Another year, another map

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/25717477/Halo Reach/Spectre final/Spectre final - title.jpg
Silently watching over the sea awaiting an age that will never be...

Although the most obvious source of inspiration for Spectre is Rat's Nest, the design of that map had little inluence until much later in the design. The initial inspiration for the map came rather from a section of Costal Highway to which it now bears little resemblance. Instead of the normal, open and interconnected playspace featured in most multiplayer levels, Spectre is centered around three paths connecting the bases at the ends and interconnected only minimally at the center. While the bases have no real base to defend, the array of braces along the front and steep ramps combined with the back ledge make the far back areas easy to hold down and generally safe for the home team. As a successor to Kiparis, Spectre features some of the same architecture and subtle elements of gameplay but the shape of the maps bring different overall strategies and skills into play.

Spectre is a symmetrical map intended for full BTB parties. Battle centers on the three parallel paths across the map each increasing in the potential for a standoff closer to the ocean side. To keep things from turning into a complete standoff, each base is equipped with two warthogs, and a concussion rifle, plasma launcher, rocket launcher, and the powerful revenant lie in the center as rewards for those who push forward. Back in the bases a concussion rifle and fully loaded grenade launcher allow those who find themselves on the defensive some chance of survival. Mouseover the table for spawn time, location, and other details

Weapons
4 DMRs
4 Needle Rifles
2 Plasma PistolsOrdinance
2 Grenade Launchers
2 Focus Rifles
1 Concussion Rifle
1 Plasma Launcher
1 Rocket LauncherEquipment
8 Frag Grenades
4 Plasma Grenades
4 Health PacksVehicles
4 Warthogs
1 Revenant

Spectre shines most for capture the flag with the flags positioned one the ledge in the back of each base. Assault objectives lie just below under cover of the arrays at the front of each base. Team slayer is of course supported along with Territories, Stockpile, Headhunter, and almost every other team based gametype. For anyone missing a few of the matchmaking standard Big Team Battle gametypes, they can be downloaded below in their original and title updated forms.

Video courtesy of Psychoduck and The Halo Forge Epidemic. Layout images highlighting equipment placement are in the spoiler below. Action shots are in a slideshow.

Spectre

Thanks to everyone who put up with the countless tests this went through over the past year. Including a certain crazy duck forcing me to finally post this.