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. This week on the Community Spotlight we have Rifte Gifle, the creator of the current Forge Hub Craze, Asset. See what he has to say about his gametype and Forge Hub on the whole.
A question that is typical of the spotlights, but I'm sure many are curious how you found your way to Forge Hub?
Well, after receiving an Xbox 360 and Halo 3 early in 2008, I learned that players could upload their custom maps online. After that, I was constantly downloading and playing maps made by the Halo community. Somewhere around that time I discovered Forge Hub (not too sure how), and although I did not have an account set up, I did check the site every so often.
There are many communities out there so something must have caught your attention and made you stay. What do you like most about the community
I like how friendly everyone is, and I always come to the Forge Hub community whenever I have a question or problem I need help resolving.
Forge Hub does it's best trying to put on contests for the community. Which contests do you enjoy the most?
I haven't really tried to participate in any of the forging contests yet, I did finish a map for the save one bullet contest but never got around to releasing it. Hopefully I'll be able to put something together for Wonders of The World. I do every once in a while join TGIF games. I never sign up in the threads, but I will get an invite from a host every so often, and they're pretty fun.
Just curious, out of all the community spotlights, which was your favorite and why?
I would have to say the one for Conquest in Matchmaking. I for one am very eager to see conquest be in matchmaking, so the more publicity the better!
Some big news came out at the Spike VGA's with the release of the very first look at Halo Reach. What are your thoughts on the next Halo Game?
I found the trailer to be interesting, and it was fun to piece apart all the little details nobody would usually notice with other Forge Hub members.
Many people have their creativity brought out in various ways. What was your spark for enthusiasm in forge?
I didn't truly start forging until I discovered what people could do with some of the advanced forging techniques (e.g. interlocking, geomerging, etc). After seeing all the amazing maps, I decided to learn how to make maps just like them.
Everyone has a preference, but what is your favorite map to forge on?
I would have to say Sandbox simply because of the amount of freedom, space and budget you have to work with. The large variety of immovable objects also comes into play here.
I think it's time we talk about what you are being spotlighted for so tell me, what is Asset?
Asset is an 8 minute, 1-sided VIP game. In a 1-sided VIP game, one team will have a VIP, and the other will not. The ODST (defenders) have a VIP, an asset. Your asset is Vergil the engineer (yes, the one from the end of Halo 3:ODST). He's a high priority asset, and if he dies your mission is over. Vergil, like in Halo 3 ODST has certain traits given away when players are close to him, or proximity traits (explained later). During asset maps, the main goal is to have Vergil reach a destination point (escape, basically) somewhere he normally cannot get to without the help of the ODST. The attackers are the covenant, and it is their goal to kill the VIP. You’ll have certain classes available to you as the covenant, but the main goal is to kill the VIP, and stop him from getting to that destination point.(copy/paste from the asset thread... :D)
Sounds pretty awesome, where'd you get the idea?
Asset as a gametype is the result of trial and error. It all started with Protocol(the very first asset map). Originally, it was designed to be somewhat like ODS3, but after looking at the many bugs ODS3 had and all of the mixed reviews, I decided to try a new approach- VIP. It started with the VIP being a spartan, and whenever you were near him, you would gain a sort of 'morality boost' which would make you fight harder basically. While it did play better than the Firefight/ODS3 approach, it didn't really feel like you were trying to protect the VIP. Then came the day a friend of mine (I6ExplodinCars) noted how the Protocol building looked much like the one in Halo 3:ODST where you had to protect Vergil. He then suggested that there should be a way to make the VIP Vergil and although I never really understood what resemblance Protocol had to the last holdout building in ODST, I immediately started working on the Vergil variant, dubbed Asset.
It's a pretty big project so you must have had some help. Who has influenced Asset the most and how?
I'd have to say everyone originally contributing to the Asset map pack (jakob hunter, R0FLninja, I6ExplodinCars, GunnerGrunt and Ell3ment), because they've all shown a great deal of support making custom banners such as the hand drawn one by GunnerGrunt. There were also a handful of signatures, my personal favorite being this one by jakob hunter.
There are quite a few maps to choose from but which are your favorite Asset maps to play on?
For now, my favorite map for 3 minute Holdout is Sandstone Plaza(by R0FLninja), for 6 minute Asset it is RidgeSide(by Ell3ment and GunnerGrunt), and for Escort style is Last Bird Out by myself. This will most likely change due to the many Asset maps coming in the near future.
Though it has been pretty success, what do you think can be improved about Asset?
I think I did the best I could with what I had to work with while keeping it true to the halo story. If I could customize the gametype more such as making starting weapons spiker rifles or even plasma rifles rather than plasma pistols, then I would. But for now, Asset is what it is.
Do you think Asset will have a place in Reach if the game has forge?
I would probably have to see what I have to work with gametype wise since that's the major part of Asset, but if forge were to be included in Reach, I could see Asset maps being made.
The new year is nearing so all in all, how has 2009 gone for you?
It's been great, I've learned a great deal of things, mainly because of the amount of time I've spent forging and being on Forge Hub. Because of posting maps on Forge Hub, I've forced myself to learn a variety of skills like patience, basic photoshopping, Sony Vegas, etc. I'm quite pleased since I most likely would have never taught myself these skills had it not been for Forge Hub.
With the new year comes well, a new year. What are you looking forward to with 2010?
Other than Reach, I really don't know what I should expect next year.
-Everyone has got their hobbies; what are your pass times outside of Forge Hub?
Mostly rock climbing, both indoors and outdoors, which I've been doing for around 4 years.
Anything else you'd like to add before we wrap things up?
Nope, except for thanks for giving me the opportunity for community spotlight
Thank you very much to Rifte Gifle for the awesome spotlight and a gametype that continues to inspire hubbers. If you want some more information on Asset then take a look at this thread. 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 to chrstphrbrnnn.
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/casual-maps/89078-protocol.html
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/casual-maps/92682-asset-premise.html
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/casual-maps/89078-protocol.html
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/casual-maps/92912-asset-ridgeside.html
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/casual-maps/91362-asset-sandstone-plaza.html
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/casual-maps/92912-asset-ridgeside.html
http://www.forgehub.com/forum/casual-maps/91662-asset-last-bird-out.html