Featured Lobby Monday Map Testing
- Thread starter Psychoduck
- Start date
- Status
Here's the feedback I have for all the maps I had played or remembered.
M0aHerder - Spearhead - Slayer
- While this map shows promise through the use of the incredibly vertical use of the tower from Spire it sadly suffers from the same issues that Spire did for btb. The bottom area is disconnected from the top tower and the bottom of the map is far too open and leads to a lot of spawn killing. I think if you re-designed the map where falling leads to a death pit and more playable area and structure was added to to the cliff walls where they interact with the tower you could have something really interesting.
Mrmiclego - Night Club - Strongholds
- This map in its current state has some very awkward geometry where it makes it very difficult for players to know where they are going. It needs more hard routes and less reliance on players having to clamber. Along with this vehicles do not flow smoothly around the map. The stronghold radius heights need to be lowered as it is very hard to see out of them when you are inside the territories. I think the overall aesthetic needs to focus more on being either a night club or the rooftops of buildings.
HalfDemonANBU - The Cradle - Strongholds, Assault
- I love the concept of the moving platform across the center of the map as it creates a really interesting dynamic element, along with this I like how the gravity lifts interact with the platform and how the side of the map where the two wraiths are is structured. However the entire bottom middle of the map I feel needs a complete redesign as it is way too open and leaves little incentive for players to go there. Along with this, I feel the only vehicle that currently works with the map is the banshee. The wraiths didn't have enough space to maneuver and I honestly think they shouldn't be on the map at all.
MrBamble - Rat's Nest - Strongholds, Slayer
- This map plays like Rats Nest... I love the aesthetic this map has going for it. The light post by the two ramps outside blocks warthog jumps and should probably be removed or changed to not block the jump. The walls by the jumps make it a bit difficult to flow into. I feel you could accommodate for better flow into these areas. I feel that the two windows into the center of the map need to be opened up to allow players to move through that area. Also the gravity lift by the newly added ramps up is a little awkward to traverse through, I think you could redesign that a bit. Also the map needs a bit of optimization as I got a few frame rate hitches especially in the center of the map.
Squally DaBeanz - Fracture - CTF, Assault
- This map has improved quite a bit since the last time I played it. I still feel you should block off the entry points we spoke of earlier so players would have to push through either the tunnel or the through middle to access the area because that building is pretty much the safest place on the map (other than the area by the baskets). Speaking of the area by the baskets, I feel that they are a very large part of the map that sees very little action and seems a little extraneous. Also it could be pretty interesting to move overshield out to the middle of the tunnel.
alex quit - Kizingo - Strongholds
- This map plays really well. I honestly have little complaints other than you could probably spend the time on making the aesthetics look a bit more detailed.
SHIFTY time - Eagle Square - CTF, Assault
- I still feel that the bottom trench needs to be a bit more friendly for infantry players. Other than that it was a quick three cap game so I didn't really have any other serious observations
M0aHerder - Spearhead - Slayer
- While this map shows promise through the use of the incredibly vertical use of the tower from Spire it sadly suffers from the same issues that Spire did for btb. The bottom area is disconnected from the top tower and the bottom of the map is far too open and leads to a lot of spawn killing. I think if you re-designed the map where falling leads to a death pit and more playable area and structure was added to to the cliff walls where they interact with the tower you could have something really interesting.
Mrmiclego - Night Club - Strongholds
- This map in its current state has some very awkward geometry where it makes it very difficult for players to know where they are going. It needs more hard routes and less reliance on players having to clamber. Along with this vehicles do not flow smoothly around the map. The stronghold radius heights need to be lowered as it is very hard to see out of them when you are inside the territories. I think the overall aesthetic needs to focus more on being either a night club or the rooftops of buildings.
HalfDemonANBU - The Cradle - Strongholds, Assault
- I love the concept of the moving platform across the center of the map as it creates a really interesting dynamic element, along with this I like how the gravity lifts interact with the platform and how the side of the map where the two wraiths are is structured. However the entire bottom middle of the map I feel needs a complete redesign as it is way too open and leaves little incentive for players to go there. Along with this, I feel the only vehicle that currently works with the map is the banshee. The wraiths didn't have enough space to maneuver and I honestly think they shouldn't be on the map at all.
MrBamble - Rat's Nest - Strongholds, Slayer
- This map plays like Rats Nest... I love the aesthetic this map has going for it. The light post by the two ramps outside blocks warthog jumps and should probably be removed or changed to not block the jump. The walls by the jumps make it a bit difficult to flow into. I feel you could accommodate for better flow into these areas. I feel that the two windows into the center of the map need to be opened up to allow players to move through that area. Also the gravity lift by the newly added ramps up is a little awkward to traverse through, I think you could redesign that a bit. Also the map needs a bit of optimization as I got a few frame rate hitches especially in the center of the map.
Squally DaBeanz - Fracture - CTF, Assault
- This map has improved quite a bit since the last time I played it. I still feel you should block off the entry points we spoke of earlier so players would have to push through either the tunnel or the through middle to access the area because that building is pretty much the safest place on the map (other than the area by the baskets). Speaking of the area by the baskets, I feel that they are a very large part of the map that sees very little action and seems a little extraneous. Also it could be pretty interesting to move overshield out to the middle of the tunnel.
alex quit - Kizingo - Strongholds
- This map plays really well. I honestly have little complaints other than you could probably spend the time on making the aesthetics look a bit more detailed.
SHIFTY time - Eagle Square - CTF, Assault
- I still feel that the bottom trench needs to be a bit more friendly for infantry players. Other than that it was a quick three cap game so I didn't really have any other serious observations
Spearhead
As Martian mentioned, this map suffers from the same problems Spire originally suffered from in BTB (it was never intended to be a BTB map, after all). Having a single structure separated from its surroundings by a massive height difference does not create vertical gameplay. Rather, it creates two separate flat areas which do not interact with each other. The ground level has no vertical overlap or other interesting geometry and is therefore relegated to little more than a place for players to spawn. The fact that players can shoot down on anyone spawning here detracts greatly from that purpose too, though. The lack of aerial cover also allows the Phaetons to rain death upon players anywhere on the map.
NightclubThe pathing on this map is very discontinuous, leading to awkward flow. Many areas seem to lack purpose due to lacking line of sight and position balance. The central Stronghold in the night club itself is very cut off from the rest of the map. The Camo and Railgun which spawn there allow teams to camp and lock down the handful of entrances to the area without needing to interact with other locations on the map. Try to reassess the purpose of each location on the map. Ensure that each location has an impact on the way players move around the map and that each movement option has advantages and disadvantages. The urban rooftop setting could provide some exciting acrobatic gameplay if the map's positions and flow were improved.
