Gravity Well

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Gravity Well Title Shot:

Map Haiku:

Boarding Action-like,
It curves around a death-pit.
OHGOD!FLAMETHROWER!

Map Overview:

I built this map starting with the vague goal of Kind-of-Remaking-Boarding-Action-from-Halo-1... with some tweaks. Teams start out on opposite sides of a long death pit. From here, they may go any of 3 ways: 1) up to the top level and around to the other side via catwalks, 2) through the bottom level and around the death-pit on the ground floor, or 3) pick up an OS to open a door that allows either team access to a central shortcut-bridge (and a flamethrower), however both sides must open their gate in order the the bridge to be fully useful.

The weapon layout is covenant-based (plasma pistols, plasma rifles, plasma grenades, carbines, power drainer, beam rifle, sword) with the big exception of the flamethrower. Dual-wielding is actually a valid (and useful) option on Gravity Well, and nothing completely overpowers anything else. And I made sure my favorite noob-combo was decently effective. Also, grenades are a bit nerfed due to the half-aesthetic, half-item-saving, half-gameplay-choice 'cracks' in the walls.

The map supports pretty much any gametype you want to throw at it, but my favorites are listed below. It's a small map, so I wouldn't suggest ever putting more than 6 players on it unless you're OK with some inevitable bad spawns. The spawns and weapon layout make for an ideal (non-hardcore) 1v1 chess match where you should never feel completely out-gunned upon respawn. It's also great for some 3 or 4 person FFA games or 2v2 objective matches.

Suggested Gametypes:

1v1 or 1v1v1 or 1v1v1v1 or 2v2 Slayer - 2-4 players - It's a nice little map where path knowledge will win you the game. Know all the tricky little jumps.
CTF* - 4-6 players - This map is made to support 1 or 2 flag. Tactical switch-use can be the key to victory. I'd play 2 flag 2v2 and 1-flag 2v2 or 3v3.
KotH - 2-6 players - Lots of hills keep you moving around the map. I prefer FFA to team KotH on this map.
Assault* - 4-6 players - Ditto CTF, but backwards.
Conquest - 4-6 players - The territories were set up with Conquest in mind, though it's definitely not a linear setup.
Oddball - 4-6 players - As long as your slippery fingers don't drop the ball into the death pit too often...

*Note: For objective games, the gameplay really depends on the settings used. For instance, a bomb fuse time of 15 yields some back and forth assault, while 10 seconds gives you more straightforward gameplay.

Weapon Loadout Shots*:

Front Loadout

Back Loadout

*Note: Walls have been deleted for the purpose of picture taking.

Features:

Of the smaller maps I've made, this is my favorite yet... even more so than Electric Slide... and I loved that thing. Here are what I take to be the pertinent aspects of the map:

-Long death-pit: Hey, it was the best way to re-do Boarding Action in Foundry as far as I can tell... and it led to a nice kind-of-not-secret sword spawn.
-The bridge: I think it's a great tactical choice in objective games and another nice way around in slayer. Plus, the switch-doors on either side are the most robust switches I've incorporated into a map yet... even if they are a bit simple.
-Tactical jumps/drops: These things will save your life more than once. Try falling into the sword-man-cannon to save yourself a second of being shot at.
-Weapon Layout: It's not the same as all my other maps, and it's my best use of the sword and flamethrower yet.
-Symmetry settings: The map is set up with mostly covenant weapons in symmetric games, but in asymmetric games, it switches to human weapons attacking covenant weapons (Carbine to BR, plasma rifle to SMG, etc). Additionally, in asymmetric games: 1) the attackers have no control over their gate. It's just open. 2) The maulers near the spawns are replaced with a Dep. Cov. for the defenders and a trip mine for the attackers. 3) the mid-map power-weapons are switched (Beam Rifle for Active Camo, Power Drainer for Sentinel Beam, Sword disappears). 4) The shield-doors on the attacker's side of the map deactivate and extra shield doors on the defenders' side activate.

Screenshots:

Red Base
Here is one of the bases. The two are identical from a geometry standpoint, but have slightly different weapon loadouts (human vs covie) during asymmetrical games. There's a spawning cubby (the single open box in the fence box) and a spawning box (behind the vertical double wall) which is shielded during asymmetrical games. You can pick up a couple carbines, a plasma grenade, a mauler, and an overshield. Be careful, though, the OS opens your gate to the bridge.

A View From the Pit
This is the death pit. It's steep. And... it... err... kills you. You probably shouldn't jump into it like this... unless you want the sword... then you'll have to land in the proper place to grab it. You can see the active-camo/beam-rifle spawn in the background.

Feline Perambulation
Yup. The map has catwalks. It's good territory to control, too.

The Bridge
The bridge is a good way to get from base-to-base, but it's easy to become overwhelmed... But hey, that's what the flamethrower is for, right?

Bomb Armed. Fist Planted.
This is what it's all about...

Detonation
Well, that and this. What a lovely shot.

On fire... Chron Fire?
Running Chron doesn't like the flamethrower on the map. I think I know why.

Break-Dancing...
Because... what else do you have to do?

Holdin' Bomb
Just for fun.

Final Words:

As always, thanks to the many people who helped test and had input into this map. Thanks particularly to GO43R for some aesthetic and layout tips. Also, but ups to JustcallmeDrago, whose death-pit design I shamelessly stole.

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