantly be abused. If you could find a way to add some more angles to this path while still discouraging player to cross the middle during flag runs, the map will play better for it.
Speaking of flag runs, going through the middle was easily the most viable option. This is largely due to the fact that the middle structure has enough covered routes through it to encourage players to use it as the fastest safe route. Forcing players to expose themselves in a way that doesn't hurt the other functions of the structure will help make CTF games more interesting and strategic.
Overhaul by METOUR
This being your first map in Halo 5, it's clear that you got carried away with making things pretty and playing with the new toys. Unfortunately, there's not much worth saving on this map, as it boils down to a large flat box with a few elevated platforms around the edges and in the middle. It's the typical Midship formula, but with nothing new being added. I suggest you keep forging and playing with all the new tools and objects until you feel comfortable enough to start working on a blockout of a new design. In the meantime, do some research on the design pillars of Halo 5 maps. Things like movement speed, engagement distances, travel time, clambers, and pro jumps should all be taken into consideration before starting on a design.
Contusion by Bromaniac35
I was looking forward to playing this map, as I had only watched others play on it up until now. While the map is a solid design overall, I feel additional work needs to be done to the layout. As many people pointed out, the lower levels of the map currently feel useless. I believe this is due to the bottom being relatively flat and open, with no direct connections to upper areas or other structures. This is particularly problematic on the side opposite the tower, where there is a long elevated portion of floor that has jump ups on aither side leading up to their respective buildings. This over-abundance of jump-ups acting as the primary source of vertical movement can be seen throughout the map. Many areas on the bottom levels and around the tower rely too much on jumps, making players who are already at a height disadvantage have to take a strategically less viable route up to attack enemy players above them. This is particularly bad around the tower where sand bags, crates, and vents could easily be replaced with ramps and hallways.
As for the tower itself, it feels as if there is an excessive amount of ledges in and around that area, making player movement and positioning difficult to predict and encouraging a campy playstyle. The stronghold placement could also use some changing as well. As it stands, one team has quick access to two of the strongholds off of spawn, and those two are arguably the ideal hold for the map. The strongholds need to be more evenly spread around the map, allowing either team to capture two in a similar amount of time.
Vessel by Chronmeister
Considering that this map was originally designed as a 2V2, it worked surprisingly well for 4V4. However, the meta game quickly devolved into one team holding the top platform while the other team tries to push up from various locations around the map. This is most likely because the top level spans a majority of the length of the map, and can easily catch glimpses of each area surrounding it. There are several options as to how you can fix this. One would be to lower the entire platform and see how the other areas around the map can then put pressure on the top. Another option would be to change the shape of the top platform. This could lead to a totally different gameplay experience, one which doesn't involve grenade spam by the teleporter exit. A third option would be to split the top level into separate areas. This would create fights between the two upper areas, and force players to move down into other areas of the map in order to flank the opposing position.
Another complaint I heard was that some of the lower areas felt like dead ends, and players would often become trapped with no clear escape routes. There are two spots I can think of that fit this description. The first is the small opening directly under the top bridge. This space is accessible from only one side, but it's the side that has other various vertical movement options. The pit it overlooks can easily become a death trap. Perhaps lowering or redesigning this hole to allow access from both sides can alleviate this problem, and may work in favor of redesigning the top to be two separate areas. The other space I can think of that can feel like a dead end is the corner where the teleporter entrance is located. It might be worth looking into removing the teleporter entirely as having a way to immediately be on the top of the map only adds to the chaos there. Without the teleporter demanding a designated space, you could experiment with other routes and vertical movement options in that corner.
Thanks to everyone who submitted maps and/or played on them. Next week will be another 4V4 lobby, so don't forget to sign up! If the authors of this week's maps have any questions regarding the feedback, feel free to message me
here or on XBL. I hope to see you all Sunday!