The Cradle The linear nature of the map does not suit Strongholds well, but it shows promise for CTF and Assault. However, flow is currently problematic. The vertical gameplay and dynamic elements introduced by the moving gondola are great concepts, but the rest of the layout is lacking. The lane along the Wraith side is very constricted and largely separate from the rest of the playspace. The area where the rocket launcher is placed sees plenty of action as well, but is also cut off from much of the rest of the map. Bottom mid is an unattractive location and one which provides no real benefit to players to make traveling there worth their while. If this area is improved, it will serve to better connect the lanes along the sides of the maps. Mirroring this connectivity with vehicle pathing would be a welcome change as well as the Wraiths are currently relegated to a single lane on the map. This map also suffers from serious performance drops which are particularly prevalent in the area near the rocket launcher when multiple players are fighting there.
Rat's BestThis is, for the most part, a great adaptation of Rat's Nest for Halo 5. The modifications made to the outside lane where rockets spawn and the addition of lowered sniper area and its connection to bottom mid are great changes. The placement of the Gravity Hammer is little more than a gimmick, and an awkward one at that. The added geometry along the road over the new sniper area is less than ideal as well. The cargo containers serve only to segment a single linear path into several smaller parallel ones. Having multiple parallel routes separated by two-dimensional walls leads to stale gameplay. If you want to spice up that area, you may have to think outside the box a little more.
Mrmiclego - Night Club -
This map definitely shows that you're new to forge, and I remember building stuff similar to this when I was starting. As such, keep in mind that this feedback may be harsh, but necessary for improvement. The map as it stands is very messy, claustrophobic, and lacks focus. There are many ares throughout the center that have unneeded walls and corners and bumps in the floor that players can easily get caught up on, especially on the roof of the center building. The interior of the nightclub itself feels very maze-like, and it is difficult to see where one is going when entering it. The entrances themselves are also very tight and easy to miss. The outer areas of the map feel too disconnected, as they only have a path or two leading into the middle of the map. They are also surrounded by death pits, making the linearity even harder to get around. Finally, the map doesn't support vehicles well. Every area is too small and relies to heavily on jumping over awkward geometry, making vehicles useless. I suggest going back to the drawing board on this one and finding a way to make simpler and cleaner geometry that has actual street for vehicles, easy to maneuver paths for infantry, and circular flow around the outer edges of the map.
HalfDemonANBU - The Cradle -
This map has come a long way, but still has a long road ahead of it before it reaches the potential I see in it. The bases overall are pretty solid, though they may be a bit too powerful due to their height and lack of flanks. The middle of the map is where most of the issues are. In general, the middle is a series of long flat sightlines that are difficult for the player to traverse without being shot from multiple angles above them. Finding some way to curve the paths and sightlines through here will retain the danger necessary for objective play without rendering the area completely useless for players on foot. The same could be said about the long road along the closed side of the map. Once on top, there is very little between you and a massive shooting lane. My last complaint about the layout of the map is the extreme height and power of the Banshee platform. Having to go up a series of clambers is tedious and breaks the flow players naturally get into when playing. Finding some way to lower the platform without ruining any paths below it will allow players to challenge anyone on top then move in to take it for themselves much more easily. I suggest exploring the idea of making that side of the map a small cave, and having that cave structure somehow influence the changes needed in bottom mid, and even having a direct path from bottom mid up to the top of the platform. Message me on XBL if you want more detail, and we can go over it.
CDX34 - Badger Pit -
I think my biggest issues with this map are the scale/segmentation of it and the fact that you can get on the roof of every structure. The roof gameplay dominates every match on here, and players below are usually blind as to when someone is above them. When they do realize where they're getting shot from, it's either too late or they can't get an angle on the person above them. This problem is compounded by the maze-like nature of the map. The bases themselves aren't quite as bad, though the simple use of walls can lead to stale gameplay. The tall structures adjacent to each base are probably the most confusing area of the map. There are too many tight corners and dead ends in these areas, that player can often feel lost and confused, not knowing where they should push or where they even are relative to other players. I feel like these areas need to be redesigned to allow players to more easily orient themselves, prevent camping, and allow ghosts to travel through them. Most areas on the map right now are not vehicle friendly, and easing up on some of the restrictions or implementing them in a more natural way will let the Ghosts shine a little more. Lastly, the bridge crossroads in the middle still feels a little silly to me. The walls around the two main entrances make it feel more like a hamster tunnel, and can lead to frustrating gameplay. The other bridges lead to dead ends, and is unintuitive for players trying to move around the middle of the map. Making the center feel more like a powerful but dangerous bridge will do a lot for the map. In addition, bringing everything closer together will allow the bridge to interact with more areas of the map instead of being a simple kill box.
MrBamble - Rat's Nest -
This is definitely one of the better takes on Rat's Nest that I've seen, and I'm glad you're willing to change things about the original to improve it. There are several small things that piled up to make the gameplay less than ideal for me. The biggest of which is the connections between the middle and the side rooms housing the Hydras. The head-glitch windows looking into the middle are incredibly frustrating, and allow players to safely shoot anyone coming into mid from the other side in the feet before they even have a chance to see who is shooting them. Personally, I would just leave these as open ledges that expose players shooting into mid, giving anyone below them a fighting chance. The small doors leading to the catwalks directly next to these windows are way too small, leading to claustrophobic gameplay and a sense of being trapped with nowhere to go. Because of their small size, I had no idea that these catwalks actually lead outside. I always jumped off and into mid, assuming the were just small balconies. The clamber ledges on the opposite side of the wall suffered a similar problem. I had no idea they were even there. Simply removing these in favor of an open central window would make more sense. On the topic of claustrophobic gameplay, many of the doors in the interiors between the bases and middle felt too small, could easily be missed when sprinting past, and can lead to a lot of corner camping. The ones exiting out into the upper road were especially easy to miss due to the pillars right next to them. Perhaps you could make these hallways bend outward into the existing road. This would break up the sightline, and shrink the size of the road so you don't have to rely on the awkward cargo crates to break up that area of the map. My last two nitpicks are that the Hog jump on the lower street is at an awkward angle to enter while driving, and that the two ice chunks meant to be jump ups to the catwalk on that side of the map are of little help and can actually trap players.
Massive Wall of Text Part 2 inbound...
This map definitely shows that you're new to forge, and I remember building stuff similar to this when I was starting. As such, keep in mind that this feedback may be harsh, but necessary for improvement. The map as it stands is very messy, claustrophobic, and lacks focus. There are many ares throughout the center that have unneeded walls and corners and bumps in the floor that players can easily get caught up on, especially on the roof of the center building. The interior of the nightclub itself feels very maze-like, and it is difficult to see where one is going when entering it. The entrances themselves are also very tight and easy to miss. The outer areas of the map feel too disconnected, as they only have a path or two leading into the middle of the map. They are also surrounded by death pits, making the linearity even harder to get around. Finally, the map doesn't support vehicles well. Every area is too small and relies to heavily on jumping over awkward geometry, making vehicles useless. I suggest going back to the drawing board on this one and finding a way to make simpler and cleaner geometry that has actual street for vehicles, easy to maneuver paths for infantry, and circular flow around the outer edges of the map.
