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Halo 4 Forge |OT| Crafting a better tomorrow; one Brace, Large at a time
- Thread starter GodlyPerfection
- Start date
Those are Game Variant settings, not Forge options. Change Vehicles to Map Default in the General settings section. Ordnance has it's own section.
My turn.
Are patched maps only found in MM or are they updated locally? For instance, i am placing a teleporter within a natural structure for a camera position in live broadcasts. If the map were to be updated with a kill zone at a later date would the forbidden area still be accessible in custom games. I assume it would be safe but i would like to know for sure before publishing the map.
This is the view from inside the Forerunner structure on Ravine
They're doing it via Forge variants, so you have to build off the latest MM variant. It's why I waited a bit to make a Complex Flood variant so I'd get the map escape blocked.
I wish they'd give us access to those invisible blocks..
So yeah, your map will remain the same whatever they do, unless they actually start including map changes via TU.
I wish they'd give us access to those invisible blocks..
So yeah, your map will remain the same whatever they do, unless they actually start including map changes via TU.
ncsuDuncan
Member
Are there any downsides to invisible blocks? I assume they wouldn't affect framerate and would have a small budget footprint. Seems like they would have been pretty easy to add, a super useful upgrade over Reach Forge. Oh well. Maybe after they re-add precision editing they can look at it.
They wouldn't be drawn, just a physics objects, so I don't think they'd have a performance hit. They've been around since Halo 3, though. It's how they did Pit Stop and such.
I dunno, maybe nobody at Bungie or 343 has thought that we'd want to be able to use them ourselves. Just make them rendered as a holographic block while in Forge and not draw while in normal gameplay, like Hill Markers.
I dunno, maybe nobody at Bungie or 343 has thought that we'd want to be able to use them ourselves. Just make them rendered as a holographic block while in Forge and not draw while in normal gameplay, like Hill Markers.
You could build your own actual stairs with an object like that. Just merge the invisible piece for a smooth slope.
I have 8 maps right now which could use invisible 5x5 Flats for camera positions.
In other news. I figured out how to further manipulate the lighting/shadow system to brighten dark areas of maps. Setting certain objects to a delayed spawn of 2 seconds makes them avoid the "Generating Lighting, Please Wait" phase. The items spawn before gameplay starts, but after the shadows are generated. You only need to apply this technique to a few select pieces to brighten an area, or to pieces which were negatively affected by shadows.
My Grifball map Primordial is an early beneficiary of this trick. Only the floor and side walls are set to spawn late and the resulting radiance brightens the entire court. The pieces also regain their reflective look and do not flatten like they would if full shadows were applied.
In other news. I figured out how to further manipulate the lighting/shadow system to brighten dark areas of maps. Setting certain objects to a delayed spawn of 2 seconds makes them avoid the "Generating Lighting, Please Wait" phase. The items spawn before gameplay starts, but after the shadows are generated. You only need to apply this technique to a few select pieces to brighten an area, or to pieces which were negatively affected by shadows.
My Grifball map Primordial is an early beneficiary of this trick. Only the floor and side walls are set to spawn late and the resulting radiance brightens the entire court. The pieces also regain their reflective look and do not flatten like they would if full shadows were applied.
before
after
That's interesting, you could apply this to add indirect lighting into areas that are completely covered and obscured away from the environment, inside an interior.
I was thinking of doing something similar to this by overloading the lighting on some maps, but that wouldn't give you the selective ability that this technique gives you. Very clever Nokyard.
You could even justify the (seemingly sourceless) ambient lighting with some clever use of purely visual forge pieces.
If you got blue ambient light streaming in from a solid wall that has this trick applied to it, you could, for example, place a dominion 4 ft TV screen and a blue one way shield to make it look like the TV is lighting up the room!
