Maximus IL

PALE Maximus IL Pale was built as an entry for the combined 343industries.org / Forge Cafe / Halo Customs 2v2 contest. The contest version is here for anyone who would like to play 2v2. Both the 4v4 and 2v2 versions support Slayer, Regicide, CTF, Extraction, KoTH, Oddball, and Ricochet. The geometry of Pale is deliberately simple, as I chose to avoid using ordnance drops for all but the initial 2v2 power weapons. To ensure it won't take players several games just to figure out how to obtain weapons (since there are no HUD markers), the weapons are in the places everyone would look for them to begin with. I will point out that, despite the simplicity, the map geometry can be used in non-obvious ways to obtain positional advantages. Spawning on this map for CTF / Ricochet will appear a bit nonstandard if you look at it in Forge. Due to the small size of the map, even with 3 stacked respawn zones I had a couple of cases where someone would spawn in the enemy's base. So I decided to take a page out of MrGreenWithaGun's book and use team-assigned respawns for CTF / Ricochet. With this, there is no possibility of spawning at the enemy base. Weapons Loadout Weapons (4v4 version, Pale A): 2x DMR, BR, Magnum, AR, SR, Suppressor; 1x LR, Carbine, 8x Frag, 8x Pulse Loadout Weapons (2v2 version, Pale : 2x DMR, BR, Magnum; 1x LR, Carbine, 4x Frag, 4x Pulse Power Weapons: See below. Note that for the 2v2 version, the ordnance drops do not resupply and the spawned power weapons do not spawn at the beginning of the game. Additional Screenshots PALE

THERMOPYLAE Maximus IL Updated 11/9/13 Thermopylae is a small-to-medium sized map designed primarily with CTF in mind (6 - 10 players), but should play Slayer with sprint down to 2v2. NS settings should be played with 3v3 or 4v4. Map Info Canvas: Ravine Size: A bit smaller than Solace Layout: Symmetrically designed and positioned bases. The playspace around the bases is somewhat asymmetric. Both bases are connected by a 3-level structure through the narrows, with 5 total routes. The bottom and mid routes are connected in the center and at the ends. Players can jump between the top routes. Each base has three entry points and a side platform with a view of the middle route, while a taller platform and Dominion piece block the LOS for the top assault route. The top routes and basement routes cannot be covered from the bases or platforms. Changes from WIP Version: 1. Teleporters no longer give immediate access to the bases (thanks Juanez Sanchez). They are now used to transition between lower and mid. The fourth route to the bases formerly provided by the teleporters is now a hard route. 2. Oddball, Extraction, and KoTH added. 3. Additional spawning changes. 4. Fixed some jump-ups. Ordnance: 1x Railgun (100s), 2x Needler (130s, one for each base) Weapons: 2x each DMR, Carbine, BR, AR Grenades: 8x Pulse, 8x Frag Overview: Additional Notes: Some play area is hidden by the cliffs (they overhang). The coliseum walls on the right hand side of the map are no longer present. I deliberately avoided coloring any pieces, as I think Ravine is so much prettier without that. It shouldn't be hard to tell where you are on this map . . . coloring just adds clutter. Other Screenshots: THERMOPYLAE

Thank you for the reply. FYI, the perspective in the vid is not mine (I'm not that good). It's addict3d 2cha0s's perspective. I was off in the distance trying to get the flag while my teammates tried to cover me. But as we were playing shorthanded against a full team (that also happened to have two very good 50's), it was an uphill battle. While I do agree that the map plays very fast and the center is quite powerful for CTF, I don't think there was much spawn killing. In the vid, chaos was attacked immediately off spawn only twice (at the beginning). There were several times where she died within 5 seconds or so of spawn, but that was because she chose to immediately engage. The spawn itself was safe. Also, the map was built for Ricochet. Top mid is far less powerful in Ricochet. Unlike CTF where you have to transit no-man's land 3 times (twice in enemy territory and once in yours), in Ricochet you only have to transit no-man's land once (from your base to mid), and if you go the side routes, you don't have to transit it at all because you could squirt around the sides and score with a throw. There was additional cover in the early versions of the map which did make CTF play more traditionally, but the cover caused problems with Ricochet. In order to keep Ricochet from playing like basketball (score - change of possession - score - change of possession - score . . . etc.), you have 2 viable choices: indirect routes to slow the ball carrier and let the opposition catch up, or open routes with a very strong power position to allow the opposition to cover the approach. To keep the action going, I deliberately chose the latter (except for Hekau, all the other Ricochet contest finalists chose the former). No-man's land exists to make running goals difficult without control of the middle, and to give a player an immediate choice of protecting the goal or pushing upfield off spawn. Anyway, I do understand that my choice in design leads to very non-traditional CTF play and I perfectly understand if some (or many) players do not like the way it plays in CTF. I personally find it fun . . . but I also built the map, so I'm quite biased. When it comes to Ricochet, however, I think it plays very well, and the playtesting comments were quite positive. If you have any desire to try the map, I would recommend giving Ricochet a shot. I would post a video of Ricochet to demonstrate, but I don't have a capture card, and the only game that was capped by someone who does was the above CTF game.

