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Welcome avid readers to the Forge Hub community Spotlight. Here we highlight some of the shiny stars, as well as under looked talents, using anything from inquisitive interviews, to map highlights and anything else that we feel has gone without enough notice. Tonight we probe the masterful forger, Draw the Line, for insight into his forging career in hopes to uncover some of his most coveted secrets.
FH: Welcome to the Community Interview Draw the Line, for those forgers out there that may not be too familiar with you, tell us a bit about yourself, how you became active in forge, and forge hub.
DTL: For those that don't know me, I'm Draw the Line (GT as well). I originally bought Halo 3 on it's launch date, but I really never got into forging until Foundry was released. I had just started my winter break and had some free time on my hands. I then stumbled across Forge Hub after hearing about it from Furious D over at the GoO. From there I read up on tips in the Forging 101 section. After playing around in forge a bit, I was ready to build some maps.
FH: We've all been there, our first creation. Such an accomplishment at the time, but now many of us look back and smile with nostalgia. What was your first map like? Did you start with Foundry, or were you a forger since Pre-DLC?
DTL: Well my first real attempt at a map was on foundry. Players would spawn in one of 6 rooms, and would then be launched into a central arena. It was a fun concept, although the map was incredibly sloppy. Luckily the folks here called me out on it and I've cleaned up my act ever since. If you're looking for some nostalgia, you can find my first map here.
Chrst: Which of your maps was the first to grace the front page of Forge Hub. How did it feel to be recognized and what would you say helped you achieve such recognition?
DTL: My first featured map was End of the Line. It was the first map I put considerable time and effort into, so I was thrilled when it was featured. It made all of that time and effort worth it.
I believe it was the map's original idea that got it so much recognition. I think it was one of the first maps to incorporate a strong aesthetic theme and playability. Without either, I don't think it would have been nearly as popular as it was.
FH: Premium being one of the most coveted positions at the website, how did it feel to step into the hub pub, and what was your first action upon gaining entrance?
DTL: Not much really changed when I turned premium to be honest. I was already really involved within the site, so receiving premium status was more or less recognition for everything I was already doing.
FH: Every forger has their baby, their pride and joy. The map they are the most proud of. Which of your maps takes this position? Whats the cause of this?
DTL: That's hard to say, but I think I'm most proud of Gridlocked. In the end its all about how many people enjoy a map, and I think Gridlocked has done a good job at pleasing the widest range of people possible.
FH: How do you manage to achieve great gameplay with maps such as Gridlocked and Slate Creek?
DTL: I'm a strong believer in keeping a layout simple, and intuitive. If a map is too complex, new players will have a tough time learning where everything is. Although if you make a map too simple, people will find it boring. So it's important to find a good balance.
It's also important to have weapon balance. Don't put a power weapon in a powerful location. Think of it as a rock, paper, scissors situation. There should always be a counter for an area or a weapon.
FH: Some struggle to gain a foothold, and begin work on a new map, and than continue onto a successful final product. What would you say is your main focus of forging?
DTL: My main focus would have to be the layout of the map. Without a solid layout, a map is nothing. I've seen many beautiful maps that play terribly, which is a shame. Plan your maps ahead of time and be aware of lines of sight throughout the map.
FH: There have been some great forgers in the passed year and a half, but who have you have learned the most from through that time?
DTL: I learned more in a 15 minute forging session with Feign and Ash55, then I did anywhere else. It was there that I picked up the spawning system, the importance of lines of sight, and general map construction. It was a great learning experience for me that I've carried throughout all of my maps since then.
FH: What goals are you most proud to have achieved in forging (I.e. Premium, contests, atlas, etc)
DTL: I think my favorite moment was designing a map for the 2v2 contest last summer. Its very rewarding building a map with a specific purpose in mind, and it's even more rewarding when people enjoy playing on that map.
FH: Sandbox has opened many doors previous closed to even the greatest map makers, with new opportunities, what are your future plans/goals for forge?
DTL: Well my ultimate goal would be to get a map into the MM rotation like OctoDeath, DEATHPIMP72 and Cosmic Rick. Hopefully my next few maps will be up to snuff. Only time will tell.
FH: Apart from forge, what else do you like to take part in here at forge hub?
DTL: I simply enjoy interacting with the community. We have many creative people here on this site, and it's just amazing seeing what people can do in and out of forge.
FH: When not creatively constructing new masterpieces, what are your other hobbies outside of forge hub?
DTL: Outside of gaming, I'm a decent artist studying up to work in the graphic industry. I've got a good eye for design and accuracy, even since I was a kid, and that has really driven me to where I am today.
I'm also a big fan of cheesy horror films. A few of my friends and I will all sit down and mock a bad horror film or two over the course of a night... sort of in a Mystery Science Theater way... but with more drinking and not-so-witty comments.
FH: Do you have any tips for the budding forgers out there? What can they do to improve their style? Get recognition?
DTL: I think the 3 most important things to pass on to other forgers would be:
1. Plan a layout ahead of time. Use a napkin or Google Sketchup, just visualizing your idea will help you improve upon it.
2. Don't skip the testing stage. I know I'm eager to release a map when it's finished, but it's important to wait to make sure the map is the best it can be. Grab some friends, or randoms from MM to play on your map. It'll help dramatically in the long run.
3. Do NOT be afraid of criticism, good or bad. We can all be defensive about our map and the choices we've made, but it is important to keep an open mind when people are voicing their opinions. I've seen a lot of decent maps fail because the creator refuses to see their map as anything but perfect. Keep an open mind and don't be afraid to make changes. That's what this community is here for, after all.
Well thank you very much to Draw the Line for the insightful look into the mind and life of one of Forge Hub's greatest forgers. If you are interested to know more about Draw the Line and his maps you can check out his profile page here, or a few of his maps such as Slate Creek, Gridlocked, End of the Line and one of his newest Sandbox maps, Armageddon.
Make sure to keep an eye out for the next Community spotlight. If you feel you know someone who deserves a spotlight, send a private message with three reasons as to why (evidence provided) to either chrstphrbrnnn or Transactionzero.