I haven't tried this trick you have posted yet so I am unsure, but I have concerns that the piece would also not cast shadows until you come up close to them , at which point the shadows would fade in. (EDIT: just tested, they just don't cast shadows at all, not even a close range realtime shadow fade-in)
But this could also be a perk, since you could use the far-off coliseum wall trick I mentioned in my post to bake in those shadows (to prevent the fade-in) and have even greater control over the ambient lighting.
Edit:
Actually, if your map is already over the lighting limit, this may allow you to get the map under control because most likely the time offset pieces will not contribute to the lightmap budget. It may even be effective for making maps perform in split-screen better.
I was thinking of doing something similar to this by overloading the lighting on some maps, but that wouldn't give you the selective ability that this technique gives you. Very clever Nokyard.
You could even justify the (seemingly sourceless) ambient lighting with some clever use of purely visual forge pieces.
If you got blue ambient light streaming in from a solid wall that has this trick applied to it, you could, for example, place a dominion 4 ft TV screen and a blue one way shield to make it look like the TV is lighting up the room!
I haven't tried this trick you have posted yet so I am unsure, but I have concerns that the piece would also not cast shadows until you come up close to them , at which point the shadows would fade in. (EDIT: just tested, they just don't cast shadows at all, not even a close range realtime shadow fade-in)
But this could also be a perk, since you could use the far-off coliseum wall trick I mentioned in my post to bake in those shadows (to prevent the fade-in) and have even greater control over the ambient lighting.
Edit:
Actually, if your map is already over the lighting limit, this may allow you to get the map under control because most likely the time offset pieces will not contribute to the lightmap budget. It may even be effective for making maps perform in split-screen better.
GodlyPerfection
Member
Dude Nokyard that is awesome. I'm going to do a couple of passes on Think Again to see if there are places I can improve the lighting. I don't have much budget to work with, but I can make some if I need to. 
Speaking of Think Again, someone made a video of it... I giggled a little inside. So for those of you who haven't seen Think Again yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIY_pzGJ94s
Speaking of Think Again, someone made a video of it... I giggled a little inside. So for those of you who haven't seen Think Again yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIY_pzGJ94s
timetokill
Banned
As an aside... I am out of state atm so I won't be able to run customs.
My tiny reviews from last week's maps:
Corvus - too big.
Think Again - omg railings please!
That other one - good but cramped corners.
Bigger reviews later... when I get back
My tiny reviews from last week's maps:
Corvus - too big.
Think Again - omg railings please!
That other one - good but cramped corners.
Bigger reviews later... when I get back
GodlyPerfection
Member
Railings where exactly? In a lot of places that lack of railings, it is important to quickly drop down and jump back up between levels. And the balcony has railings where needed. The lack of railings allows for quick dropping out of encounters which has been key to Think Again gameplay intentions. There are only a couple of places where railings wouldn't hinder flow; perhaps by snipes (since you can jump over them with the regular jump), the inner side of the gold bridge (still would hinder dropping down from a vulnerable area), and perhaps in one or two places around mid green. Specifics would definitely be great when you get the time Crow.
Also I can run customs this Sunday for those who are interested.
You shouldn't need to spend more. Just carefully select which pieces to lighten.
GodlyPerfection
Member
I wouldn't do it on the eye level pieces, because it will more often than not make pieces stick out like a sore thumb. What I would do is use a mix of what you've discovered and what Comp discovered with distance based shadowing. I could delay spawn the roofing and use far off pieces to lighten up some of the areas on the map with lighter shadowing. That would definitely require budget.
the latter.
So how is Halo 3 matchmaking?
Wasn't there supposed to be a MM update to prune the playlists and decrease search times?
Are all map packs still required?
(800 MS points for Mythic 2 is a crime)
I wanna give my brother my old xbox 360 and make use of the split license. I am setting it up now so I can't check on Halo 3.
I am hoping to use my live account's license for Reach/3 and their map packs.
Hopefully he will be able to use the xbox 360's system license for these same games/DLCs so that we can play together without buying 2 copies of everything.
This trick is still possible, right?
