Halo: Reach Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: Ideas to improve forge!
  • Subject: Ideas to improve forge!
Subject: Ideas to improve forge!
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"I'm not camping, I'm lying in wait..."

Hey I was just wondering about what everyone thinks should be added to forge, removed from it, anything at all, it could be an action, like a button to automatically straighten objects, to giving people in monitor mode spartan lasers :D.

Also, please be realistic, because as fun as super gun that shoots flying ninjas would be, you know deep down that's it's not happening.

A few of my ideas:
1. The option to make any item... hrmmm... well whatever you call it where it is forced into place and can't move (i.e. once a double box has settled, it can only be moved by someone in monitor mode), and the option to make any item normal, so that the same double box can now be blown across the map by a rocket launcher. Furthermore, to make geomerging and floating platforms easier, the ability to make objects go right through the floor and other objects. And objects would stay in the air wherever you release them. All these options could have toggle buttons. It would make forge so much less of a pain.

2. No really, give monitor mode a laser or some other weapon, so other people will be less likely to attack you while you're forging, if you happen to be unfortunate enough to be seriously forging with immature people in the game.

3. Something I saw in another post, a custom object creator. Now I realize that they couldn't have a full custom object creator, but they could have some presets, and you could put pieces together, just in case there is something you're going to make several times and you don't want to make it... several times. Also, skins? Or at least a preset list of pictures to put on objects. (Add pictures of spartans around corners, just in case someone jumpy happens to have a rocket launcher "Okay run around this corner, and this one, and AAAAH" -blam- :D)

4. Placing active equipment that keeps respawning, like placing the grav lift. It would allow for more dynamic maps, like being able to create a temporary hole in an enemies base, or a tripmine on power weapons so people will know someone's making a dash for it every time.

5. Voiced before, but pelicans, phantoms, and specters.

6. If not a Sandbox remake/actual map, then at least a skybubble.

7. what they need is a button that can clear the map of all objects so you dont have to scour it for every tiny detal
cinimod posted this in the thread

I'll look around at some of the ideas and maybe start a poll about 1 or 2 that i think would be coolest. And I'll definitely bring the ones I like the most up into the top of the list. I still have 7500 characters to go! :)

One last time, be realistic and mature, no ninja guns!

[Edited on 07.30.2009 6:16 AM PDT]

  • 07.29.2009 4:26 PM PDT
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You don't even know how the game will be. You don't even know how Forge will fit into any part of the game..

  • 07.29.2009 4:27 PM PDT
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"I'm not camping, I'm lying in wait..."

Posted by: Jack Slater
You don't even know how the game will be. You don't even know how Forge will fit into any part of the game..

Why should that stop me from voicing my opinion on how to improve forge? And besides, forge is one of the best components of Halo 3 and can keep the game alive long after people tire of it! I should hope bungie includes it!

[Edited on 07.29.2009 4:29 PM PDT]

  • 07.29.2009 4:29 PM PDT
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Posted by: CheesyPuffs
Posted by: Jack Slater
You don't even know how the game will be. You don't even know how Forge will fit into any part of the game..

Why should that stop me from voicing my opinion on how to improve forge?

omg paradox

read my post agian

  • 07.29.2009 4:30 PM PDT
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"I'm not camping, I'm lying in wait..."

Posted by: Jack Slater
Posted by: CheesyPuffs
Posted by: Jack Slater
You don't even know how the game will be. You don't even know how Forge will fit into any part of the game..

Why should that stop me from voicing my opinion on how to improve forge?

omg paradox

read my post agian

read mine again, at the end i say that bungie will probably include it (i would say around 99.9%)
and also, if bungie reads this thread, idea's can still go into future games beside reach, or even be in an update to the game!

  • 07.29.2009 4:32 PM PDT
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Reach is the prequel to the halo trilogie.
It's an fps.
That's enough to assume that it is somewhat similuar to other halo fps in terms of gameplay and map design. And Bungie is pretty proud of their forge feature in halo 3. Forge would have worked in any other halo fps.
So what makes you think they will not include an improved version of forge into their next halo fps?

I like your ideas, they would, like you said, make forge less of a pain.

  • 07.29.2009 4:43 PM PDT
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lol whatever it is when u force an object? yur and idiot and these are stupid ideas. why would u be forging with people that are attacking you? i bet any map you have made must suck

  • 07.29.2009 4:51 PM PDT
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"I'm not camping, I'm lying in wait..."

Posted by: toxin014
lol whatever it is when u force an object? yur and idiot and these are stupid ideas. why would u be forging with people that are attacking you? i bet any map you have made must suck

For the first sentence you wrote with horrible grammar, I will give you an example, once a double box has settled, it cannot be moved except by picking it up in forge. I won't even bother with the rest.

  • 07.29.2009 4:56 PM PDT

Best way to improve "Forge":

Get rid of it and replace it with a real map editor.

  • 07.29.2009 4:56 PM PDT
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"I'm not camping, I'm lying in wait..."

Posted by: Po0f MoNk3y
Best way to improve "Forge":

Get rid of it and replace it with a real map editor.

This is the kind of "idea" I was hoping to avoid, the kind that doesn't add to the conversation at all and simply wastes peoples time. Can everyone please try to avoid comments like these, it really just makes yourself look bad. And also, forge in Halo 3 was the first try, you have to give it some time to develop and get better. That's what this thread is about, making forge better, not insulting it.