HalfDemonANBU - The Cradle -
This map has come a long way, but still has a long road ahead of it before it reaches the potential I see in it. The bases overall are pretty solid, though they may be a bit too powerful due to their height and lack of flanks. The middle of the map is where most of the issues are. In general, the middle is a series of long flat sightlines that are difficult for the player to traverse without being shot from multiple angles above them. Finding some way to curve the paths and sightlines through here will retain the danger necessary for objective play without rendering the area completely useless for players on foot. The same could be said about the long road along the closed side of the map. Once on top, there is very little between you and a massive shooting lane. My last complaint about the layout of the map is the extreme height and power of the Banshee platform. Having to go up a series of clambers is tedious and breaks the flow players naturally get into when playing. Finding some way to lower the platform without ruining any paths below it will allow players to challenge anyone on top then move in to take it for themselves much more easily. I suggest exploring the idea of making that side of the map a small cave, and having that cave structure somehow influence the changes needed in bottom mid, and even having a direct path from bottom mid up to the top of the platform. Message me on XBL if you want more detail, and we can go over it.
CDX34 - Badger Pit -
I think my biggest issues with this map are the scale/segmentation of it and the fact that you can get on the roof of every structure. The roof gameplay dominates every match on here, and players below are usually blind as to when someone is above them. When they do realize where they're getting shot from, it's either too late or they can't get an angle on the person above them. This problem is compounded by the maze-like nature of the map. The bases themselves aren't quite as bad, though the simple use of walls can lead to stale gameplay. The tall structures adjacent to each base are probably the most confusing area of the map. There are too many tight corners and dead ends in these areas, that player can often feel lost and confused, not knowing where they should push or where they even are relative to other players. I feel like these areas need to be redesigned to allow players to more easily orient themselves, prevent camping, and allow ghosts to travel through them. Most areas on the map right now are not vehicle friendly, and easing up on some of the restrictions or implementing them in a more natural way will let the Ghosts shine a little more. Lastly, the bridge crossroads in the middle still feels a little silly to me. The walls around the two main entrances make it feel more like a hamster tunnel, and can lead to frustrating gameplay. The other bridges lead to dead ends, and is unintuitive for players trying to move around the middle of the map. Making the center feel more like a powerful but dangerous bridge will do a lot for the map. In addition, bringing everything closer together will allow the bridge to interact with more areas of the map instead of being a simple kill box.
MrBamble - Rat's Nest -
This is definitely one of the better takes on Rat's Nest that I've seen, and I'm glad you're willing to change things about the original to improve it. There are several small things that piled up to make the gameplay less than ideal for me. The biggest of which is the connections between the middle and the side rooms housing the Hydras. The head-glitch windows looking into the middle are incredibly frustrating, and allow players to safely shoot anyone coming into mid from the other side in the feet before they even have a chance to see who is shooting them. Personally, I would just leave these as open ledges that expose players shooting into mid, giving anyone below them a fighting chance. The small doors leading to the catwalks directly next to these windows are way too small, leading to claustrophobic gameplay and a sense of being trapped with nowhere to go. Because of their small size, I had no idea that these catwalks actually lead outside. I always jumped off and into mid, assuming the were just small balconies. The clamber ledges on the opposite side of the wall suffered a similar problem. I had no idea they were even there. Simply removing these in favor of an open central window would make more sense. On the topic of claustrophobic gameplay, many of the doors in the interiors between the bases and middle felt too small, could easily be missed when sprinting past, and can lead to a lot of corner camping. The ones exiting out into the upper road were especially easy to miss due to the pillars right next to them. Perhaps you could make these hallways bend outward into the existing road. This would break up the sightline, and shrink the size of the road so you don't have to rely on the awkward cargo crates to break up that area of the map. My last two nitpicks are that the Hog jump on the lower street is at an awkward angle to enter while driving, and that the two ice chunks meant to be jump ups to the catwalk on that side of the map are of little help and can actually trap players.
Massive Wall of Text Part 2 inbound...
CommanderColson - Ferrous -
This map has very little that needs to be changed at this point. I think now it's just a matter of fine tuning performance, weapons and spawns, and making sure weird bugs like last night's Overshield fiasco don't happen. I'll come in and help you clean up your piece count and extra geometry like we talked about sometime this week.
The Grim Dealer - Echoes -
This map feels like Basin on steroids, and is honestly one of the better takes on this style I've seen. However, it still suffers many of the same issues because of this style. All of the lanes to approach the bases are lone parallel lines of sight with very little useful cover for infantry. Players on foot are forced to sprint and sneak around corners just to traverse the map. When they get to the enemy base, they face the problem of crossing a giant open threshold with no strategy other than hoping they don't die on the way. This is due to the overly linear nature of the map, and the fact that the bases can only be approached from the front. Finding some way to let players attack the bases from the side, and incorporating the bases into the surrounding terrain more will make the map less reliant on vehicles as the only means to attack or pulls the flag, and will lead to more interesting interactions between players on foot and the vehicles. My only other suggestion would be to experiment with forcing vehicles to take a longer route from base to base by making them have to zig-zag through the middle somehow. This will make travel times between infantry and vehicles more fair, and let infantry fight vehicles without feeling useless.
alex quit - Kizingo -
The new Stronghold placement played MUCH better than the previous version. Each Stronghold felt equally powerful and vulnerable to attack, with the exception of Eastgate still feeling a tiny bit less useful than others. I think a simple redesign of that area could remedy the issue. My only other main issue is with spawning. There were several times where I spawned out in the open ad immediately fell under fire or got hit by a vehicle. Make sure spawns are in relatively safe locations and that players are easily able to orient themselves immediately. Some other nitpicks: The extended balcony around the back of blue gives too much power over Eastagte. Some of the clamber routes leading to the "stage" overlooking rockets are more complicated than they need to be (the tunnel one, mostly). You may also consider experimenting with putting a window in the middle opening of the plaza loop for additional cover for people spawning. I have some ideas as to how you can fix the Eastgate area of the map in ways that will address other minor issues at the same time. Message me on XBL so I can go over them with you in forge, as explaining it without showing you in game would be difficult.
SHIFTY time - Eagle Square -
This map is still impressing me. It's very simple, yet offers fun and deep gameplay. The new cross-map lift locations are much better, and the stairs up to the sniper are a welcome change. My only major complaint about the map is the location of the assault goals, as they can easily be seen through long lines of sight from the adjacent corners of the map, making bomb arming unnecessarily difficult. I'm still not a huge fan of the vertical movement options in the far back underground corners, but you made a good case as to why you're keeping it as is. Aside from those small things, I'm not sure what else to say, other than that I still agree with Colson. If you can find the budget, you should TOTALLY put an "eagle-esque" statue somewhere
This map has very little that needs to be changed at this point. I think now it's just a matter of fine tuning performance, weapons and spawns, and making sure weird bugs like last night's Overshield fiasco don't happen. I'll come in and help you clean up your piece count and extra geometry like we talked about sometime this week.