So I went into Forge and oh boy is it tedious. I made the map in SketchUp in about 30-40 minutes. It took nearly 4 hours to make in Forge. If I could have a "group objects" tool, it would have been about an hour.
A blurry comparison, because Waypoint isn't operational or functional almost 4 weeks after launch.
Other pictures:
A blurry comparison, because Waypoint isn't operational or functional almost 4 weeks after launch.
Other pictures:
There was supposedly both a Halo 3 and Reach update coming after Halo 4 released. I believe it when I see it though, because not only would it be the first time a Halo game got an actual legitimate update after the next one released, it'd be two of them.
DLC is still heavily required and Mythic 2 is still 800msp.
i nerini del buio
Member
Lag in Halo3 MM is sadly almost unbearable. Too many playlists for that small population. And - don't know why - team slayer is all Guardian/High Ground/The Pit
is "that other one" possibly resonance? 4-way symmetrical on impact with the center structure and 3 room buildings and towers on each side? if so, i agree on the too cramped bit and will soon-ish build my own bases. more feedback is welcomed though.
that looks pretty nice. post when its "final" in your fileshare. i'd like to check it out
GodlyPerfection
Member
That looks interesting Karl, looking forward to playing it today at customs in 50 minutes if it is in your fileshare. That is if people are down to play.
That looks interesting Karl, looking forward to playing it today at customs in 50 minutes if it is in your fileshare. That is if people are down to play.
Damn, my HDMI cable just died on me and I don't have anything else for my 360. Was looking forward to testing in customers as well. I have a 4v4 and BTB map in my fileshare if you fancy testing them out for me. Verith is the 4v4 and SpaceBase is the BTB. Spawns in but I am rubbish at them so everything is pretty basic.
Feedback on the layout and feel would be awesome, then I can get some advice on spawns etc.Demoncarnotaur
Member
Man, I still wish they had custom colors..or textures..or something for Forge pieces.. or maps with both Human and Forerunner pallets.
---
On another note, are there any good remake maps out there? If so, where can I find them? I would love to try out a few.. maybe 343 will even push some into MM, or make their own.
Thats actually really interesting.. I bet you can really get some maps to pop with this technique. Hopefully more people catch on to this and use it to boost the look of their maps.
---
On another note, are there any good remake maps out there? If so, where can I find them? I would love to try out a few.. maybe 343 will even push some into MM, or make their own.
Thats actually really interesting.. I bet you can really get some maps to pop with this technique. Hopefully more people catch on to this and use it to boost the look of their maps.
They have done a bit better with the team highlights for certain pieces. A good use of them, plus a few lights can make many maps stand out. I like using the Orange light a bit instead of the Red/Blue normally used.
As more and more people use Forge, I am sure more and more tricks will come out. Already I have seen plenty of maps that have a good use of shadow and lighting in them, plus some colour thrown in. Much better than the grey of Reach Forge.
343 could do way more with it but I just don't see them doing any meaningful TU's for Halo4's Forge.
Demoncarnotaur
Member
Yeah, the highlights are definitely better, I just wish there was a little more.. whether we could ass a weathered filter to some pieces giving them a bit of grit, grime or maybe some overgrown look.. or the ability to paint some pieces so they aren't cream white, rust or silver/grey.. or at least the option to have all those colors and textures on one map so the whole thing wasn't stuck in one uniform color.
More natural pieces would be nice too, like trees.. or something large and flat that could be used as ground, etc.
nillapuddin
Member
Keep tabs on the Waypoint sticky (this is the remnants of the/my remake collection group from Reach)
check this page to look at peoples crappy cell phone pics
and if your interested in Turf, Desolation, Foundation, Tombstone, Colossus, Ivory Tower, Elongation or Midship, then I may or may not know a guy or two
Huh. I might redo my map on one of those. Right now I have 4 coliwalls floating in the sky to give a shadow to red side.
