I dont know about you guys but i was pretty excited about new content related to BTB. Breaker seemed like it was gonna be a fun addition to the game modes and LSS. Now that I’ve played on it enough ive come to my conclusions and some opinions.
Its too linear! For a BTB map alot of the action takes place in only two locations, left side mid, or right side mid. Occasionally vehicle combat in the center that might extend further to ones side but thats about it and that never lasts long cause you’ll only be digging yourself to the opposite teams spawn. Along with the spawn points, you can literally sit inside of them and not be exposed to whays going on with the rest of the game. In all honesty, its kinda lazy. Playing on this map is very boring for most game modes because of a constant “Deadlock” between both sides.
Though as a Occasional forger i see alot of opportunity with this map. For one, one side of the map (unsc base, can’t think of the location name) would be excellent for an arena based 4v4 map. It provides an excellent center with vantage points and a outer ring that circles the entire location with alot of lower levels and upper levels. This location looks very similar to a H3 map and it just saddens me that not alot goes on in this location besides an occasional ghost or warthog breaks through, or if your playing LSS.
My hopes were that it was to be a little bit bigger with at least 3 buildings in the center and two ramps for vehicle combat between the 3. It would of granted better opportunities for flanks and a much broader area of combat. I know we can hope and dream all we want but i think this should be a lesson learned by 343 and to provide exciting maps in the future.
Slayer: Perfectly good map for it; the deadlocking is unimportant.
CTF: A bit tough because of the deadlocking you’re describing, but it’s alright.
Total Control: It was a terrible idea to put the control points in the underground tunnel, but the other points are fine.
Not rating it on stockpile because stockpile is just neutral flag but bad.
I see what you mean with slayer, it isnt all that important but you can still feel the never moving chain. CTF is the most challenging by far on this map especially, its like both team rarely get anywhere. 2 places to control but never shift in favor. Stockpile is just bad in general on any map.
Eh, high power is pretty fun. Its a classic BTB map with a multi level base on both sides with 3 or 4 ways to get around and flank the opponents. 8-10 for highpower in my eyes.
High Power feels to me like a “sequel map” to H3 Longshore. Kinda like how H3 Guardian is similar to Lockout and yet distinctly it’s own map at the same time.
A lot of the design principles present in Longshore are in the map High Power and I find that interesting
did they also ask for the BTB maps to become absolute trash? halo 2/3 16 players BTB maps were full of character and actually fun to play in, the maps in infinite are forgettable to say the least, and thats because you cant make a quality map that can accommodate 24 players, unless you are really good at making maps. infinite’s BTB slayer is the most boring **** Ive ever played.
I think Infinite’s BTB maps play fine now that we’ve gone through a couple balance passes. High Power is likely going to land on my top 10 list of favorite BTB maps as time goes on
Lots to improve, but I don’t dislike any of the 4 maps. I’ll be excited once we get more stuff in Infinite’s maps like the gate on High Ground/Zanzibar or the bridge on Longshore.
To bring this thought full circle back to Breaker. I’m very annoyed it was advertised as a CQC map, and yet it has the most consistent sniper camping of any BTB map
My biggest dissappointment in the map is the laser. When they said a laser that splits the map in half, I thought it meant something more invasive like the train in Halo 2. Instead, the laser is on an already large lava pit. You already have one hazard there! And the beam is vertical and moves left and right. It is easily avoidable. I thought it would have been horizontal and move up and down at least, but no.
I’m not trying to offend you or anything, but this is just totally a false statement. You shouldn’t be telling people Fragmentation and High Power are “fundamentally the same”.
They’re both in a canyon, that’s the only thing they have in common.
Asymmetrical vs symmetrical (right here they fundamentally ste very different).
Built in wasp spawns and a nuetral vehicle spawn on the map, vs built in warthogs and no neutral vehicle on the map.
One map is split into 3 distinct straight lanes, the other is split into two map halves.
Loot cave mini objective vs neutral vehicle mini objective
I could go on and on. They’re just fundamentally not similar besides the color pallet
What I meant is that they pretty much mirror each other in actual gameplay regardless of their distinct design.
Both have emphasis on a central point of contact, or “main lane”
Both have side lanes which are designed to be less travelled, and most of the weapons bar base spawns are littered in these side lanes
Both have man cannons which project you toward the center of the “main lane”
Both have very prominent LoS breaks
What 343 has done with both these maps is essentially create a feeling of what I call “false-openess” Both maps are rather open, but the map is purposefully divided down the middle, with weapons and lanes funneling action through these specific locations.
You’ve played Frag, you’ve basically played Highpower already. The existence of the Wasp as static spawns don’t change this fact, but rather further suffocates players into the lanes, which has more cover to use against the aerial threat.
In fact, this sort of repeated experience can be felt in a majority of Infinite’s Arena map as well.
Aquarius, Bazaar, Recharge, Streets.
These 4 maps are basically the same map, despite certain differences. Reason? They are all designed to have an “false-open” middle area, but most of the player movement and combat happens in the safer sidelanes. This creates the player experience of fighting in an enclosed circle, and occasionally forced to enter the middle of the circle to contest objectives or power weapons.
I just… fundamentally disagree on so many levels. Claiming all those maps are “basically the same” is just such a fundamentally simple mindset to approach map balance discussions with, and imo it’s not even remotely accurate.
Claiming bazzar is “basically the same” as Streets (for example) is just completely ridiculous at its core imo. I don’t know how you can present this claim with a straight face.
Well just have to agree to disagree if that’s the mindset you approach Halo map discussion with
You sound like someone who talks more on forums than actually play the game. If you had played the game constantly and been thrown into these maps over and over, you start experiencing the similarities between them.
Like I said, despite all the differences between maps THEY PLAY THE SAME. It’s the same old “Fight in the outer circle making up the map and the middle is lava”
I have like 1800 played games, I think I know the maps fine.
I disagree they play the same. Fundamentally at its core I think that’s an upside down claim.
There’s a ton of different engagement, traversal, and range differences amongst them. I think your trying to generalize and over simplify to the point where it’s hurting whatever point you’re trying to make.