The Grim Dealer - Echoes -
This map feels like Basin on steroids, and is honestly one of the better takes on this style I've seen. However, it still suffers many of the same issues because of this style. All of the lanes to approach the bases are lone parallel lines of sight with very little useful cover for infantry. Players on foot are forced to sprint and sneak around corners just to traverse the map. When they get to the enemy base, they face the problem of crossing a giant open threshold with no strategy other than hoping they don't die on the way. This is due to the overly linear nature of the map, and the fact that the bases can only be approached from the front. Finding some way to let players attack the bases from the side, and incorporating the bases into the surrounding terrain more will make the map less reliant on vehicles as the only means to attack or pulls the flag, and will lead to more interesting interactions between players on foot and the vehicles. My only other suggestion would be to experiment with forcing vehicles to take a longer route from base to base by making them have to zig-zag through the middle somehow. This will make travel times between infantry and vehicles more fair, and let infantry fight vehicles without feeling useless.
alex quit - Kizingo -
The new Stronghold placement played MUCH better than the previous version. Each Stronghold felt equally powerful and vulnerable to attack, with the exception of Eastgate still feeling a tiny bit less useful than others. I think a simple redesign of that area could remedy the issue. My only other main issue is with spawning. There were several times where I spawned out in the open ad immediately fell under fire or got hit by a vehicle. Make sure spawns are in relatively safe locations and that players are easily able to orient themselves immediately. Some other nitpicks: The extended balcony around the back of blue gives too much power over Eastagte. Some of the clamber routes leading to the "stage" overlooking rockets are more complicated than they need to be (the tunnel one, mostly). You may also consider experimenting with putting a window in the middle opening of the plaza loop for additional cover for people spawning. I have some ideas as to how you can fix the Eastgate area of the map in ways that will address other minor issues at the same time. Message me on XBL so I can go over them with you in forge, as explaining it without showing you in game would be difficult.
SHIFTY time - Eagle Square -
This map is still impressing me. It's very simple, yet offers fun and deep gameplay. The new cross-map lift locations are much better, and the stairs up to the sniper are a welcome change. My only major complaint about the map is the location of the assault goals, as they can easily be seen through long lines of sight from the adjacent corners of the map, making bomb arming unnecessarily difficult. I'm still not a huge fan of the vertical movement options in the far back underground corners, but you made a good case as to why you're keeping it as is. Aside from those small things, I'm not sure what else to say, other than that I still agree with Colson. If you can find the budget, you should TOTALLY put an "eagle-esque" statue somewhere
Last edited:
To piggy-back off this - I'm thinking we should also encourage map creators to pose questions about their map they would like answered/feedback on. I'm not sure we should flood this thread with Q&A but I think it would help direct feedback.
Especially when I'm not sure what else to add to the feedback already given ;p
THE CRADLE
The scale of this map feels really good now. The single gondola that moves across the map rather than the two makes it feel more prominent and its implications are clearer - riding the Gondola across the map with a group and the bomb carrier was a great experience. I agree that the middle of the map is largely underutilized, I noticed you changed those bridges leading to mid - they felt much more integrated into the geometry but were still largely unused. The large rock tower in the middle seems a bit out of place - maybe finding a way to turn it into a fore-runner structure that can connect the left and right lanes while still providing access to the gondola overhead might be interesting. Overall I'm a fan of the map's elements, but I think you'll need to find a way to connect them effectively. I'm interested to see where it goes from here.
And yeah those frame drops - really prevalent when looking across the map from either base.
RAT'S NEST
For the most part this map is enjoyable - it plays much better with an objective - as it did in H3. The additions/changes made make sense and utilized very much. To me the sideways crates that are acting as tunnels are a bit awkward to me, they don't quite feel like a part of the map - rather just some crates laying on their side. The changes you've made in general feel like they were tagged on, maybe try to make them look and feel like they were always there would be worth exploring. They narrow catwalks that lead to the overhang looking out on rocket spawn is really cramped and awkward to play on - simplifying and enlarging the paths in this area would make it more inviting to players.
FRACTURE
Before I had mentioned that I couldn't find my groove on this map - that problem has been remedied. The feels much more intuitive now. Assault and CTF were intense and heated experiences.
FERROUS
Strongholds is definitely what makes this map shine - Slayer worked but it didn't provide the same flavor that Strongholds does.
ARTEMIS
[insert sweaty emoticon]
ECHOES
The feedback given here is still relevant
EAGLE SQUARE
I much preferred Assault to CTF on this map. I feel the game type promoted a more competitive and focused experience. I also found myself using much more of the map with this game type. I agree that the current bomb plant locations are too open, making it incredibly difficult to plant the bomb at times. Also a few of the spawns in the tunnel corners by camo were a bit awkward and disorienting for me.
I also want to see an eagle on the map hah - tho that tram is pretty shweet.
HANGOUT
The feedback given here is still relevant
ZAHRUINE
Overall this map was indeed cramped for BTB and the two Manti definitely didn't play well in such a vertical and cramped space. The movement options are largely unintuitive - not knowing where each path led nor understanding why I would want to take them. There were multiple cases where I ended up on top of a few of the structures - wondering if I was supposed to be there - I wasn't sure if it was an intended play space or if I was inadvertently "breaking" the map.
I know I've said this recently in my feedback for other recent maps - sorry if I sound like a broken record but I think it's good food for thought for anyone who might not have heard it yet.
I think that the problems in this map's design (as well as the others I've metntioned this for) stem from a lack of direction. By this I mean that the map doesn't seem designed with a goal in mind. Therefore it ends up feeling like random structures connected haphazardly by filling in the gaps with random blocks. So I would encourage you to really nail down a goal you want the map to meet - it doesn't have to be extravagant or complicated but having something will no doubt help.
The scale of this map feels really good now. The single gondola that moves across the map rather than the two makes it feel more prominent and its implications are clearer - riding the Gondola across the map with a group and the bomb carrier was a great experience. I agree that the middle of the map is largely underutilized, I noticed you changed those bridges leading to mid - they felt much more integrated into the geometry but were still largely unused. The large rock tower in the middle seems a bit out of place - maybe finding a way to turn it into a fore-runner structure that can connect the left and right lanes while still providing access to the gondola overhead might be interesting. Overall I'm a fan of the map's elements, but I think you'll need to find a way to connect them effectively. I'm interested to see where it goes from here.
And yeah those frame drops - really prevalent when looking across the map from either base.
RAT'S NEST
For the most part this map is enjoyable - it plays much better with an objective - as it did in H3. The additions/changes made make sense and utilized very much. To me the sideways crates that are acting as tunnels are a bit awkward to me, they don't quite feel like a part of the map - rather just some crates laying on their side. The changes you've made in general feel like they were tagged on, maybe try to make them look and feel like they were always there would be worth exploring. They narrow catwalks that lead to the overhang looking out on rocket spawn is really cramped and awkward to play on - simplifying and enlarging the paths in this area would make it more inviting to players.
FRACTURE
Before I had mentioned that I couldn't find my groove on this map - that problem has been remedied. The feels much more intuitive now. Assault and CTF were intense and heated experiences.