[Edited on 07.29.2009 5:02 PM PDT]

  • 07.29.2009 5:01 PM PDT

Posted by: CheesyPuffs
Posted by: Po0f MoNk3y
Best way to improve "Forge":

Get rid of it and replace it with a real map editor.

This is the kind of "idea" I was hoping to avoid, the kind that doesn't add to the conversation at all and simply wastes peoples time. Can everyone please try to avoid comments like these, it really just makes yourself look bad. And also, forge in Halo 3 was the first try, you have to give it some time to develop and get better. That's what this thread is about, making forge better, not insulting it.


Insulting it? How? Did I say at all: "Forge is -blam-ing stupid and useless blah blah blah"? No, but a person can't get all their creativity out with just The Forge. It's first time? This isn't the first time a level editor has been released with a game; I promise this isn't what Bungie used to make the levels. Granted I'm sure they used PCs to do the editing, but what's to say something can't be made for consoles?

If you really want an "Improved" map editor, we need one in it's entirety, not just something you can move blocks around and edit what weapons start on a map variant. I've logged tons of hours on the Forge-- It's fun, but as an artist myself I can't always achieve what I want done because of sloppy design. Things like not being able to place things anywhere without stacking hundreds of blocks up and deleting them all, or the budget requirements that stop creativity dead in it's tracks. On the other hand I've logged hundreds of hours on every released version of the Unreal Editor to date. I promise, if something to it's degree was ever released on a console, so much more could come out of the mapping community.

The ability to create geometry/shapes/textures/lights/etc > Swinging boxes around until they get where you want them. THIS is how you can improve The Forge.

  • 07.29.2009 5:19 PM PDT
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"I'm not camping, I'm lying in wait..."

Posted by: Po0f MoNk3y
Posted by: CheesyPuffs
Posted by: Po0f MoNk3y
Best way to improve "Forge":

Get rid of it and replace it with a real map editor.

This is the kind of "idea" I was hoping to avoid, the kind that doesn't add to the conversation at all and simply wastes peoples time. Can everyone please try to avoid comments like these, it really just makes yourself look bad. And also, forge in Halo 3 was the first try, you have to give it some time to develop and get better. That's what this thread is about, making forge better, not insulting it.


Insulting it? How? Did I say at all: "Forge is -blam-ing stupid and useless blah blah blah"? No, but a person can't get all their creativity out with just The Forge. It's first time? This isn't the first time a level editor has been released with a game; I promise this isn't what Bungie used to make the levels. Granted I'm sure they used PCs to do the editing, but what's to say something can't be made for consoles?

If you really want an "Improved" map editor, we need one in it's entirety, not just something you can move blocks around and edit what weapons start on a map variant. I've logged tons of hours on the Forge-- It's fun, but as an artist myself I can't always achieve what I want done because of sloppy design. Things like not being able to place things anywhere without stacking hundreds of blocks up and deleting them all, or the budget requirements that stop creativity dead in it's tracks. On the other hand I've logged hundreds of hours on every released version of the Unreal Editor to date. I promise, if something to it's degree was ever released on a console, so much more could come out of the mapping community.

The ability to create geometry/shapes/textures/lights/etc > Swinging boxes around until they get where you want them. THIS is how you can improve The Forge.


"Insulting it? How?" when you put "replace it with a real map editor" i thought you were implying that forge is too crappy a map editor to count as a real one, apologies for the misunderstanding

"It's first time?" bungie's first shot at an in game map editor.

in the second paragraph, this is partly what this thread is about. what we can add to forge to avoid problems. (also, at the stacking comment, i addressed it with idea to toggle the object staying in the air where you release it option)

i am unfortunate enough to not own Unreal, but i imagine that the editor is an entirely separate program from the main game. And if you add in my ideas, and a map like Sandbox, forge can become a real map editor. Also, it would be impossible to create completely custom for everything, it just wouldn't work in halo. but i want them to add some presets with the ability to customize lights/shapes and everything. it's what i want people to add to this thread. ideas like that

  • 07.29.2009 5:30 PM PDT
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Po0f MoNk3y, I could agree more with what you just said.

Our map designs shouldn't be limited whatever misshapen blocks get packaged in with the newest version of Sandbox. This new map editor needs extra features and options flowing out of it's ears.

  • 07.29.2009 5:36 PM PDT

Keep the coffee hot!

i compelely agree. (expecially with the lazor idea :P )

however there is talk of using project natal (the eye toy of 360) for halo reach, now i believe if they could jusat section it off for forge, you could nearly place anything anywhere as long as the programing lets you.

  • 07.29.2009 5:42 PM PDT
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"I'm not camping, I'm lying in wait..."

Posted by: DebatingBoot
Po0f MoNk3y, I could agree more with what you just said.

Our map designs shouldn't be limited whatever misshapen blocks get packaged in with the newest version of Sandbox. This new map editor needs extra features and options flowing out of it's ears.


come on, this is ridiculous, don't just sit there saying "it needs to be more open ended" this thread is about coming up with ideas how to make it more open ended! 6 different people have replied to this thread and not one of them has had a solid suggestion saying "have X feature, or add Y vehicle."

  • 07.29.2009 8:16 PM PDT

what they need is a button that can clear the map of all objects so you dont have to scour it for every tiny detal

  • 07.29.2009 8:22 PM PDT