GDJustin said:Very much agreed re: map collection. They are just not as good, period. ESPECIALLY BTB maps, which got shafted due to the introduction of Invasion.
They either play well but are bland/safe (Asylum), or they have a gimmick that just doesn't work (Spire), or funnel fighting all to one place (elevator room on Sword Base).
The only "classic" maps IMO are Powerhouse and Countdown, both of which I quite enjoy.
A lot of the maps in Reach are just... plain. Even Boardwalk, a map I enjoy a decent amount, lacks the verticality and dynamic nature of a map like Ivory Tower. On Ivory Tower, I think about the fact that on the top-most level, you can jump down to the bottom, over in the corner (where the needler spawns). Little details like that almost certainly were introduced thanks to exhaustive play testing, in order to give the player a few more traversal options. It's clear the Reach maps don't have this same care put in, overall.
It's also the reason why the map is so much more versatile. It works great as an asymmetrical CTF, as a slayer arena, and even works fairly well for Multi-Team, considering how small it is. It works nicely with DMR starts, OR AR starts.
The crazy thing is, Ivory Tower isn't even that great of a map! It just outshines Reach's. A map like Asylum is probably just as good as IT for pure Team Slayer. But then you remember that IT works for virtually all <8 player modes, whereas Asylum doesn't.
Reach's maps are just much less dynamic. Boneyard, Sword Base, and Boardwalk all end up playing out with all the fighting taking place in just a couple places. Compare that to, say, High Ground, or Snowbound, Guardian, or even... IDK, Epitaph. I didn't love Epitaph, but at least the fight moved around the map and varied game to game! That automatically makes it better than Boardwalk.
The issue is that in EVERY category, Reach is outshined. Asymmetrical small team? High Ground, Last Resort > Powerhouse. Symmetrical BTB? Valhalla > Blood Gulch.
chess said:Part of the map issue is AA's. Sprint and Jetpack movement dramatically change map design and feel and not in the same way. It's very difficult for a map to work with all abilities and it completely throws out the possibilities of old maps to return in the same old glory. The best halo gameplay and maps occurred when there was no equipment or AA's. When movement and encounters are always the same level playing field, it is much easier to design great maps. Think of CE/H2(minus dual wielding) vs H3/Reach. Why are the maps and gameplay from the first two compared to the last such a dramatic difference in quality? Because there are too many variables in play. I'm very happy Reach brought back a lot of the simplicity with weapons and textures/objects in map design and even welcome the added shadowrun AA element. But only a few of the maps play well because of it. DLC and forge design that starts to consider all the new elments AA add should improve our selction and play experience.
Grimm Fandango said:I really hate this. Jetpacking should only be used to take shortcuts, not to take advantage of a level's geometry. If you can get somewhere only with a jetpack, it shouldn't exist like that IMO.
Domino Theory said:Why is every map littered with power weapons that respawn every ten seconds?
What's the justification for adding the bases above Sniper spawn on Asylum?
What's the point of a level cap for a game that only awards you costmetic changes and nothing else?
There you go. Trust me, I'm not the only oen who wants to know about these issues.
squidhands said:What do you look for in a decent map? I've always wanted to get feedback from people who are really good at this game about what constitutes a good map. Is it something you just click with once your on it or are there specific things you look for?
LinkyLouis Wu said:Link?
CitizenCope said:See a lot of map talk so I'll just say as mainly a btb player I feel jipped. =(
MagniHarvald said:Armor Lock really fucks with Assists =(
Why is AR+melee more effective than PR+melee. Twice I started shooting at a guy with the PR, he turns around and starts shooting me with the AR, we both melee and only I die. WTF?
Feorax said:The biggest gripe I have with reach is that of all the maps that have vehicles, the terrain itself means that only haemorrhage and boneyard are useable maps for vehicle combat. The rest are far too cluttered or uneven for them to be any fun whatsoever.
Rocket Race being added makes this glaringly obvious as well...
AllIsOneIsNone said:Derogatory term alert! Ban, ban! Oh wait, you spelled it wrong...damn. And oh wait, nobody knows that refers to gypsies anyways...nevermind
CitizenCope said:See a lot of map talk so I'll just say as mainly a btb player I feel jipped. =(
Gui_PT said:Oh my god. U r so cool for knowing that.
AllIsOneIsNone said:That's what they tell me. Last person I told that to rolled their eyes at me. That's still considered a gesture implying I'm cool, right?
MagniHarvald said:Everyone feels jipped, no matter what they play. DLC can't come soon enough.