FERROUS
Strongholds is definitely what makes this map shine - Slayer worked but it didn't provide the same flavor that Strongholds does.
ARTEMIS
[insert sweaty emoticon]
ECHOES
The feedback given here is still relevant
EAGLE SQUARE
I much preferred Assault to CTF on this map. I feel the game type promoted a more competitive and focused experience. I also found myself using much more of the map with this game type. I agree that the current bomb plant locations are too open, making it incredibly difficult to plant the bomb at times. Also a few of the spawns in the tunnel corners by camo were a bit awkward and disorienting for me.
I also want to see an eagle on the map hah - tho that tram is pretty shweet.
HANGOUT
The feedback given here is still relevant
ZAHRUINE
Overall this map was indeed cramped for BTB and the two Manti definitely didn't play well in such a vertical and cramped space. The movement options are largely unintuitive - not knowing where each path led nor understanding why I would want to take them. There were multiple cases where I ended up on top of a few of the structures - wondering if I was supposed to be there - I wasn't sure if it was an intended play space or if I was inadvertently "breaking" the map.
I know I've said this recently in my feedback for other recent maps - sorry if I sound like a broken record but I think it's good food for thought for anyone who might not have heard it yet.
I think that the problems in this map's design (as well as the others I've metntioned this for) stem from a lack of direction. By this I mean that the map doesn't seem designed with a goal in mind. Therefore it ends up feeling like random structures connected haphazardly by filling in the gaps with random blocks. So I would encourage you to really nail down a goal you want the map to meet - it doesn't have to be extravagant or complicated but having something will no doubt help.
Uplift Plaza
As far as adapting a campaign or Firefight space to a multiplayer map, Crater was probably a safe bet. But, it's still pretty clear that the map was not designed for PvP in the first place. The upper area where the road would have been on the original was pretty cut off and wasn't really part of the map's flow. This is unsurprising since this area was originally intended as a drop-off point for mobs in PvE which would then be funneled down one of the staircases and into the core of the level. The bottom rooms on either side were somewhat cut off as well. Meanwhile, all routes into the bases converge from the same vertical level and approach only from the front. The elevator wasn't really a helpful addition to flow either, as it was so out of the way and not immediately recognizable as a working elevator. To properly adapt this space for PvE, try rethinking how the different vertical levels connect with one another. Try to avoid making any design decisions simply because "that's how it was on the original" as well. This space has potential for PvE; it just needs to break away from its inspiration a bit more to realize it.
AcropolisFirst of all, let me apologize for playing this so late in the lobby. You requested a testing slot so late, and right before the thread spilled onto the next page, that I just never saw it.
This map is a bit too linear currently, with mainly linear parallel connections from one side to the other. Despite having some interesting overlap at the bases, the majority of the map played rather flat. This, combined with the aforementioned linearity, did not provide enough variety in ways to approach the bases. This led to tug of war engagements without much in the way of meaningful positions to lock down and control that flow. Try creating different types of routes and control points with different advantages and disadvantages. Make sure that the bases can be approached from more angles than just the front. Provide room for players to respawn behind their flags so they aren't pushed to spawn upfield where they have a head start on retrieving their flag.
This map is a bit too linear currently, with mainly linear parallel connections from one side to the other. Despite having some interesting overlap at the bases, the majority of the map played rather flat. This, combined with the aforementioned linearity, did not provide enough variety in ways to approach the bases. This led to tug of war engagements without much in the way of meaningful positions to lock down and control that flow. Try creating different types of routes and control points with different advantages and disadvantages. Make sure that the bases can be approached from more angles than just the front. Provide room for players to respawn behind their flags so they aren't pushed to spawn upfield where they have a head start on retrieving their flag.
My feedback for the maps in the most recent playtesting lobby.
Spearhead - The Phaetons, oh god, the Phaetons. I get what you were going for, the original Spire had two Falcons, Halo 5 doesn't have Falcons, so you found an alternative. The problem with this however, is that the Falcon was more or less a transport vehicle, while the Phaeton is arguably the most terrifying thing in Warzone. While they counter each other well enough, if one team can get both of them, they're pretty much guaranteed the win, as there's nothing else that can easily counter them, with the only escape being the inside of the spire itself. As for the power weapons, they all felt like the did their own thing, and had next to no interaction with each other. The bottom of the spire feels a bit smaller than the original, but I haven't played Reach since Halo 4 came out, so that might just be My imagination. Also, one of the lifts in the spire is broken. Visually, the spire looks almost exactly like the original, and I like the snow theme as opposed the the original's, well, dirt. I actually liked the original Spire, so I look forward to seeing this map improve.
Nightclub - This map just felt confusing to Me. When a Gungoose feels powerful, there's a problem, and they felt pretty powerful to Me, due to the large amount of long open hallways. Additionally, Mid is too easily camped, where the other strongholds are rather open.
The Cradle - Gravity Hammer and Overshields right next to each other, why? The hammer itself didn't feel very useful on it's own (at least to Me) but putting the two next to each other is a killing spree waiting to happen. The other power weapons on the map were pretty well balanced in My opinion, as was the Banshee. The gondola I've heard so much about is as unique and interesting as I had thought, but it feels just a bit too exposed when riding it. In terms of visuals, the map is beautiful.
Badger Pit - This was My map, and I have nothing special to say about it this time around.
Rat's Nest - It plays like Rat's Nest... Okay, that joke has already been used. Jokes aside, I liked this map. That said the Gravity Hammer spawn is odd. Not only can it be camped in, the area designed for it is too big, as I was able to capture the middle stronghold just by going through it once. If you're set on keeping this, I'd suggest raising the bottom of that stronghold, up out of it. In contrast to My dislike of the hammer spawn, I quite like the sniper spawn. I'd also like to mention the jersey barriers along the vehicle route. While it makes sense for them to be movable, it just feels weird to Me. I love the way this map looks.
Fracture - The lifts on the sides of the middle building confuse Me.
Echoes - The map feels like it has a lot more cover compared to the last version I played. This is a good thing. The Railguns being moved on top of the bases is a welcome change. The teleporters still feel a bit odd to Me though.
Kizingo - I think Blue team has a bit of an initial advantage in Strongholds, Starting near both Taxi and Eastgate. Aside from this, all the better!
Eagle Square - I lagged out partway through the match on this map. Because of that, I can't provide a complete opinion.
Hangout - The Binary Rifle spawns in an already powerful position for it. Once I picked it up, I didn't have to move from that location until I ran out of ammo. Other than this, I have no complaints.
___
And then I left the lobby to sleep.
