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Introduction
Halo Reach. We all have it, we all know it, we all love it. And especially the new additions that were made for what Bungie calls its Forge 2.0. Personally, I find some of the aspects of the system incredibly buggy, but it is an enormous improvement over the original in Halo 3. Maps and map concepts can now be created and implemented in record time and precision, and mapmakers who were formerly unknown are now gaining more and more in the way of renown. The playing field has been leveled, and especially in Forge World, there are no longer any techniques or practices that separate the Pros from the Joes. It all breaks down to level design and ingenuity now, and that’s where Megiddo comes into play.

Conception
Initially, my first instinct upon getting my hands on the Forge 2.0 engine was to try and recreate a map concept that I’d been working on in Halo 3 (which was never posted: some of you may remember The Complex that looked like a massive spider-thing in the confines of Sandbox’s main level). That map failed early in its construction, though, so I decided to start brainstorming and twisting ideas around in my head.

Megiddo started as a simple concept: catwalk over an open courtyard with two paths running down the rear to that courtyard, with railings on the back side most of the way, but wide open in the middle. Its design was initially inspired by Construct and The Pit, and once I started forging it really just came together.

The Map
Megiddo is a medium-large map designed primarily for symmetrical Slayer and CTF variants. I have found that it works the best with normal Slayer variants (team or FFA), though it has been built support gameplay on all of the variants that Halo Reach has to offer with the exception of Territories (I’m not a fan of that one, and couldn’t decide where I wanted the territories to be). It’ll support up to 16 players, but I recommend 4-10 for FFA games, and 6-12 for team games. It does not support multi-team gameplay at this time, but plans are in the works for that.

The map is laid out as a mirror image along a central plane. As I described before, the main focus is at the “top” of the map, where a catwalk joins the two opposing team’s bases. A large platform rests in the middle of that with a turret to cover the “bottom” half of the map, and a sniper rests at the back. Railings prevent people from walking off, except where they intersect a large frame that serves as the support structure for the large bowl that looms overhead. Each base consists of two levels, which are adjoined by a lift-drop system that will be shown in the screenshots (the lift is more towards the “back” of the map). An enclosed ramp leads down from the back of either base to a long hallway (where most objectives spawn in asymmetric play, and where I’d toyed with the idea of putting a rocket launcher). This tunnel, where the two bases meet, spills out into the main courtyard, which has an entrance into each base before an incline takes it down a level (a rock “spine” divides the hill in twain). From the bottom of the hill, on either side, paths will take players towards the rear structure: a three-story tower. A horseshoe of walkways leads people to the sword room, where a teleporter will lead them to the stage. Directly in front of the teleporter is the top story of the tower, which houses a man cannon to take players back to the turret platform. Directly to either side of the tower is a ramp that leads down to both junctions in the map: a key point in many symmetrical gametypes. A ramp here leads down the bottom level, adjacent to the horseshoe, and the entrance to the tower’s second level is also here (this contains the concussion rifle). If a player takes the other path from the stage, though, they will find themselves on an incredibly open pathway towards either base, with very little cover until they’re actually in the base.
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Right now spawns are set up for symmetrical gameplay with the bases being the two rooms on either side of the catwalk. With asymmetrical gameplay, users spawn the long way across: attackers near the Concussion Rifle, and the defenders near the back tunnel. Not a lot of time was spent on these gametypes, but enough to where it will function for them (even if not well). There are also a few objects that are symmetry-dependent: asymmetrical gametypes get a pro pipe for their troubles, but miss out on the central man cannon and the energy sword, which symmetrical gametypes have. That, however, brings me to the weapon loadout:

DMR: 6 placed (10 max), 30 second respawn, most with two clips (two on the bottom level only have one spare clip)
Plasma Repeater: 2 placed, 45 second respawn
Concussion Rifle: 1 placed, 45 second respawn, 2 spare clips
Energy Sword: 1 placed (2 max), 135 second respawn, sym. and slayer only
Pistol: 2 placed, 30 second respawn, 0 spare clips
Grenade Launcher: 1 placed, 60 second respawn, 4 spare clips, asym. only
Drop Shield: 1 placed, 60 second respawn, sym. only
Sniper: 1 placed, 90 second respawn, 1 spare clip
Needle Rifle: 2 placed, 45 second respawn, 1 spare clip
Plasma Grenade: 6 placed, 10 second respawn
Health Station: 8 placed, 15 second respawn

Structure Photography

Action Photography

In Closing
Special thanks goes to the people who deserve it. I have to give a shout out to zackj191 for pointing out a few spots where people could camp, after I thought I’d gotten rid of all of them. Everyone who playtested this with me, you have my thanks, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed making it.

Oh, and I also thank God for giving me the time to be able to make, playtest, refine, and enjoy this map, as well as giving me the grace to be able to post it. Wouldn't have gotten this done without him.

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fin.