Ramirez said:I feel like Zealot is the biggest throw away map out of all of them, endless nade spam around a circular battlefield.
Gui_PT said:That means you have activated the person sexually and he/she is ready to go.
Gui_PT said:That means you have activated the person sexually and he/she is ready to go.
Uhhh, top 10% Gold means you're like top 5% of the playerbase, probably. At least.Ramirez said:I'm pretty not great at Reach.
Shake Appeal said:Uhhh, top 10% Gold means you're like top 5% of the playerbase, probably. At least.
I wonder how many people actually placed in Arena last season. I feel like not even half of the Halo playerbase did their placements.Shake Appeal said:Uhhh, top 10% Gold means you're like top 5% of the playerbase, probably. At least.
Oh, that's not just me that happens to, kinda good to know, is bloody stupid.Domino Theory said:Good Lord, the amount of simultaneous kills in this game is absolutely ridiculous.
The only simultaneous kills there should be are beatdowns and NOTHING else.
How do you get a Bulltrue, yet the Sword lunger still kills you? That defeats the whole purpose of the fucking medal! :lol :lol :lol
3 arena games/day for 7 days? I'd be willing to bet nowhere near half got placed, even if you only count people who actually play matchmaking and didn't just rent it for the campaign.Trasher said:I wonder how many people actually placed in Arena last season. I feel like not even half of the Halo playerbase did their placements.
Trasher said:I wonder how many people actually placed in Arena last season. I feel like not even half of the Halo playerbase did their placements.
Oh, and don't mind Ram. He's just trolling for some pats on the back with posts like that.lawl
Ramirez said:I'm pretty not great at Reach, but when I think of great maps I think of good sight lines and multiple paths to navigate the map. Lockout will always be my favorite Halo map for the sheer amount of ways you could navigate it. Maps like The Cage with its linear paths are the definition of horrible map design, IMO.
I've died for every Bulltrue medal I've gotten.Darkflight said:Oh, that's not just me that happens to, kinda good to know, is bloody stupid.
This.Grimm Fandango said:I really hate this. Jetpacking should only be used to take shortcuts, not to take advantage of a level's geometry. If you can get somewhere only with a jetpack, it shouldn't exist like that IMO.
Domino Theory said:Good Lord, the amount of simultaneous kills in this game is absolutely ridiculous.
The only simultaneous kills there should be are beatdowns and NOTHING else.
How do you get a Bulltrue, yet the Sword lunger still kills you? That defeats the whole purpose of the fucking medal! :lol :lol :lol
You mad?Ramirez said:The numbers would have to be pretty low if a guy with Shotgun as his top TOD got into Onyx, amirite?
Bungie is very hit and miss with their maps, for example, Heretic is how you should remake a map, Blackout is not.Thagomizer said:I've noticed a "Bungie can't win" in regards to architecture and map aesthetics.
If Bungie makes something in Forerunner architecture, it's same-y and boring.
If, however, they take a remake and remove it from that style, people scream and cry to change it back.
Huh?
I would guess less than 20,000 people placed. Probably a lot less, actually. And when you consider millions own the game...Trasher said:I wonder how many people actually placed in Arena last season. I feel like not even half of the Halo playerbase did their placements.
I think Bungie made Heretic such a faithful remake largely because of the reaction to Blackout.Plywood said:Bungie is very hit and miss with their maps, for example, Heretic is how you should remake a map, Blackout is not.
For shits and giggles, or to unlock armor?The Lamonster said:Halo Waypoint's career section has got me going back to Halo Wars and ODST to unlock more achievements.
Well done!
To increase my overall career score on Waypoint, which means nothing.Neuromancer said:For shits and giggles, or to unlock armor?
Oozer3993 said:The cap is probably there so they can get data on how fast people are ranking up so they can adjust the number of credits needed to reach higher levels. The numbers we've heard from modders are probably just temporary. Those highest levels are supposed to be only for a small subset of the hardcore and it's impossible to know exactly how quickly people will rank up before the game is actually out.
Wow you've got the Halo bug bad, my friend. :lolThe Lamonster said:To increase my overall career score on Waypoint, which means nothing.
Trasher said:
For remakes in Reach, I think it comes down to if the original design was symmetric or asymmetric if it will play well with AAs. For the most part, asylum works with AAs. Only the jetpacks break it for me. Foundation would be a great Reach map as well.Shake Appeal said:I think Bungie made Heretic such a faithful remake largely because of the reaction to Blackout.
And my K/D was still better than yours in season one. :lolRamirez said:Pretty nice -8 spread you have there with your DMR.