These could function in a similar way to dungeons in Skyrim, Side Quests or Strikes/Raids in Destiny and labyrinthian, the complex winding levels in Metroid Prime that require problem solving, unlocking sections, skillful platforming, low gravity sections, creative grapple shot usage to reach side chambers, infiltration, Intel gathering, capturing Brute High Value targets, obtaining local cartographers to reveal map sections ( like Metroid maps ), obtaining Indexes ( that function like Keycards instead of just using Power Seeds ) for Access to Rooms/Tunnels/Fortresses/Facilties/Chasms and more
– Hexagon Elevators wouldn’t be only one type of Way to access these “Dungeon” like side quest regions, other could included Platforms built into the sides of Hex Walls like the Doors In Halo CE built into the Canyon walls, reachable by Banshees, Hidden Entrances in Waterfalls, Underground Spires surrounded by huge Forerunner trenches and canyons accessable via Light Bridges ( like the tower level of Half Life 2 )
– These would be easy to add ( compared to full DLC ) with variety and content to hold us over until DLC is done and could be made with mostly existing Assets. The Forerunner and Spire elvels are easily the best in the game so the “Dungeons” could be composed of similar sections with winding Shafts/Tunnels/Forerunner Caves/Cylix Facilities built with a mission in mind such as rescuing a team on a mission deep inside the Ring, Destroying a Sentinel production facility, Activating a Large Forerunner power station for a new area above or complex series of Light bridges and tunnels ladden with Brute Forces that leads to other elevator sections used to access a new region or island, etc etc
– This feature could also be present in Forge and with the forge stuff seen so far could be great for custom mission building
– These levels could introduce more varieties of the Hexagons including Hexagon “PLATES” seen from Halo Wars which look like overlapping scales/platforms of varying sizes creating rythym/pattern/repetition in the level design with light platforming, along with stuff like low gravity seen early in the game. IE: Jumping accross chasms, exploring labyrinthian tunnel systems, sets of vertical chambers like in Silent Cartographer with each Dungeon having a relevant “reward” such as a key card to access an upgraded Forerunner weapon, a cartographer for sidequests etc
– Note: Hexagon PLATES would be good for areas near the edges of the Hexagon walls to A. Obscure the lower parts of walls and reduce objects needed to be rendered, B introduce a new platforming mechanic, make the player feel sort of like they are on “Lilly pad” like structures and jump accross stepping-stone like chains of Hex Plates to add variety and modularity to the arrangements of Forerunner Hex-based pieces, especiallt near large walls/cliffs/chasms etc. The pieces could overlap, stair-step" have staggered arrangements so it feels dynamic and “flowing” and encourage exploration and different opportunities to cross Chasms and traverse accross gaps
– The Hexagon walls could have Triangular Plates to fill in the gap between hex columns so that they are more flattish walls with grooves and vertical wall pieces to break up the excess repetition of Hexagon collums
Into different shapes and wall structures in a modular fashion and the hes walls could have new purposes built in such as glowing light at the seams representing power sources, niches in the walls to grab Forerunner weapons from, opportunities to fight sentinels by destroying the sentinel transport Ports ( Halo 2: Quarantine Zone ) etc etc and different combinations of bridges/ledges with doors similar to the Subterranean sections of “Assault on the control room” from Combat Evolved in the design context of Infinite.
– There could even be ones where the Banished are holed up in a section of the Ring’s internal Halls/chambers/tunnels/inner structures and you have to assault a subterranean Banished fortress that they made by modifying/using Forerunner rooms/structures for their purposes, somewhat similar to how the Locust from Gears of War had their underground castles/fortresses etc etc
– We could see new stuff like Power stations, Fuel storage, raw materials stations, sentinel hives, sentinel construction facilities, larger sentinels, Forerunner weapons facilities, generic labs, Cylix processing
– These levels could have a design philosophy like the recent DLC for Quake with more labyrinthian design, problem solving, platforming, “Metroid Prime”-like exploration, Opportunities for using Grappling and other equipment to reach sections needed to progress, using vehicles underground like in Halo CE is a big one, Obtaining Cartographers, AI shards, data from Forerunner Libraries etc etc
Just some ideas I had within the existing level design framework seen in Infinite that could be added to currently existing locations or nearby islands
ALSO, features like the following would be cool
– more Waterfalls( like the recently added Halo 3 maps )
– Platforming with grapple shot through and near waterfalls and moving or floating Hex Plates and pillars
– *Internal Biomes in large underground sections kinda like from Journey to the center of the earth
– Ability to jump onto a sentinel and ride it like you’re skyjacking a vehicle, using it to reach new areas or sections via hacking it, Steering it through foggy, blue-glowing Chasms and chambers to reach new sections like the big vehicle tunnels from CE except you’re flying through the Forerunner transport Canals on a Sentinel, steering around other swarms of Sentinels, to navigate sections with branching paths requiring local maps like from Metroid so the player doesn’t get lost
– *Stealth missions into Underground Brute Strongholds with multi-tiered objectives like Recon and Intel that we receive Valor for
– Recon mission to scope out locations of Brute Frigates via breaking into their Battle net, the Brute Equivalent of a cartographer, and then later having missions on the surface to assault Shipyards, towers with a team of ODST’s
– Opportunity to have VIP MISSIONS to capture Brute High Value targets, bring them back to an FoB with the support of ODST’s to gain Intel, supplies, or equipment upgrades
– MISSION where we infiltrate a Brute Weapons depot and get a hold of Old School UNSC arms like the CE Shotty, MA5D ( with better Accuracy ), Slightly Nerfed bust still -Yoink!- AF magnum, MA5-K that functions like an SMG with close range, lower damage, higher capacity Mag functions in mind
– “Hunt the Truth” Missions where we have to gather Intel about the Banished Propaganda towers to find the central broadcast locations, disable comms centers and Hunt and Find the Brute propaganda team in a sort of humorous tongue in Cheek mission against the Brute Propaganda Units
Just a few Ideas I had to mix it up and make it feel fresh.