Spearhead - The Phaetons, oh god, the Phaetons. I get what you were going for, the original Spire had two Falcons, Halo 5 doesn't have Falcons, so you found an alternative. The problem with this however, is that the Falcon was more or less a transport vehicle, while the Phaeton is arguably the most terrifying thing in Warzone. While they counter each other well enough, if one team can get both of them, they're pretty much guaranteed the win, as there's nothing else that can easily counter them, with the only escape being the inside of the spire itself. As for the power weapons, they all felt like the did their own thing, and had next to no interaction with each other. The bottom of the spire feels a bit smaller than the original, but I haven't played Reach since Halo 4 came out, so that might just be My imagination. Also, one of the lifts in the spire is broken. Visually, the spire looks almost exactly like the original, and I like the snow theme as opposed the the original's, well, dirt. I actually liked the original Spire, so I look forward to seeing this map improve.
Nightclub - This map just felt confusing to Me. When a Gungoose feels powerful, there's a problem, and they felt pretty powerful to Me, due to the large amount of long open hallways. Additionally, Mid is too easily camped, where the other strongholds are rather open.
The Cradle - Gravity Hammer and Overshields right next to each other, why? The hammer itself didn't feel very useful on it's own (at least to Me) but putting the two next to each other is a killing spree waiting to happen. The other power weapons on the map were pretty well balanced in My opinion, as was the Banshee. The gondola I've heard so much about is as unique and interesting as I had thought, but it feels just a bit too exposed when riding it. In terms of visuals, the map is beautiful.
Badger Pit - This was My map, and I have nothing special to say about it this time around.
Rat's Nest - It plays like Rat's Nest... Okay, that joke has already been used. Jokes aside, I liked this map. That said the Gravity Hammer spawn is odd. Not only can it be camped in, the area designed for it is too big, as I was able to capture the middle stronghold just by going through it once. If you're set on keeping this, I'd suggest raising the bottom of that stronghold, up out of it. In contrast to My dislike of the hammer spawn, I quite like the sniper spawn. I'd also like to mention the jersey barriers along the vehicle route. While it makes sense for them to be movable, it just feels weird to Me. I love the way this map looks.
Fracture - The lifts on the sides of the middle building confuse Me.
Echoes - The map feels like it has a lot more cover compared to the last version I played. This is a good thing. The Railguns being moved on top of the bases is a welcome change. The teleporters still feel a bit odd to Me though.
Kizingo - I think Blue team has a bit of an initial advantage in Strongholds, Starting near both Taxi and Eastgate. Aside from this, all the better!
Eagle Square - I lagged out partway through the match on this map. Because of that, I can't provide a complete opinion.
Hangout - The Binary Rifle spawns in an already powerful position for it. Once I picked it up, I didn't have to move from that location until I ran out of ammo. Other than this, I have no complaints.
___
And then I left the lobby to sleep.
Quick question, how do you fix frame drops, do you just add line of sight blockers so people can't see across the entire map? What's causing the frame drops, is it the pelican object covenant pieces? Any feedback on that specifically would be helpful, I am currently working on reworking the vertical scaling of the map and reworking pathing around bottom middle.
Thanks again everyone for the feedback! Playtesting was a lot of fun sunday and monday. I'm hesitating on critiquing other people's maps cuz I am quite inexperienced myself, hope that's okay. Anyways, cheers
Thanks again everyone for the feedback! Playtesting was a lot of fun sunday and monday. I'm hesitating on critiquing other people's maps cuz I am quite inexperienced myself, hope that's okay. Anyways, cheers
In my experience usually frame-drops are caused by things like a high light-map, dense/multiple particle effects, or when you have a number of detailed pieces crammed into one space(props and the like). And yes line of sight plays a large part as well - because we can see the majority of the map from either base it is causing strain on the engine because it has to render nearly everything at once. However, that doesn't mean you should block these lines of sight if doesn't make sense for the map. Most likely the pelicans are causing some, if not most of it. I would start by turning "Bake Lighting" to off on as many of the large pieces as you can - this may be enough to fix it. The bake lighting option can be found under object properties all the way to the bottom - hope this helps! :]
Also I wouldn't hesitate on giving feedback - any opinions/suggestions may be useful.
Last edited:
Thanks for the tips alex and for suggesting I should write feedback on some of these maps. Critiquing other people's work turned out to be quite insightful and informative, and surprisingly a little fun. I hope you guys find some of what I wrote useful, otherwise just disregard it as pointless rambling xD, here goes:
- Echoes -
Aesthetically, this map feels like an extension of the 2nd campaign level from Halo: CE, so my compliments to you for all the details you put in to make it feel that way. While playing CTF on the map, it felt like there were only two ways to go about when pulling the flag: mounting a full assault with several vehicles which was difficult to pull off without possession of the banshee, and the other more common one was two players sneaking the flag through the teleporter or via mongoose. In either case, it felt as if once the flag left the initial base it was insanely hard to retrieve back. I’m sure the spawns put the team trying to retrieve the flag close enough to the action, however due to large obstacles and terrain in the way the flag carrier and his team would always slip by through the nooks and cause frustration. The only moment teams could contest returning a flag would be at the other base’s doorsteps. That large stretch of open land almost guaranteed the team pulling the flag a cap because of their closer spawns and one touch pick up. I feel as if this map is missing the good old tug of war feeling that Valhalla brought because flag contesting happens so much deeper into each side of the map instead of around the middle. Due to the lack of mancannons, it does sometimes feel as if infantry is always one step behind vehicles. Also, sometimes spawning on either Splaser side or banshee side when the enemy team is rushing to your base with vehicles, leaves you feeling powerless, especially when the power weapons are not available. Perhaps adding a turret near the side cliffs or a tier 2 weapon to slow down vehicles could help players actually try to stop the enemy team instead of rushing to the enemy base for a counter pull as the only other viable strategy. Just a few observations that I hope you find useful =]
- Badger Pit -
I think the thing that frustrated me most on this map was how confined the ghost felt within whichever side it spawned on. I feel like if the ghost got to maneuver through the needler cave area up till the corner strongholds it would give it more room to breathe and more of a purpose. As it was mentioned earlier, the pathing seems a bit unintuitive due the middle area being sharp corners. I like the idea of changing that into a more exposed but powerful bridge leading from base to base. Also I'd suggest making it diagonal so the two bases have some sort of sightline, which could help players orient themselves on this map and know where their enemies are spawning. I realize you are going for a cave theme but have you considered opening up the roof in certain areas to help with orientation? The terrain feels a bit labyrinth like so some geometry higher up on the map or the ceiling being open in some spots could help players realize where they are currently positioned and where they are heading. I liked some of the skill jumps you added into the rock pillars and if within budget, you should stretch the bottomless pit so people don’t instinctively jump off the map, sometimes it is difficult to tell if there is a floor beneath the next jump or a death pit. That’s about it for this one, Keep at it
- Kizingo –
I really like the art phase that went into this map since the last time I played it, the buildings tell a story and I’m really liking the nighttime atmosphere - something about being in a cityscape, and surrounded by mountains almost makes this city block you created feel cozy and Christmas like, haha especially imagining a Christmas tree in the middle of the center platform. That aside, the map plays really well after the strong hold location change. Now the flow of the action is constantly circular which is great. The vehicle pathing is more organic now as well since the strongholds provide direction for the driver to drive in laps. The games played on it were very close and super sweaty. The only minor things I’d wanna comment on would be that some weapons and vehicles are hard to see during gameplay. For ex. The ghost is sort of tucked a bit too much in and the players capturing the Taxi Stronghold could possibly not take notice due to the sightline. Another example would be the hydra under the Arch, A bit in the dark, maybe if a white block was placed underneath it to highlight it, it would be more prominent from the upper ledges. Other than that, the map is solid.