Heh. I just finished it up about 20 minutes ago. I'm using a different set of custom game settings for my map(I'll retrofit it to the standard MM experience sometime later too), so the best way to play it is using the gametype Karl Slayer in my File Share if you get around to testing it another day. Right now my biggest focus for the map is on spawning. I have around 40 respawn points down in this version, because I don't want to add any questionable points yet. This is nothing near Buoyancy, which had over 200 spots for safe, non-questionable spawns and a max size of 6v6.That looks interesting Karl, looking forward to playing it today at customs in 50 minutes if it is in your fileshare. That is if people are down to play.
If I can't have terrain editing, I definitely want this. I used a bunch of coliwalls for the floors and the sides. The result is that you can't tell the sides apart very well unless you shadow the ground or something.
I imagine the lack of mix-and-match textured pieces has to do with RAM restrictions.
Well, i did it. I built a Grifball map for live broadcast games on Twitch.TV where the camera is fully mobile on the playing field and is able to closely follow the action. There may be limited uses for the technique on other broadcast maps.
I can't detail how it was accomplished until after the broadcast on Wednesday night.
I can't detail how it was accomplished until after the broadcast on Wednesday night.
I never really understand forge secrets being sat on for any reason but I guess I'll check it out
The league organizers want to debut the court in a live broadcast. Put out teasers, generate excitement, that sort of thing.
Resonance
A small, 4-way symmetrical map set up for slayer only (at this point). Apologies for the terrible off-screen photos.
map overhead
updated resonance recently. based on feedback, i removed the tower structures at each "base" to have the map be less cramped around the edges along with an assortment of other difficulties using those premade structures brought along with them. in addition, i revamped the bases a bit with jumps to the 2nd floor from the front among other things.
here is the new overhead
revamped corner areas
new "base" structures
still need to do another pass through with spawning and weapons, but i'm feeling pretty good about it. the center structure seemed to be really successful, now i hope the rest of the map is as fun. will post again when its ready for next weekends testing.
EDIT: up in my file share.
Map Name: Resonance.2
Map Creator: op_ivy (LoopOfHenle)
Players: 8
Gametypes: Slayer
DangerStepp
Member
I'm sorry.
Wrong thread.
Wrong thread.
timetokill
Banned
Looks a lot better, op_ivy. Very nice, if it's on your fileshare I may download it tonight and give it a spin.
I just managed to get an hour or so working on Corvus Mini last night, and the smaller size is helping a lot already. Hopefully we'll get to play on it this weekend.
I just managed to get an hour or so working on Corvus Mini last night, and the smaller size is helping a lot already. Hopefully we'll get to play on it this weekend.
thanks. its up in my fileshare, resonance.2 - just in case i forgot to remove the first version - and ready to go with initial ordnance, and spawns placed. would love to hear any feed back you'd have. i'm pretty excited to try it out as i expect it to build on the good of the first version and remove the questionable bits.
A Wraith under the floor. Clever use of camera positioning. It's a bit disappointing that it can only be used on flat maps though.
Although limited, i suppose it could be used for simple maps like The Pit.
timetokill
Banned
Hey guys, I wanted to let you in on what I've been working on in Forge.
SpaceJam
Shut up and jam!
First is SpaceJam. It's a gametype a friend and I made a few weeks ago. It's a Grifball variant where you have low gravity, fast speed and unlimited thruster pack.
In SpaceJam, the person with the ball is faster than all other players, but can be put down with a headshot or a close-range hammer blow. They can one-hit kill other players with a melee. Their job is to take the ball and dunk it in the raised hoop.
Non-ball-holders are sped up and have high jump ability, and have the Gravity Hammer and a Magnum, as well as multiple overshields. The magnum is pretty much useless on them, but a couple good hammer blows can put them down (or an assassination). These players can use the magnum to kill the ball carrier from afar (with a headshot) or they can jump and goal tend using the hammer and good timing.