Video of CTF play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k35IKbqc6PQ

DOWNLOAD MINIDROME --------------------------------- This map was originally designed for my mini-game Railnums (see below) and has been significantly modified to provide suitability for other gametypes. Feedback on this map is desired, and updates will be posted periodically. --------------------------------- Description: This map features two vulnerable, low-elevation bases separated by a raised central hall. Above the hall on either side are platforms, with an exposed sniper spawn between them. Four smaller platforms are arranged at the map corners. Jumps are designed into virtually all locations. --------------------------------- Gametypes: FFA, Team Slayer (up to 4 teams), Ricochet, CTF, Extraction, KoTH, Oddball. --------------------------------- Design Notes: Jumps: Most jumps can be executed using NS (120% speed) settings. Two designed jumps require thruster pack with NS. All jumps can be executed with standard (110% speed) + sprint gametypes without thruster. All playing surfaces accessible to jetpacks are accessible via jumping. Spawning: Spawning has been tested up to 4v4 play. Due to the small size of the map, spawns were located away from power position lines-of-sight and heavily loaded in the areas adjacent to the Ricochet goals. --------------------------------- Ordnance: - 2x Railguns (small platforms, each closer to one base), 120s spawn - 1x Sniper (central exposed spawn, equidistant from bases), 150s spawn Weapons: - 2x Loadout Weapons (one set per base - presently temporary for testing, but may become permanent) Grenades: - 12x Frags --------------------------------- --------------------------------- DOWNLOAD MINIDROME --------------------------------- Railnums Gametype: Link - Railgun (primary) + Magnum (Secondary) + 2 Frags (on-map ordnance/weapons disabled) - Thruster pack, AA efficiency, Dexterity - 10 minutes - 300 pts, 10 team points per kill - +5 team score for headshots - +10 team score for assassinations - Friendly fire ON - +3s suicide / betrayal respawn penalty - 110% Damage (yielding 5SK Magnum) - Motion tracking for Allies Only - No shield indicator - No kill cam

ARTIFACT Created by Maximus IL Map Description Layout: Outdoor / indoor map with an asymmetric outer perimeter and symmetric building interior. Game Types: 8+ FFA, 8-16 Slayer, Ricochet, CTF, Extraction, KoTH, Oddball Ordnance / Weapons: (Note: All ordnance / weapon spawns are static.) Ordnance: 1 Sniper, 1 Railgun, 1 Sword, 1 Speed Boost, 1 Overshield. Weapons: 2 BR, 2 DMR, 2 Carbine, 2 LR, various grenades (8 frag, 4 pulse, 4 sticky). Vehicles: None. Comments: The map is larger than most of the 4v4 maps (Complex excluded), but less segmented due to the building having 8 entrances. It will play larger than most 4v4 maps, but not as large as Complex. It is probably best suited for an 8-player FFA, which is cramped on many of the 4v4 maps, and will have fewer spawning-in-harm's-way issues for FFAs. BTB should also be well-supported by the map size without the open-spawning issues on Complex and lack of multiple viable power positions on Settler. SWAT on this map plays similarly to Complex SWAT, but unlike Complex, there are fewer cross-map opportunities and the BR is a viable loadout choice. Map Link ARTIFACT SCREENSHOTS: Overhead - Red Base at 12 O'Clock (top) and Blue Base at 6 O'Clock (bottom) Perimeter - Atop Red Base, looking clockwise toward Blue Base Perimeter - Approximately the 3 O'Clock position looking clockwise Perimeter - Outside of Blue Base looking clockwise Perimeter - Above Yellow Bridge at the 9 O'Clock position looking clockwise Building - Top mid Additional Player-View Screenshots: ARTIFACT

