- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Posted by: Time Glitch v2
I'd like an in-game map editor much like Far Cry 2s, only with the option to also edit on the computer.
Short of that, I'd love to see more practical Forge objects. Placable doors and other switches would be awesome, as well as an adjustable death barrier. Objects to change the skybox and time of day would be helpful as well.
I don't want to go on and on about all the things I'd love to see in Forge 2. The best way I can explain it would be a cross between Far Cry 2's editor, and Garrys Mod. Elements from both would bring about massive change to the engine and enable us to make much cleaner, more in-depth maps.
One last thought: Placable AI, Bodies, and Bipeds. Custom Single Player levels anyone?
Win.
EDIT: Oh I almost forgot...More gametype options! And allow us to set our own percentages/numbers please...I'm sick of the presets.
No offense Time Glitch, but I seriously think an advanced editor like Far Cry's will loose almost half of the forging community. There is a HUGE problem with flexibility and ease that people don't take into account. That problem is that when something is easy for EVERYONE to build then why put the time and effort into it yourself? The drive that you will find to build something will come from an innovative map design and layout rather than something that looks gorgeous. Over 60% of forgers build because they like to build what other people would have a hard time building and finding new ways to make cool looking objects.
If we had a 3D modeler for forge then it is over for over 75% of the forge community. Not everyone can 3D model and so they could get outclassed by those who do and feel helpless when they try to themselves so they end up quiting. Also where is the challenge in making a new cool looking object or structure? There is none, so there is less of a way to show off your creativity.
If we had a terrain editor like Far Cry, where would be the challenge in building a cool landscape? On Fary Cry building hills and stuff to reduce threat zones and what not isn't as impressive as seeing players build that into their maps on Halo. There's no challenge in building great terrain in Far Cry, unless you really understand level desing theory enough to optimize gameplay through terrain, and most of the forge community have not delved that far into things hence they will become disinterested.
Geomerging and interlocking are interesting skills, but they can go. Being able to make an object "transparent" should be accessible by a click of a button. This would allow it to be interlocked, geomerged, and when you let it go in "tranparency" it would float as well.
There is a lot of fun and challenge and a way to show off what you can do in Forge... that is what has kept the community alive so long and has kept it so big. People say "HEY LOOK WHAT I CAN MAKE WITH # LARGE, CORNERS AND # GOLD COLUMNS!!!". And other people wow at the structure and ponder how they can use it in their maps. Premade objects are the way to go and sandbox is a powerful step towards that. If you hadn't noticed with all the measurement faults on sandbox, one becomes creative to find something that will work while being smooth. Advanced level editors don't force you to be creative like that or think how to manipulate things to your advantage. It gives forge a sorta interactive feel that makes you keep coming back.
Now on top of that I personally think that Fixed Rotation is something that is needed in forge as well. This would go hand in hand with the "transparency" idea. You would be able to set the object to "transparent" set a rotation (say 45 degrees) then move it to where you want and let it go. Becuase it would be "transparent" it would interlock/geomerge/float to exactly where you put it. With this people could easily make things that they want while still keeping the creativity of forge.
Now another aspect that would keep the community together would be the ability to save a group of objects. Now the structure would then be available in a pallet and you could spawn that and place it anywhere as it's own object. That custom object would still contain X objects and cost X budget, but the whole point of the system would be to allow a sort of copy paste as well as to be able to show off structures you have created to friends. This could be extended by being able to share those structures like you would maps. YOu would have a set limit of custom structures on your HD that you can hold like say 64 since we are keeping with the power of 2 mindset... this would add a whole dimension into forge communities.
Just these few simple tricks will keep forge powerful and fun and appeal to most of the community. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE an advanced editor. I suck at forge which is why I design on Sketchup and have people build it for me now. And advanced level editor would allow me to actually directly build maps instead of having to have someone forge them. Forging is a unique skill on it's own and that skill shouldn't be taken away. While allowing "transparency" removes a lot of the current skill, it will return things to creative skill like back in the pre-DLC times. That's when the greatest innovation was. No we are spoiled... lol.
Thank you bungie for your great work thus far and I hope you keep the new guy in mind when it comes to forge. Too simple will loose a lot of amateur level designers that have some great potential. And too hard and it will push away good level designers. To advanced and it will intimidate amateurs... Forge has been a great tool for the amateur level designer and a great test of skill for actual level designers. And I hope it stays that way... ooo and cool snap to object features would be great too... make it like google sketchup and I will be more than happy :)
Oh yeah and I agree with flexible gametype parameters... :) and undo is a great idea as well...
[Edited on 08.14.2009 3:43 AM PDT]