With the passing mechanic, players can play with great teamwork and set up sweet alley oops. It takes some skill to perform the dunks and especially for teamwork so it's great for team play. I think it's a lot better than Grifball, myself.
For this gametype I've made one map so far: Chaos Court.
You can download both SpaceJam and Chaos Court on my File Share. If you do, let me know what you think!
-----------------
Corvus
4v4 Slayer Map
After playing on Corvus a couple weeks ago and seeing that it was far too big for 4v4, I shrank down the map significantly and focused on getting a lot more cover in the map. It's still a larger 4v4 map but it plays significantly better now. The map features the red and blue bases as well as two "sub-bases" that are critical for control of the map. The map is currently set up for Slayer and CTF gametypes.
Feel free to check it out on my File Share and let me know what you think!
Sorry for the blurriness on some of them. I had to take them all offscreen with my camera since the web File Share still isn't working
Let me know what you guys think!
SpaceJam
Shut up and jam!
First is SpaceJam. It's a gametype a friend and I made a few weeks ago. It's a Grifball variant where you have low gravity, fast speed and unlimited thruster pack.
SpaceJam Screens said:
In SpaceJam, the person with the ball is faster than all other players, but can be put down with a headshot or a close-range hammer blow. They can one-hit kill other players with a melee. Their job is to take the ball and dunk it in the raised hoop.
Non-ball-holders are sped up and have high jump ability, and have the Gravity Hammer and a Magnum, as well as multiple overshields. The magnum is pretty much useless on them, but a couple good hammer blows can put them down (or an assassination). These players can use the magnum to kill the ball carrier from afar (with a headshot) or they can jump and goal tend using the hammer and good timing.
With the passing mechanic, players can play with great teamwork and set up sweet alley oops. It takes some skill to perform the dunks and especially for teamwork so it's great for team play. I think it's a lot better than Grifball, myself.
For this gametype I've made one map so far: Chaos Court.
You can download both SpaceJam and Chaos Court on my File Share. If you do, let me know what you think!
-----------------
Corvus
4v4 Slayer Map
After playing on Corvus a couple weeks ago and seeing that it was far too big for 4v4, I shrank down the map significantly and focused on getting a lot more cover in the map. It's still a larger 4v4 map but it plays significantly better now. The map features the red and blue bases as well as two "sub-bases" that are critical for control of the map. The map is currently set up for Slayer and CTF gametypes.
Feel free to check it out on my File Share and let me know what you think!
Corvus Screenshots said:
Sorry for the blurriness on some of them. I had to take them all offscreen with my camera since the web File Share still isn't working
Let me know what you guys think!
External Memory
Neo Member
One thing I wasn't clear on with POD that was bugging me, so I tested it out with a dummy guest in customs, and the Forge maps all seem to use the Large Map Ordnance Frequency settings detailed in the 11/14 bulletin: http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/11/14/The-Halo-Bulletin-111412-.aspx#continue
So although the POD defaults for Forge maps aren't suitable for 4v4 maps in Infinity Slayer, the sort and frequency of map default personal ordnance you roll in any Forge map is the same as what you'd roll in the dev BTB maps. As in no Sword comes up on L, ever, and the highest frequencies are reserved for Concussion/Plasma/Pulse; Saw/Needler; OS/Speed.
Not equally weighted "Entire Sandbox (almost though) Fiesta Personal Ordnance". There isn't an equal chance to roll, say, a Binary or Incinerator as rolling Plasmas or Needler.
That means regardless of what happens going forward, BTB forge maps are fine for Infinity Slayer as is, well, as fine as IS is out of the box in MM BTB anyway. It's still the 4v4 community maps that get screwed out of getting into MM with vanilla slayer settings of course.
Speaking of that bulletin infographic, I'm certain the Splaser on the Medium Map Ordnance Frequency is meant to be a Railgun.