DOWNLOAD HALODROME Canvas: Impact Players: 8 - 12 Gametypes: Slayer CTF Oddball KoTH Extraction Regicide Grifball Ricochet Supported Gametypes: Ricochet (primary), CTF, Extraction, KoTH, Oddball, Team and FFA Slayer, and (just for kicks) Grifball. Description: Halodrome is the bigger brother of Minidrome, designed for the 343i Ricochet Forge Contest. There are four primary routes between the bases: upper, lower, and each side. Both sides directly connect to upper mid and lower mid, allowing the routes to be used in different combinations. All ball spawns occur along the midline of the map on the upper level. While upper mid has good sightlines to the bases and the exit of the lower routes, it is completely exposed by design, with protected approaches from the green and gold lifts. Goals: Since Ricochet allows players to score from a distance, a special goal was designed for that gametype (scoring from the midline was trivially easy with only the CTF setup). The goal makes scoring quite difficult from the center mid bridges or platforms (at least, in testing no one was able to do it in-game), but does allow reasonably easy scoring from behind the Y-crosses on the side routes, and easy scoring anywhere in the arc between the side platforms and basement ramp. It is also possible to score blind from behind the center Y-cross pair on the upper level (above the opening to the basement) and on the ramp up from the basement. During testing, most goals were scored by throws within 10 units of the goal. The difference in the goals is depicted below, with Ricochet pictured first, followed by CTF and Grifball: Ordnance:1x Railgun (lower mid, 140s timer) and 2x Concussion Rifles (wide ramps, one nearer to each base, 130s timers) Weapons:2x Needlers (no extra clips, 100s timers) adjacent to each base, various loadout weapons, frag and pulse grenades. No plasma grenades are on-map. Other Comments:I added Grifball because I could. I don't really have a better reason. And yes, the spawns have been tested . . . you can spawn camp all day long just like in real Grifball. Other Screenshots: And we'll finish up with a screencap of a posthumous Ricochet goal . . . killed in mid-jump to the goal. So close to the +50 . . . yet so far away. DOWNLOAD HALODROME

ARTIFACT Created by Maximus IL Map Description Layout: Outdoor / indoor map with an asymmetric outer perimeter and symmetric building interior. Game Types: 6 - 10-person FFA, infantry-style BTB, CTF, multi-team slayer, SWAT and 4v4 Slayer games. Ordnance / Weapons: (Note: All ordnance / weapon spawns are static.) Ordnance: 1 Sniper, 1 Railgun, 1 Sword, 1 Speed Boost, 1 Overshield. Weapons: 2 BR, 2 DMR, 2 Carbine, 2 LR, various grenades (8 frag, 4 pulse, 4 sticky). Vehicles: None. Comments: The map is larger than most of the 4v4 maps (Complex excluded), but less segmented due to the building having 8 entrances. It will play larger than most 4v4 maps, but not as large as Complex. It is probably best suited for an 8-player FFA, which is cramped on many of the 4v4 maps, and will have fewer spawning-in-harm's-way issues for FFAs. BTB should also be well-supported by the map size without the open-spawning issues on Complex and lack of multiple viable power positions on Settler. SWAT on this map plays similarly to Complex SWAT, but unlike Complex, there are fewer cross-map opportunities and the BR is a viable loadout choice. Map was updated on 16 Aug. Map Link ARTIFACT SCREENSHOTS: Overhead - Red Base at 12 O'Clock (top) and Blue Base at 6 O'Clock (bottom) Perimeter - Atop Red Base, looking clockwise toward Blue Base Perimeter - Approximately the 3 O'Clock position looking clockwise Perimeter - Outside of Blue Base looking clockwise Perimeter - Above Yellow Bridge at the 9 O'Clock position looking clockwise Building - Top mid Building - First floor Additional Player-View Screenshots: ARTIFACT

DOWNLOAD MINIDROME --------------------------------- This map was originally designed for my mini-game Railnums (see below) and has been significantly modified to provide suitability for other gametypes. Feedback on this map is desired, and updates will be posted periodically. --------------------------------- Description: This map features two vulnerable, low-elevation bases separated by a raised central hall. Above the hall on either side are platforms, with an exposed sniper spawn between them. Four smaller platforms are arranged at the map corners. Jumps are designed into virtually all locations. --------------------------------- Gametypes: FFA, Team Slayer (up to 4 teams), Ricochet, CTF, Extraction, KoTH, Oddball. --------------------------------- Design Notes: Jumps: Most jumps can be executed using NS (120% speed) settings. Two designed jumps require thruster pack with NS. All jumps can be executed with standard (110% speed) + sprint gametypes without thruster. All playing surfaces accessible to jetpacks are accessible via jumping. Spawning: Spawning has been tested up to 4v4 play. Due to the small size of the map, spawns were located away from power position lines-of-sight and heavily loaded in the areas adjacent to the Ricochet goals. --------------------------------- Ordnance: - 2x Railguns (small platforms, each closer to one base), 120s spawn - 1x Sniper (central exposed spawn, equidistant from bases), 150s spawn Weapons: - 2x Loadout Weapons (one set per base - presently temporary for testing, but may become permanent) Grenades: - 12x Frags --------------------------------- DOWNLOAD MINIDROME --------------------------------- Railnums Gametype: Link - Railgun (primary) + Magnum (Secondary) + 2 Frags (on-map ordnance/weapons disabled) - Thruster pack, AA efficiency, Dexterity - 10 minutes - 300 pts, 10 team points per kill - +5 team score for headshots - +10 team score for assassinations - Friendly fire ON - +3s suicide / betrayal respawn penalty - 110% Damage (yielding 5SK Magnum) - Motion tracking for Allies Only - No shield indicator - No kill cam