Halo 3’s Forge has expanded what players can do in Halo considerably. Halo Reach further expanded on that a lot but there is still a considerable amount of things we can do to make it even better. Please use this thread to discuss your ideas. I searched for another similar thread but couldn’t find one. If there is one please post a link.
So we can all keep track of what has been said without having to read through every post I’ll update the OP every now and then with the main suggestions that are made. New addition/changes are in green.
Many people ask for firefight forging. This is quite difficult since the AIs have set paths in the current firefight. Stick a block in a path and the enemies won’t know what to do :o. Whilst it is possible to have FF forging, it would be very hard to do, but I thought I’d mention it anyway since I hear so much talk of it.
This video, that was posted in this thread, has some pretty good suggestions: This video
General Changes:
Have the option to pick a screenshot that will appear next to the name and definition of the created map in the matchmaking lobby. Currently it is the same as the default map.
Make the textures of the objects in a way such that when you merge more than one object you don’t see unnecessary overlapping (for example due to the transparent layer one the “strut”). Obviously there are exceptions, you still want a transparent window for example. We would like objects that are visually pleasing but not overly complicate so lag won’t occur as much.
Every item should draw from the same budget.
Undo/redo option
Rotation snap should not affect objects you previously placed when you press A on them.
Make all (or at least a few maps) properly forgable (like forgeworld is in comparison to corvette say), where each map is sufficiently different in style (Human, Covenant, Forerunner etc) to allow variation. Also include flat spaces like in Sandbox.
Have the option to change weather, skybox and time of day.
Have the option to change the style of the map. eg it could be covered in snow, grassy, sandy etc. Ever wondered what snowy forgeworld would be like?
Item options/properties changes:
Add a despawnable and spawn option for items so players can have an object appear and disappear multiple times after a certain times/objectives.
Some objects should be able to have their style changed, eg a wall could be Human, Covenant or Forerunner etc in style. Colour change is also desirable. It exists in Reach but perhaps in Halo 4 it could be more obvious.
Some objects like blocks should have a size/dimension option. For example you could decide the width, hieght and length of a block.
Show the path of grav lifts etc that an object would take when it goes on it. Also have the option to change the power of the lift so we don’t need several different grav lifts.
Add an option to some objects which allows you to control how much damage an object can take before it is destroyed, eg how many shots are needed to destroy a fusion coil or a wall.
Changeable vehicle colours, not just for the mongoose like in Reach.
Forge pallet additions:
Add buttons to the pallet that can link to doors, elevators etc.
“Gravity Conveyor”. Like a grav lift but moves you horizontally and you can control it’s path (to an extent). You see it in Halo 2, here is a link, skip to 5:10:Grav Conveyor
Danger objects like the laser between bases in tempest, pylon pulses like in the firefight map Installation 04.
Bring back some of Halo 3’s objects eg the gate on Foundry you could shoot and look but not walk through.
When we build a base for example, we should have the ability to group all the objects (that make the base) and save it as a “construction” which we can handle like any other object. We could even have people share constructions via some sort of file share system.
Trees, plants, grass patches and other simple environmental objects.
Some interesting (perhaps extravagant) ideas:
“Terminals”: objects that players can access that give a bit of info/story from the creators.
Much like in Halo 3 and Reach we should have one main forgable map, like Foundry, Sandbox and Forge World. However in Halo 4 it should have sections with different environments eg desert, grassland, polar etc. This would add a lot of variation to the maps made, players could even use two or more environments in one map.
In addition some objects should have changeable “skins”. For example a wall could be human, forerunner, covenant etc in design. This would mean we won’t have the dominant grey colour that exists in Forge World variants.
I have another suggestion that could save a lot of time for players. When we build a base for example, we should have the ability to group all the objects (that make the base) and save it as a “construction” which we can handle like any other object. We could even have people share constructions via some sort of file share system.
343 also said some gametypes and gamemodes bungie had in their games might not be coming back in the next halos and they will bbe replaced by new ones.
Forge actually didn’t expand too much on what players could do, considering in Halo CE PC, and Halo 2 Vista, you can fully edit and create maps from scratch, I’d have to say Forge is a step backwards.
All Halo 4 needs is a separate “PC” disk that installs a full on Map Creator program, with which you can create customized Campaign, Firefight, and Multiplayer maps using a combination of map structure (Including the entire texture palette from in-game), free model animating (Allowing use of all character models in-game), and a custom “Halo” game programming code similar to Doom’s ACS code, to allow players to create customized events in-game.
And I know to some this sounds overcomplicated, impossible, and like it would take a long time to make. But it DOESNT. As an active game Modder for Doom, Heretic, Strife, and Hexen, the programs I use are both VERY simplistic, and should take little effort to actually make in a year.
Then just import your custom stuff into your Xbox using the File Share system.
I am obsessed with forge. Between halo 3 and Reach i have logged in over 400 hours of forging. Yes, Reach has some improvements from halo 3, but there are some downside where halo 3 was better.
These are some realistic improvements that I’d like to see from 343.
-Simpler textures
All the textures in Reach contain lots of glare and this is really hard on the console. Also all the transparent blue surface looks terrible when you merge objects together and you can see grey inside of these textures.
-No image dummying
By objects being dummied, we can no longer play four people on one console. So yes the budget is bigger, but the maps are purely aesthetic only, and what’s the fun in that? So if the budget were shrunk just enough to where image dummying could be removed, that would be a huge plus.
Fix snap
Reaches snap system is frustrating. Sometimes it will flip itself if all you hit is A and also you can’t diagnolize an object in two directions at once, so your map is really restricted on how you place objects. Sometimes I even have to restart my entire map because of this.