- Eagle Square -
I haven’t played any old versions of this map so I can’t comment on any changes, but I like what I see, a lot. The aesthetics feel very clean and reach inspired, and I didn’t notice those scripted trams you had until watching the replay, nice touch =] The game I played was a very quick CTF game that mainly took place on the surface level, although there was some vehicular action in the underground and some rocket fights bottom mid. Will say the match was short but sweet. I’d be interested in playing strongholds on the map as well which might utilize more locations of the map than CTF as it was mostly top mid rush, I don’t really know how else the other sides of the map could be used during CTF as the fastest and most common flag cap seemed to be across top mid. One thing I’d say is I didn’t see too many sniper kills on the map and I might think there is simply a tad too much cover for sniper to be useful to slow down top mid gameplay. Maybe you could reduce the height of some of these taller covers to give the sniper rifle a bit more dominance, or maybe outright replace it with two railguns instead but that is up to you, what do I know. Anyways great work!
- Hangout –
Firstly, I wanted to say this last week but this map has got the most visually appealing teleporter design I’ve seen in this game so far imo, Great work =]. Have to say the gameplay on this map is an acquired taste for me. Played on it a bunch of times over the weeks and it is slowly growing on me more and more. The various adjustments to the stronghold locations, especially pink, is improving in each version and the banshee doesn’t seem as be all end all as it was couple of weeks ago. I will say that the map definitely requires several playthroughs to get used to the pathing, due to the vertical complexity of the map so first-timers may find it initially confusing to traverse the different areas just like I did in the beginning. Also there are so many catwalks and upper areas, I’m slightly questioning the power of the warthog or ghost as players are quite safe if they stick to the upper levels. The vehicles definitely seem necessary to hold down yellow corner but if a team chose to just hold pink and café, they don’t provide as much interaction with those strongholds as the banshee does, just a thought. Besides that, the map is unique and definitely stands out, Nice work!
- Ferrous -
This map is easily the most fun I’ve had driving around in a warthog, let’s start with that. The vehicle pathing is superbly interwoven with infantry movement and I keep discovering new jumps every playtest. To make a scrap metal yard look this great and immersive, massive props to you and your keen eye for detail. Gameplay for strongholds is nearing perfect and I wouldn’t mind trying assault on it as well. The few things I’d say is that the version I was playing (.3), there were gaps in the wall next to red trench which players could hide inside, dunno if it was intentional or not. Also near the ghost spawn area, there seems to be a nook to hide behind that feels like it should be blocked off. Besides that, the only thing I noticed is that the red side warthog was in a more noticeable location for players than the blue side warthog. Often times if I was on the blue team, I had to go retrieve the warthog from the cave because my teammates simply didn’t spawn near or were aware that the warthog spawned. Maybe adjusting a couple of spawns to be facing the warthog would remedy that issue. Anyways my final comment for this map is that this feels and looks like a dev map. Fantastic work!
- Artemis –
This map is very unique in a way for me because it makes 8 v 8 BTB feel like a 4v4 arena match. It’s action packed from start to finish, very sweaty palm inducing. Every object seems to be placed in a calculated fashion and it really shows. Almost all the paths are used in gameplay and the map works equally well for both CTF and Assault. I really like the position of the flag and bomb plant site on top of the base rather than when it was inside it. Assault was especially fun because of the exposed nature of planting the bomb, there were some insane clutch situations in the game where the planter was sniped from across the map right before they scored, very great gameplay overall. Just a couple of comments, I was wondering how useful the plasma caster was in the game, it certainly had its moments but I’d personally prefer a stronger weapon. A Railgun might be too much because of the two snipers that already exist on the map but something like the SAW could be interesting, just an idea. One more thing is that this map feels like a ghost map, but it does not feel like a warthog map. The spacing is simply too tight in many areas so the warthog is delegated to more of a moving turret role than a speeding vehicle of death. If that was the intention behind placing it, that is fine but I think that a gungoose could work pretty well as a flag-carrier deliverer and a more suited gunned 4-wheeler on this particular map. Final comments, if there is such a thing as BTB MLG map, this is prolly it, so major kudos to you sir.
- Fracture -
I am glad that there is at least one map with great mantis gameplay, to my surprise these vehicles fill more of a support role than I initially thought. It feels like they work as point guards for objective type gametypes such as CTF and assault, and the map is well built around this sandbox of vehicles. Assault got extremely heated, especially in chat haha because the game was so close. CTF if I recall also worked great as well, although I’d say Assault could be the new primary gametype for this map as it stands based on the fun I had during the playtest. I like some of the minor changes, adding a second ledge inside the middle deathpit has saved me from falling to my doom more frequently than before. The new shotgun location is much preferred and the camo is worth getting at the bottom of the map as it burns 5-10 seconds off of it which balances out the short distances to each base. Overall, the theme of the map comes really well together, personally Fracture gives me the vibe of a soviet era base in syberia or something like that =], also great to see more people adding scripted aesthetics in their maps! Also really like the blast shield aesthetics bottom mid. Great and inspired work!
