Insane54 N Stuff

Whats going on now

Insane54 — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:13:53 +0000

If you’re wondering why nothing is happening, don’t worry, it is. When we get a good name we’ll be getting a .com site of that name, along with a nice theme and everything set up, and then I think we start seriously. By then I’ll probably also be home on a real computer…

Uh…

Insane54 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:53:42 +0000

We still need a new name. Think of something good!

New editors/authors: Shock Theta and Pegasi Delta from ForgeHub.com

Adding to the Staff/Name change?

Insane54 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:36:36 +0000

Hey guys, please welcome MickRaider to the writing staff, he’ll definately be a great addition. In that vein, I’m thinking of getting a good amount of good writers that really know what their talking about to be authors for the blog…no offense, but I’m looking for the more already respected names out there. If you got an idea, just comment.

Also, if I do that (which I am) a name change is probably appropriate. Just comment and I’ll think about it. Can be whatever’s catchy, and works with XXXX.wordpress.com and also for XXXX.com

Map Design 2: Risk vs. Reward

Insane54 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:46:06 +0000

Hopefully by now we have a good understanding of flow. The next thing we’ll do is risk vs reward. Basically, in halo anything you do there should be a thought out sense of risk and reward, and they should (generally) be more or less balanced out. For example, lets take the rockets on Pit. Everyones done it…you rush for rockets at the beginning only to be cut down from grenades EVERYWHERE. Though the risk is high, there’s a great reward too. The thing that gets some people, even though they understand it, is to vary the type of risk. There are different kinds of risks and rewards…higher elevation maybe, a weapon or equipment, accessing an area is easier or faster, risk of falling off the map, risk of an easy to flank sniper location, etc.

So, stupid excersize #2…take your flow overhead sketch from before and add RvR to everything you can find…weapons, areas, flow routes (like how running across top mid on guardian has the reward of quick access, but real high risk from being able to be shot from almost everywhere on the map). You can classify it (grade A, B, C, etc) or just show the place or whatever makes sense to you. As usual, the more maps to see how they vary the better. Post it here if you can so I can check it out. Next up is lines of sight, coming soon to a blog near you!

Map Design 1: Flow

Insane54 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:16:36 +0000

As promised, I’m going to have some of my theories on map design for Forge (Halo 3). Remember these are my ideas or stuff I’ve picked up from other forgers or research, not necessarily fact. Ill generally write it in fact form because i dont feel like it. Onwards….

In a way map design is like a puzzle..you fit together pieces that interlock into each other. At the same time, at certain points your idea may have to come all at once. Realize that this all gets much easier the more you practice it. If you’re not really determined to do map design, I think this blog might help…but IMO you get much farther doing all the stupid stuff I suggest. I’m still trying to figure the best way to help people with this, so ideas and comments are very welcome. Hopefully you also have a scanner, so I can see your work, too…I’ll put it up on the blog if it’s done good. Computer programs also work but we’re trying to simplify so Sketchup isn’t the way to go yet IMO…programs like Paint work probably. Also, don’t try to get ahead of yourself. IMO it’s a good idea to get an idea and improve it, but I’d wait till at least the major points are done. Be patient n stuff, lol

Alright, so the thing that keeps everything moving and is the main key to a good map is The Forc–er, map flow. Basically, this is where your players move around the map. If you’re moving from structure to structure, it’s not right. Example: S2, guardian. Does each route (S1,S3, elbow) have different advantages and disadvantages? Are each different enough to make the map fun to play and offer depth? Are the players moving through that area how much you want them to? Flow should be one of the main deals in your map.

So, here’s my flow excercise…take a map like Guardian or Pit and backwards engineer it with flow. Start with an overhead sketch…and turn each part into it’s basic shape (like top mid would be a big circle, blue room probably a square, etc). The idea is to get rid of the details, to do the map backwards. After you have that (don’t worry about making it look good as long as you can read it in general), draw arrows for the flow. Do your best, if you can send it my way so I can see if it’s been done right. If you can, try to do more than one map and get an idea of how the maps vary…that will give you an understanding of how some routes are manipulated to be used more or less depending on the situation of the map. Next up…risk verse reward, another of the top few most important stuff along with flow. Questions and comments welcome, just write el commento.

I’m on a boat!

Insane54 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:55:53 +0000

Today I went to Eilat, at the south point of Israel…known mostly for rich European winter resort houses and prostitutes, but besides that…they have the Red Sea, where I went on a pretty nice boat (IM ON A BOAT!) and we got to swim off it (it’s freakin salty…not nearly as bad as the Dead Sea where you automatically float, but still). Went banana boating, swimming around, then watched The Incredibles on a huge TV. A good day as usual on my trip here

On a more serious note, what the Israelis have done with total desert is pretty amazing. Much of the areas in israel are really nice and green, especially closer to jerusalem there are canyons and forests and stuff. In a way I want to play Far Cry because it’s similar in some parts but I feel like it would dissappoint after seeing how beautiful it is in real life. I should mention yesterday I was at Ein Gedi…basically imagine desert, just rocks and sand, then suddenly waterfalls and stuff. There’s a natural ground slant that goes from Hebron (quite a few miles far away) and the water apparently rolls down into these waterfalls in the middle of the desert. It’s pretty crazy awesome…

Sooooo…

Insane54 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:48:14 +0000

So I don’t really know what to do to start off. Hopefully some people will be coming in soon, maybe a couple new writer dudes and a guy to set up all these settings because I’m far too lazy…

Anyway, a little on me I guess. I’m 18, live in Detroit, Michigan. My name is Aaron. I’m Jewish. My gamertag is Insane54, highest skill 46 in Doubles. I’ve had 3 things on Bungie Favorites so far, made 5 maps, 3 features on forgehub, blah blah. I’m an Admin at ForgeHub.com (retired for vacation) and I handle most Public Relations things.

Right now and for another 4 weeks, I am in israel on vacation. So don’t worry if I disappear for a bit or if my writing isn’t great. It’s an iPod, it’s not easy

Next thing will probably be starting map design, but just email me (insane54@forgehub.com) or leave a comment for suggestions or whatever. I’ll back later today or tomorrow for that…

Test

Insane54 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:23:45 +0000

Hey guys

since I’m bored I plan on adding my thoughts or what’s going on to this. Feel free to tune in or whateva. I’ll also include some of my ideas on map design theory. Enjoy?