So although the POD defaults for Forge maps aren't suitable for 4v4 maps in Infinity Slayer, the sort and frequency of map default personal ordnance you roll in any Forge map is the same as what you'd roll in the dev BTB maps. As in no Sword comes up on L, ever, and the highest frequencies are reserved for Concussion/Plasma/Pulse; Saw/Needler; OS/Speed.
Not equally weighted "Entire Sandbox (almost though) Fiesta Personal Ordnance". There isn't an equal chance to roll, say, a Binary or Incinerator as rolling Plasmas or Needler.
That means regardless of what happens going forward, BTB forge maps are fine for Infinity Slayer as is, well, as fine as IS is out of the box in MM BTB anyway. It's still the 4v4 community maps that get screwed out of getting into MM with vanilla slayer settings of course.
Speaking of that bulletin infographic, I'm certain the Splaser on the Medium Map Ordnance Frequency is meant to be a Railgun.
timetokill
Banned
I'll have to take a look sometime soon to give you specifics. Mainly though, as a new player, I was constantly accidentally backing off of ledges and things and into danger or kills. It was just frustrating for me during our games on it.
Okay couple questions:
One, I'm making a forge map, how do I make weapon drops show up on the map when I play it? I don't see any option in the Game type editor (IE not initial ordnance drops, but just weapons placed around the map)
Second, why does forge feel the need to delete random pallets, crates and extraction targets I've placed on my map? I had some extraction targets placed to block an entrance, and they were working fine, then I go to edit my map, resave, reload the map, and the targets are gone. I reload forge and find they've just been completely deleted and I have to replace them.
One, I'm making a forge map, how do I make weapon drops show up on the map when I play it? I don't see any option in the Game type editor (IE not initial ordnance drops, but just weapons placed around the map)
Second, why does forge feel the need to delete random pallets, crates and extraction targets I've placed on my map? I had some extraction targets placed to block an entrance, and they were working fine, then I go to edit my map, resave, reload the map, and the targets are gone. I reload forge and find they've just been completely deleted and I have to replace them.
BuggyDClown
Member
Having a lot of trouble.
I meed to make a trait zone time specific.
I have one spawn at start with specific traits, then another on a second channel spawn at ten seconds and not at start.
Issue is no matter what I do the damn trait zones seem to spawn at start only, no matter what I do.
I meed to make a trait zone time specific.
I have one spawn at start with specific traits, then another on a second channel spawn at ten seconds and not at start.
Issue is no matter what I do the damn trait zones seem to spawn at start only, no matter what I do.
Try 20 seconds. The first 10 second countdown for the game announcement and loadout selection counts. You actually spawn into the game at the 11 second mark.
If this still does not work then i doubt you can have the zones spawn in late. They would be like Safe/Kill zones which are not affected by the timer, even though you are able to set the spawn time on them.
timetokill
Banned
Seems that Container, Large and Container, Open, Large do not act the same way in Forge.
For instance, you can do the "Fixed->Normal" switch on a closed large container and it will spawn in as normal during the next round.
On the Open large container, however, doing so will keep it fixed until you manually touch it in Forge. Meaning you can't spawn them in as normal for some reason? It's really fucking weird.
The exact same tactic I use to make the large container spawn in with normal physics does not work on the large OPEN container. what the fuck?
For instance, you can do the "Fixed->Normal" switch on a closed large container and it will spawn in as normal during the next round.
On the Open large container, however, doing so will keep it fixed until you manually touch it in Forge. Meaning you can't spawn them in as normal for some reason? It's really fucking weird.
The exact same tactic I use to make the large container spawn in with normal physics does not work on the large OPEN container. what the fuck?
Digital Limit
Member
Let's do customs. Friend mae: Digital Limit
Digital Limit
Member
Where's the best place to find new maps to download? I feel like Forgehub doesn't have that many posted on their finished maps page.
Looking good! Cool to see the Forge result alongside the sketchup. Definitely interested in seeing the final version.
Der Flatulator
Member
Oooh, I think this might be good news!