- Echoes -
Aesthetically, this map feels like an extension of the 2nd campaign level from Halo: CE, so my compliments to you for all the details you put in to make it feel that way. While playing CTF on the map, it felt like there were only two ways to go about when pulling the flag: mounting a full assault with several vehicles which was difficult to pull off without possession of the banshee, and the other more common one was two players sneaking the flag through the teleporter or via mongoose. In either case, it felt as if once the flag left the initial base it was insanely hard to retrieve back. I’m sure the spawns put the team trying to retrieve the flag close enough to the action, however due to large obstacles and terrain in the way the flag carrier and his team would always slip by through the nooks and cause frustration. The only moment teams could contest returning a flag would be at the other base’s doorsteps. That large stretch of open land almost guaranteed the team pulling the flag a cap because of their closer spawns and one touch pick up. I feel as if this map is missing the good old tug of war feeling that Valhalla brought because flag contesting happens so much deeper into each side of the map instead of around the middle. Due to the lack of mancannons, it does sometimes feel as if infantry is always one step behind vehicles. Also, sometimes spawning on either Splaser side or banshee side when the enemy team is rushing to your base with vehicles, leaves you feeling powerless, especially when the power weapons are not available. Perhaps adding a turret near the side cliffs or a tier 2 weapon to slow down vehicles could help players actually try to stop the enemy team instead of rushing to the enemy base for a counter pull as the only other viable strategy. Just a few observations that I hope you find useful =]
- Badger Pit -
I think the thing that frustrated me most on this map was how confined the ghost felt within whichever side it spawned on. I feel like if the ghost got to maneuver through the needler cave area up till the corner strongholds it would give it more room to breathe and more of a purpose. As it was mentioned earlier, the pathing seems a bit unintuitive due the middle area being sharp corners. I like the idea of changing that into a more exposed but powerful bridge leading from base to base. Also I'd suggest making it diagonal so the two bases have some sort of sightline, which could help players orient themselves on this map and know where their enemies are spawning. I realize you are going for a cave theme but have you considered opening up the roof in certain areas to help with orientation? The terrain feels a bit labyrinth like so some geometry higher up on the map or the ceiling being open in some spots could help players realize where they are currently positioned and where they are heading. I liked some of the skill jumps you added into the rock pillars and if within budget, you should stretch the bottomless pit so people don’t instinctively jump off the map, sometimes it is difficult to tell if there is a floor beneath the next jump or a death pit. That’s about it for this one, Keep at it
- Kizingo –
I really like the art phase that went into this map since the last time I played it, the buildings tell a story and I’m really liking the nighttime atmosphere - something about being in a cityscape, and surrounded by mountains almost makes this city block you created feel cozy and Christmas like, haha especially imagining a Christmas tree in the middle of the center platform. That aside, the map plays really well after the strong hold location change. Now the flow of the action is constantly circular which is great. The vehicle pathing is more organic now as well since the strongholds provide direction for the driver to drive in laps. The games played on it were very close and super sweaty. The only minor things I’d wanna comment on would be that some weapons and vehicles are hard to see during gameplay. For ex. The ghost is sort of tucked a bit too much in and the players capturing the Taxi Stronghold could possibly not take notice due to the sightline. Another example would be the hydra under the Arch, A bit in the dark, maybe if a white block was placed underneath it to highlight it, it would be more prominent from the upper ledges. Other than that, the map is solid.
- Eagle Square -
I haven’t played any old versions of this map so I can’t comment on any changes, but I like what I see, a lot. The aesthetics feel very clean and reach inspired, and I didn’t notice those scripted trams you had until watching the replay, nice touch =] The game I played was a very quick CTF game that mainly took place on the surface level, although there was some vehicular action in the underground and some rocket fights bottom mid. Will say the match was short but sweet. I’d be interested in playing strongholds on the map as well which might utilize more locations of the map than CTF as it was mostly top mid rush, I don’t really know how else the other sides of the map could be used during CTF as the fastest and most common flag cap seemed to be across top mid. One thing I’d say is I didn’t see too many sniper kills on the map and I might think there is simply a tad too much cover for sniper to be useful to slow down top mid gameplay. Maybe you could reduce the height of some of these taller covers to give the sniper rifle a bit more dominance, or maybe outright replace it with two railguns instead but that is up to you, what do I know
. Anyways great work!- Hangout –
Firstly, I wanted to say this last week but this map has got the most visually appealing teleporter design I’ve seen in this game so far imo, Great work =]. Have to say the gameplay on this map is an acquired taste for me. Played on it a bunch of times over the weeks and it is slowly growing on me more and more. The various adjustments to the stronghold locations, especially pink, is improving in each version and the banshee doesn’t seem as be all end all as it was couple of weeks ago. I will say that the map definitely requires several playthroughs to get used to the pathing, due to the vertical complexity of the map so first-timers may find it initially confusing to traverse the different areas just like I did in the beginning. Also there are so many catwalks and upper areas, I’m slightly questioning the power of the warthog or ghost as players are quite safe if they stick to the upper levels. The vehicles definitely seem necessary to hold down yellow corner but if a team chose to just hold pink and café, they don’t provide as much interaction with those strongholds as the banshee does, just a thought. Besides that, the map is unique and definitely stands out, Nice work!
- Ferrous -
This map is easily the most fun I’ve had driving around in a warthog, let’s start with that. The vehicle pathing is superbly interwoven with infantry movement and I keep discovering new jumps every playtest. To make a scrap metal yard look this great and immersive, massive props to you and your keen eye for detail. Gameplay for strongholds is nearing perfect and I wouldn’t mind trying assault on it as well. The few things I’d say is that the version I was playing (.3), there were gaps in the wall next to red trench which players could hide inside, dunno if it was intentional or not. Also near the ghost spawn area, there seems to be a nook to hide behind that feels like it should be blocked off. Besides that, the only thing I noticed is that the red side warthog was in a more noticeable location for players than the blue side warthog. Often times if I was on the blue team, I had to go retrieve the warthog from the cave because my teammates simply didn’t spawn near or were aware that the warthog spawned. Maybe adjusting a couple of spawns to be facing the warthog would remedy that issue. Anyways my final comment for this map is that this feels and looks like a dev map. Fantastic work!
- Artemis –
This map is very unique in a way for me because it makes 8 v 8 BTB feel like a 4v4 arena match. It’s action packed from start to finish, very sweaty palm inducing. Every object seems to be placed in a calculated fashion and it really shows. Almost all the paths are used in gameplay and the map works equally well for both CTF and Assault. I really like the position of the flag and bomb plant site on top of the base rather than when it was inside it. Assault was especially fun because of the exposed nature of planting the bomb, there were some insane clutch situations in the game where the planter was sniped from across the map right before they scored, very great gameplay overall. Just a couple of comments, I was wondering how useful the plasma caster was in the game, it certainly had its moments but I’d personally prefer a stronger weapon. A Railgun might be too much because of the two snipers that already exist on the map but something like the SAW could be interesting, just an idea. One more thing is that this map feels like a ghost map, but it does not feel like a warthog map. The spacing is simply too tight in many areas so the warthog is delegated to more of a moving turret role than a speeding vehicle of death. If that was the intention behind placing it, that is fine but I think that a gungoose could work pretty well as a flag-carrier deliverer and a more suited gunned 4-wheeler on this particular map. Final comments, if there is such a thing as BTB MLG map, this is prolly it, so major kudos to you sir.
- Fracture -
I am glad that there is at least one map with great mantis gameplay, to my surprise these vehicles fill more of a support role than I initially thought. It feels like they work as point guards for objective type gametypes such as CTF and assault, and the map is well built around this sandbox of vehicles. Assault got extremely heated, especially in chat haha because the game was so close. CTF if I recall also worked great as well, although I’d say Assault could be the new primary gametype for this map as it stands based on the fun I had during the playtest. I like some of the minor changes, adding a second ledge inside the middle deathpit has saved me from falling to my doom more frequently than before. The new shotgun location is much preferred and the camo is worth getting at the bottom of the map as it burns 5-10 seconds off of it which balances out the short distances to each base. Overall, the theme of the map comes really well together, personally Fracture gives me the vibe of a soviet era base in syberia or something like that =], also great to see more people adding scripted aesthetics in their maps! Also really like the blast shield aesthetics bottom mid. Great and inspired work!
For Monday map test March 7th.
Hangout - Slayer (I've done plenty of strongholds at this point)
4th slot if possible
Hangout - Slayer (I've done plenty of strongholds at this point)
4th slot if possible
- Status