Short Straw
By David White

Recommended Players: 4 - 12
Recommended Gametypes: Team Slayer, Capture the Flag, Territories, Infection

Bad luck for those working at the long docks at the shore of Old Mombasa

Short Straw started out when I decided to create a map based on the information we've heard about Longshore, which is very little. After several sketches and map plans I had come up with a list of things Short Straw should have considering Longshore's description and what I could achieve in Forge. I achieved most of those things on that list and others were not possible or changed because of the way I developed my idea while building.

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My original plan:
A fairly open map with long 'streets'. A central warehouse is accessible from the roofs of both bases and is set up with access ramps high up and a ground floor similar to Foundry or one of the warehouses in The Storm.
Each base is unique but have similar features such as locations of entrances.

The map I created:
Fairly open with 'streets' large enough to be courtyards. The central warehouse is home to the ghost and a raised platforms go around the edge at the top and mid way up the wall. The turret on the balcony is accesible from either.
The bases a very similar in layout but each still has a unique feel so you know which one is yours.

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Short Straw is a semi-symmetrical map suited for objective game types, slayer and infection. Its not so good for oddball or VIP but they are still set up, just not perfected like the other gametypes.

The layout of the map is mostly symmetrical. The warehouse takes up most of the central part of the map where you can grab the ghost or turret. Each base is raised with 1 main room, roof access and a tunnel under the main room. From the top of each base you can jump to a ramp which will take you to the top platform of the warehouse, this jump can't be made by bomb, ball or flag carriers. From the ramp, you can jump to the balcony of the base. A good tactic in flag games might be to jump from your base, to the warehouse, on to the oppositions balcony but you won't be able to jump back on to the ramp with the flag. The reverse happens with the bomb. This was basically to stop players taking a quick and safe route between bases to score really quickly and avoid camping up there in Oddball.

The semi-symmetrical bit comes in in asymmetric gametypes and the weapon layout. The tunnel under each base isn't used much, most of the time you'll be wanting to go up the ramp right next to it to get in to the base. However, under the defender's base you'll find a spartan laser and a bubble shield to fend off the attackers. Under the attacker's base is a beam rifle and a power drainer for taking out the oppositions defences.

The vehicles also change. In symmetrical gametypes each team has a warthog and a mongoose and a ghost can be found in the warehouse. The warthogs are on 20s respawn so they're not a weapon you can get rid off for good!
In asymmetrical gametypes, attacker's keep their warthog but the defenders' is replaced with another mongoose.
In territories, the defender's are the ones who will need to be getting around the map fast and in CTF, the attackers need a powerful entrance (warthog) and a quick get away (mongoose, if theres one still there). Thats why they vehicles change.

Things to look out for:

Look up slightly, you can't miss the 2 enormous cranes. The red crane in the dunes and the blue crane in the warehouse.
Active Camo can be found at the end of the top platform.
The mounted turret is positioned so it doesn't totally dominate the front of the warehouse. It might be better to rip it off and carry it back to your base.
Watch the back door of the warhouse in KotH. If anyone comes in there, they'll have the high ground!
The 'conveyor belt' through the warehouse sometimes moves! Honest! Really! You'll be like "No wai! The conyeyor belt totally moves, thats awesome!" I kid, its an aesthetic use for the maps textures
The rocket launcher can be found at the dunes in front of the warehouse.

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Looking out from the back of the warehouse
(Note: Tube in the dunes has been removed).

Defender's Base - Rear. Warthog/Mongoose spawn

Attacker's Base - Rear, looking over to the rest of the map.

Front of the Attacker's base. The wooden bridges are to give the two bases seperate looks...

... which can also be seen here by the wooden ramp. The defender's base has a stone ramp. (Note: The wall the warthog is next to has been replaced with a fin)

The front of the warehouse. Rockets are behind the wall on the right.

The warehouse. Active Camo at the top and ghost below. You can see the platforms which go around the edge, the active camo is on the top one and the middle platforms come off from the ghost and lead up to the turret balcony.

The stipes are ramps. The colours show the level they are going from and to.

The above information was written for Mk 1. Mk 2 has has slight changes including a more symmetrical layout and neatening of some objects.

Warthogs: Removed - each is replaced with 1 mongoose. The mongoose already on the map remains, so 2 mongooses per base.
Spartan Laser: Removed - Replaced with Rocket Launcher
Beam Rifle: Removed - Replaced with Rocket Launcher
Turret: Removed - replaced with the power drainer.
Power Drainer: See above, moved to old turrte location.
Rocket Launcher: Removed - replaced with Spartan Laser
Spikers inside base: Replaced with Plasma Rifles.
Bubble Shields: Removed from base, 1 added to each side between the old rocket spawn and spiker pair spawn.

Other than that, its mostly the same. The playtests went well and I may have some action screens up soon.

Dowload Short Straw Mk 2