If these could be fixed then that would be greatly appreciated
Also a flat surface the size of sandboxes main floor would be greatly appreciated. The little Asylum space proved on forge world wasn’t nearly large enough.
Forge NEEDS to be effective on each and every map rather than one main map, because that gets boring quick. The budget needs to be somewhat increased if possible, and, also if possible, there needs to be an item limit that each and every item draws from simply because it’s annoying having a million accessories left and no walls or blocks which you actually need. The maps should vary in environments and style of items (covenant, forerunner, human, snow, jungle, etc.)
Maybe add gadgets like buttons that can be linked to doors, lifts/elevators, conveyors and the like that can be used to close, open, start, stop, etc., as well as both starting and stopping/opening and closing. Something also useful would be an indicator that would show where a man cannon would place you should you use it, so you don’t have to spend a long time adjusting it to just the right spot, maybe even allowing us to adjust where exactly it places you so if you wanted to create a man cannon that could lift you to the top of spire from the bottom for example, you could do that.
Some options to change the sky to one of several presets, and/or the general weather/state of the map (such as snow everywhere for a snowy map, puddles for a rainy map, normal for sunny, night, day, afternoon, etc.) Forge also needs to go back to some of the things that Halo 3 did right that Reach didn’t. Buttons created from destructible grav lifts for example, and items like the gate on foundry that acted as a wall you could shoot through.
Something that would also be handy is allowing items to be able to be despawnable in any gametype after a certain amount of time, as well as allowing every item to not appear at the start of a match and rather spawn in over time. I’m sure there’s a few more ideas but these are just off the top of my head.
Fighting Falconx, it’s happened to me too, and it sucks, but your suggestions would still be appreciated even if you quickly write them again. Just a tip though, if you press the back button on your browser it may take you back and remember what you wrote, it does that for me when it doesn’t post.
jx Inimical xj, is image dummying when you look at an object from far away and it appears more cheaply displayed?
LEGEND ST, I should rephrase what I wrote, Forge has expanded what players can do on the XBOX. Thanks for bringing this up, but would it feasible to have a separate map editor on the pc? I’ve never seen a console game where people can use a pc to create and add things to this extend.
I have another suggestion, feedback would be greatly appreciated on this one. What if we could change the origin point and axis directions on a map, or even better have the option to create several “Coordinate Spaces” and you can pick which one an object is linked to. This may sound confusing so I’ll explain a bit more. When we try to edit the coordinates of an object it is all relative to one point - the origin - and the angle it is orientated at is relative to an axis. Have you ever tried to places two blocks perfectly (using the coordinates) next to each other when each one is at a 30 degree angle? It usually doesn’t work, but changing axis and origin would fix that (actually origin may not be so necessary).
Also if there are any objects that people think should be in the new pallet (from Halo 3 or new) please state them.
Wildlife–spawn item (Moa, etc.), set item area (the thing with box, circle, none). Moa will roam throughout that area (only the base map would be coded for it, so you would have to forge around that area).
Set a hill marker to “AI_ZONE” or something like that and it becomes an extension of what you already have.
Set Moa to different things, for Hunt the Moa, Capture the Moa, Protect the Moa, etc. etc. etc. Other AI, including Covies, could be spawned.
Water–Spawn an item (water), set item area to desired area to be filled with water, move in place–anything under the highest point of item area is under water.
Water would by default by traversable by anything, but you could of course put killzones.
> jx Inimical xj, is image dummying when you look at an object from far away and it appears more cheaply displayed?
Yes, and the problem with this is that weapons are invisible unless you either A. scope at them or B. are within a certain radius of them. This causes all sorts of problems. For example, if one team has a sniper and you aren’t close enough to your enemy, then that player’s model will be invisible and only the map itself will be visible. So the zoomed in sniper will be able to see you, but you won’t be able to see them.
Another area where this is a problem is when you make a risk to rush rockets only to find out that they weren’t there. If image dummying wasn’t occurring, then you would of realized that they were gone and would have never rushed them, hence saving your life.
We can get into areas that look like you can get into them but not as in go very far out like the rooms on breakneck we cant get into but are there.
No item limit just a budget limit and a vehical one
3.Change skybox and wheather
4.Make items disapear after a certain time that can be altered
5.Buttons to open, close ,and move platforms (elevators etc)
Being able to have the seperate areas like sandbox but dont get killed when pass them
7.Ability to make traps as in an option added when you havve objects placedd a certain way say you have a tunnel then a box above it with a hole you can get an option to put like a trip wire or some thing to trigger it
Have multiply obeject that have a random spawn when player gets near it as in if you got near a rock a warthog spawns there then next round spawns on a cliff like that but controlled.
> Here’s something I was wondering since the announcement of forgeworld…why don’t we have forgeable firefight maps? O_o
Because unless 343 has REALLY good programmers(which they luckily do), the A.I can’t adapt to a map that they’re not programmed specifically for. It’s hard, but certainly possible
> > Here’s something I was wondering since the announcement of forgeworld…why don’t we have forgeable firefight maps? O_o
>
> Because unless 343 has REALLY good programmers(which they luckily do), the A.I can’t adapt to a map that they’re not programmed specifically for.
Yeh one problem is the paths that the enemies would take for example. If you stick a block in their way they won’t know what to do. And it would be hard to program the game to be able to adapt to this, but who knows, it is possible.
you guys are comming up with all these ideas and there all good dont get me wrong but forge takes up so much space of the game i think to do itso we can have sooooo much more stuff like gates, differant textures, weather, etc they should put forge and custom games on a seperate disk so a multiplayer and campaign disk and a forge and custom disk i mean yeah it will be a a bummer to change the disk to go from matchamking to custom but i would rather that and then do it so we can have sooooooooo much more stuff