With the advent of a new engine for Halo Infinite, what are your hopes for what this could bring to multiplayer map design? Feel free to use other games as an example.
I for one hope we get some level of expanded destructible environments. There has always been some degree of environmental danger in Halo maps, and I think expanding on this could bring a lot of new layers to the game.
What do you guys hope we get?
I think they should add ways to change the map mid game. Like what if in the back round there is a space ship and there is a specific set of terminals on the map that can be used to launch that ship and after it is launched the launchpad can open up as a new power position on the map. i was thinking stuff like that.
I am a big proponent of going back to classic game-play with evolution in other areas of the game to spice it up. This is definitely one of those changes i would love to see. Similar to how battlefield did it I believe. For Instance the ramp in Zanzibar opening a new pathway, the stalagmites being able to shoot and fall down, opening and closing pathways, activating large scale events on the map to completely change it.
Go back to classic game-play and bring more innovation like this to enhance the experience! Imagine being on water works and in the middle of the forerunner installation, an event is triggered to essentially destroy or crumble the map and you are now playing in the rubble and ruins of the cave system, that would be cool!
Have different parts of the map activate different changes as well. I love the idea of adding more innovation to the maps and equipment on the maps as opposed to trying to “enhance” the core game-play which i believe should return to classic.
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> I am a big proponent of going back to classic game-play with evolution in other areas of the game to spice it up. This is definitely one of those changes i would love to see. Similar to how battlefield did it I believe. For Instance the ramp in Zanzibar opening a new pathway, the stalagmites being able to shoot and fall down, opening and closing pathways, activating large scale events on the map to completely change it.
>
> Go back to classic game-play and bring more innovation like this to enhance the experience! Imagine being on water works and in the middle of the forerunner installation, an event is triggered to essentially destroy or crumble the map and you are now playing in the rubble and ruins of the cave system, that would be cool!
>
> Have different parts of the map activate different changes as well. I love the idea of adding more innovation to the maps and equipment on the maps as opposed to trying to “enhance” the core game-play which i believe should return to classic.
I really like this idea. For more competitive game modes it would be really cool to see stuff like hold this area of the map for X seconds and it will close (or open) different routes of the map. It would promote more map control and contesting of power weapons.
More dynamic map elements is the obvious addition. We had some experimentation with this in Halo 2 and 3, but from there it kind of went downhill. Like anything, it has the potential to be nothing but a huge gimmick if executed purely, but it’s an aspect of map design that has been explored far too little. Many interesting things could be achieved by both player-activated elements, and segments of the map that move on their own.
However, I stress that these dynamic elements should rather come in the form of deliberate set pieces rather than some kind of generic system such as fully destructible environments. The reason is that individual pieces are something the level design has much more control over, and can tailor them to create a very special unique style for a given map. In contrast, something like destructible environments is too generic. It’s difficult to control and tailor for a specific experience, and is essentially the same on every map, and therefore it has less potential for creativity and truly interesting applications.
Another idea that is kind of interesting are maps where the direction of gravity is not constant à la Super Mario Galaxy. For a shooter such a map is very much a double edged sword, because it’s very easy to disorient players, especially regarding the direction from which they are being shot at. However, it is again something that has potential for interesting designs. It also has interesting meta-implications regarding the interaction of adjacent gravity wells with different orientations, and how that can be used for movement. On the other hand, this means more potential to seriously break maps, which puts more burden on playtesting (and more restrictions on design).
The final idea that could be interesting to explore are Portal like doorways that seamlessly connect two completely separate parts of a map. This would allow creation of maps that are topologically impossible with standard map design, which obviously has huge gameplay implications. Creation of such maps would require incredible intuition for topology, so this too has the change of going horribly wrong.
Each of these features would require putting significant effort into creating a robust system that allows the level designers to easily use the feature. As a consequence, it would be something the team would have to commit to and not use on just one or two, but on a number of maps, which amplifies the risk of poorly designed maps due to unfamiliarity with the features and tools. Dynamic map elements are probably the safest one, because they are smallest departure from traditional design, and can be very varied in both style and scale. The last two ideas are more dreamy, risky, and potentially don’t even have any greater pay-off. But as far as ideas go, I think they help to demonstrate how much room for evolution and innovation there is left in map design if developers actually gave any attention to it.
Can only imagine the engine will benefit campaign level design. For multiplayer, you need to nail the basics first for Halo maps. Start with symmetrical maps, then include asymmetrical ones, and finally a combination of the two for BTB. You don’t need a new engine for that, only well-informed designers.
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> Can only imagine the engine will benefit campaign level design. For multiplayer, you need to nail the basics first for Halo maps. Start with symmetrical maps, then include asymmetrical ones, and finally a combination of the two for BTB. You don’t need a new engine for that, only well-informed designers.
I’m hoping the new engine will enable way more complex versions of some of the walls you can spartan charge through. I’d love it if firefights at some points of the map could dramatically alter the cover and traffic flow. Stuff like bridges exploding, or opening paths, or destroying entire levels of defense to open faster cap paths.
That’s the kind of stuff I’m hoping for. That’s more complex than just “map design.” And it’s the kind of evolution to gameplay that HI can step up from H5 I think.
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> > 2533274823699327;6:
> > Can only imagine the engine will benefit campaign level design. For multiplayer, you need to nail the basics first for Halo maps. Start with symmetrical maps, then include asymmetrical ones, and finally a combination of the two for BTB. You don’t need a new engine for that, only well-informed designers.
>
> I’m hoping the new engine will enable way more complex versions of some of the walls you can spartan charge through. I’d love it if firefights at some points of the map could dramatically alter the cover and traffic flow. Stuff like bridges exploding, or opening paths, or destroying entire levels of defense to open faster cap paths.
>
> That’s the kind of stuff I’m hoping for. That’s more complex than just “map design.” And it’s the kind of evolution to gameplay that HI can step up from H5 I think.
343 has said they are making Infinite with competitive play in mind. For that reason I believe arena maps won’t have any significant dynamic elements. But I hope that warzone, or whatever non-arena mode is in Infinite, would have these dynamic maps as well as forge so some creative custom games can be made.
I’m mainly waiting to see how the new engine works with forge maps.
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> I’m mainly waiting to see how the new engine works with forge maps.
Also, make the forge easier to learn and operate
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> > 2585548714655118;9:
> > I’m mainly waiting to see how the new engine works with forge maps.
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> Also, make the forge easier to learn and operate
All forge really needs is the ability to import / draw in 2D and allow them to be imported as an asset. You could then assemble chunks of floor plan quickly without the cumbersome lining up / angling of every individual piece).
To really make the maps immersive I hope there is the same texture application that Doom Eternal has - where the artist can take an asset and easily add texture stickers to them to really individualise the piece / map.
I have nothing but respect for the skill of the forgers out there. Hopefully the new game engine elevates their work to the point where they can make maps that look / feel exactly like the custom ones. Then, the game will truly take off.
Or maybe even have a PC Microsoft programme to accompany Infinite, as a map builder, then it can be imported or uploaded to the game
They have that with some C&C Games, “World Builder”, but make it easier to use