I've been a long time lurker on ForgeHub now and finally decided to take the time and make my first post. It's a bit long as it's a crosspost from NeoGAF where I typically hang out to talk Halo but figured I might as well go all out on a first post here. :D

04.05.2009: Updated to Air Stream 0.2
http://www.bungie.net/Online/Halo3UserContentDetails.aspx?h3fileid=72133194

So 4/1/09 not only brings you B.U.N.G.L.E. but it also brings to you my FIRST EVER Halo3 forged map. If anyone ever told you that FourDoor would have created a map from start to finish, I would have told you that it was a funny April fools joke. But here it is in it’s entirety. I spent the last 3weeks working on this map off and on used it to learn how to work in Forge. Learning to deal with objects that want to never line up, waiting forever for the object respawn timers so that I can merge objects together, accidentally deleting critical pieces because Forge hates me, and managing the default object quirks and budget. It has been fun and agonizing but at the end I am happy with what I ended up with. So I present: Air Stream

Air Stream is a map that has undergone a few changes along the way from it’s original inception. Below was my initial sketch up of the map. 3d rendering software has nothing on my pencil and paper skillz! The original concept was having 2 small bases connected by 2 outer exposed tunnels for some fun shotgun and AR action. The 2 bases would be connected via teleporters in the back to make the frantic AR/Shotgun action more unpredictable as the tunnels themselves would have been the sole chokepoints.

Progress shot of initial mockup:

Then during the process of building out the bases, I ended up changing my original design and wanted to add different tiers/levels for the players to move through as opposed to just 2 simple bases and 2 tunnels. So as I was building the main floor, I decided to build on top of the roof as well.

As I was building the roof area, I saw the similarities that my map was starting to show with Beaver Creek. So from there, I took queues on how to place the little details of the map including the entry points from the top of the base. I then took it one step further and placed windows in the back of the base to make for some quick and dirty flag caps with a well organized team set up to do some flag throw/catches through the windows.

The next major piece I ended up adding to the map that were not part of the original design were sniper ramps/ledges. I played with a couple of different ideas for this but felt that since I already borrowed some ideas from Beaver Creek that I would also take inspiration from their sniper ramp. And it was at this point that I decided that my map was now eerily similar to Beaver Creek so the name Air Stream was born as it now sort of looked liked Beaver Creek in the air.

Air Stream Map Features:
- 2 Symmetrical Bases (red/blue) 4 ways in the bases (tunnels or dropping in from the roof) and only way out is back down through the tunnels unless you're desperate enough to grenade jump out through the drop in holes from the roof. (Edit for v0.2 you can now jump out of the base via a small little vertical ledge) Objective items can be passed through the window.
- Roof areas can be accessed by utilizing the outer building structures to jump on top of the base
- Lowered inner tunnels connecting the bases with exposed areas from the main floor in the center. One side of the tunnel contains a ledge that lets you jump out while the other side features an embedded ramp to walk your way out.
- 2 Teleporters connecting the 2 back sides of the bases for maneuverability through the map without crossing the center of the map
- 2 Sniper ramps housing an exposed sniper ledge with just a little bit of cover.
- Center area of the map features a gap in the middle of the now dried up creek. The center also houses an elevated platform housing the overshield. Miss the jump and you may end up falling through to your death.
- Side walkways of the map have built in bumper rails to prevent you from accidentally walking off the map and falling. But the inner sections of the map purposely do not have bumper rails as to provide consequences for attempting to reach the overshield.
- Shotguns are placed on top of the roof with limited ammo to help prevent camping inside the bases for objective type games. BRs and Carbines are also placed throughout the map.
- Air Stream is set up for all gametypes.

Weapons/Items List:
2x Sniper Rifles
2x Shotguns
2x Carbines
6x Battle Rifles
2x Brute Shots
2x Needlers
8x Plasma Grenades
1x OverShield
2x Bubble Shields
1x Regenerator
1x Power Drainer

I did a few small quick playtests last night on the map and made a few tweaks based on those games. I added additional cover in the area behind the bases and tweaked the objective points on the map for both symmetrical and asymmetrical gametypes and feel it is ready for you guys to hammer away at it.

Known issues so far:
- The window in the back of the bases allow people to be able to pick up the item through the window if it is close enough. Sort of like the good old Lockout days where you can grab items through walls. But this only works on the window area so it's like the Spartan reaching his hands through the window to pick up the oddball/flag/bomb. If this ends up being a big issue defending the flag in CTF games, I can try to flip the slotted walls over to see if that prevents people from being able to grab the flag if it becomes a big issue.
- Red team keeps spawning player #4 on the roof even though the starting point is inside the base and the same layout as blue base. Any tips on how to fix this would be appreciated.
- Bumper rails are also not available in all of the back area of the map but I don't see too many firefights in this back area that requires you to be at the edge too much
- There is no additional cover inside the bases which was designed to help prevent camping but let me know how this plays for you guys. If you think some cover is needed, let me know where you think I should place it.
- There is a few $ left in budget for this map right now but I can fix certain areas where I was a little too liberal with $ to fix any issues you guys find with the map.

Pics:
Overview shots:
http://www.bungie.net/Online/Halo3UserContentDetails.aspx?h3fileid=72133194

Blue Base:
From Red Base

From Blue Base Sniper

Back of bases:
Sniper ramp (from 0.1)

Teleporter Area (from 0.1)

Top of bases:

Inside the bases:

Tunnel ramp:

Center Area/Overshield:

Action Shots:

Air Stream Action Shot 02
Air Stream Action Shot 03
Air Stream Action Shot 04
Air Stream Action Shot 05

So there it is. My first ever Halo3 map. Feedack would be greatly appreciated.

Revision History:
(2009.04.05) v0.2
- Added 2 missing spawn points in red base
- Reorganized spawn points inside both bases
- Added a little cover that doubles as a way to jump out from inside the bases
- Added one more bumper rail on each sniper ledges
- Added one more bumper rail to the rear right side of each base
- Redid teleporter areas to get some $ back to make above changes

Download Air Stream 0.2