When using Halo's new forge editor there's a number of glitches and tricks to make your creation stand out. While I can't say that all these idea's are mine. I have tested each of them and found these glitches and tricks to be quite useful in creating your own custom forge map or forgery for short. Most of these are for the Heroic or Legendary map packs, but some like the floating objects work on any map!
When using Halo's new forge editor there's a number of glitches and tricks to make your creation stand out. While I can't say that all these idea's are mine. I have tested each of them and found these glitches and tricks to be quite useful in creating your own custom forge map or forgery for short. Most of these are for the Heroic or Legendary map packs, but some like the floating objects work on any map!
Many people know the basic tricks in forging a Halo 3 map. Many know that making the minimum and maximum of an object will make it respawn instantly. Many know that if you stack objects on top of each other, you can delete the bottom object, and make the top object(s) float. Sure these basic techniques can improve your map, but if you want your map to stand out from the rest of the pack, you have to start being unique. Hopefully the following tips and tricks will help you make maps more unique and fun to play on.
The first trick I will describe is fairly well know, it is just not often executed successfully. This trick helps you keep moveable objects from moving. It is especially useful on the original nine maps Halo 3 came out with because they contain no immovable objects, or do they? All maps have turrets, weapon holders, and teleporters available, each being immovable once placed. These immovable objects can be used to hold other moveable objects in place. You can use large objects like a barrier to permanently block a door, or multiple crates to create a floating base.
To float moveable objects (and keep them in place) do the following:
1. Stack crates or boxes to desirable height and put a turret, weapon holder, or teleporter on top (I prefer the teleporter because it is the most flat and has the most surface area).
2. Place desired object you wish to float on top of the turret/weapon holder/teleporter.
3. Place a turret/weapon holder/teleporter on top of the object you wish to float (this step is optional, but it will help keep the object from falling off). Delete the crates or boxes you used to set your height with, and you are done!
To prevent moveable objects from moving while they are not floating, surround them with as many immovable objects as you see fit. Make sure which ever way the moveable object moves it will get stopped by a wall or an immovable object.
The next trick I will explain is called interlocking. It is when you interlock two or more immovable objects with each other. Interlocking does not work with moveable objects because they just push apart from each other. Interlocking is very helpful when creating a map; it can make a map visually appealing, and a blast to play! By combining more than one object together you can make smooth surfaces, unique slopes, and brand new objects. The best part of all is it is easy to do!
To interlock one or more objects follow these simple steps:
1. Place the first object you wish to interlock at desired location. Now highlight that object and press X. Change the properties of the object so it does not spawn at start, and change the objects respawn to 60 seconds (less if you are a fast forger, and more if you are a slower forger). Start a new round, but somehow note where you placed your object you want to interlock (I suggest marking a cone next to it, or to remember a distinct feature on the ground near it).
2. Place the second object you wish to interlock with your first object where you want it. Wait for the first object to respawn, and viola, you now have two interlocked objects! Repeat this process with as many objects as you like. Note: If you do not like how the objects interlocked, delete the most recently placed object, and start a new round for a second try. :)
3. Once you are content on how your objects are interlocked, change them so they are all placed at the start. The respawn time does not matter.
Now I will teach you how to easily float any immovable object anywhere you want. This can save you tons of time when trying to float an object really high up at just the right angle or rotation. Stacking objects up takes too long, and getting your object you wish to float at just the right angle can be quite a pain as well.
If you use this simple method of floating immovable objects, all your problems will be solved!
1. Chose the object you wish to float. Put it in the exact position and angle you want it to stay at and click start (DO NOT LET GO OF THE OBJECT BEFORE HITTING START).
2. Save your map and IMMEDIATELY end the game (don’t worry when the object falls when the game ends).
3. Start the map back up and the object you were holding when you saved the game will be exactly where you left it! Easy as 1, 2, 3! :)
The next trick serves basically one purpose; to block off any Man Cannons on any map. Man Cannons can really be a pain in the butt when it comes to map balance. For example, the map Avalanche is very flawed because of the Man Cannons that lead to and from the bases. Blocking off Man Cannons is near impossible because they push away any objects that get close them. This problem has now been solved! Note: This method of blocking Man Cannons is far easier to do on Avalanche than on any of the other maps because it is the only map with large immovable objects and irremovable Man Cannons. On other maps with irremovable Man Cannons, you must make your own immoveable objects using teleporters and large moveable objects.
The method of blocking the man cannons is rather weird, but it gets the job done!
1. Place two or more trip mines near a Man Cannon and set them to instant respawn (set their minimum and maximum to the same number). Stand on top of the trip mines and keep throwing them. Throw them into the same general area, and be sure not to move.
2. After about 50 trip mines are thrown, the Man Cannons will start overloading, and they will disappear. You can now blow up the trip mines if you wish.
3. Since the Man Cannons are now gone you are free to block them as you wish (I prefer using the watchtowers on Avalanche because they are just the right size to block the Man Cannons).
4. Save your map when you are done blocking the Man Cannons. When you reload the map, the Man Cannons will be back, but they will be blocked!
Here is a quick and easy tutorial on how to make a door that can be triggered open. You can make the door close by setting respawn times to the objects the door is made out of.
1. Make two immovable boxes one barrier length away from each other. Add some sort of roof connecting the two boxes if you wish.
2. Stack three barriers on top of each other in between the boxes. Make sure they are lined up very well.
3. On the side of the door you want it to be opened from, add about three fusion coils hugging the barriers.
4. Now you have a door that can only be opened from one side, like the gate from Last Resort or High Ground.
This is just one version I made. You can use different objects at various rotations to make good destroyable doors; use your imagination! These doors are best used on objective based maps to give the attacking team a well deserved advantage if they manage to open the door. Here is a neat video of a complex door someone else made:
Finally, here is a tutorial to make Halo 3maps with unlimited budget! By unlimited budget I mean there is no overall map limit to how many objects you can buy. The only restriction left is how many of each individual object you can use. For example, you can use all 32 double boxes, 32 single boxes, 16 open double boxes, 16 open single boxes, etc. You just can not use any more than each objects max.
1. To start off, get a blank canvas (link to all blank canvasses HERE) for the map you wish to have unlimited budget.
2. Now spawn one of EVERY object except goals and spawns. This includes all scenery, weapons, equipment, teleporters, and vehicles. Right after you spawn each object, highlight it, and press X to take you to the items properties. Change the Run-time Maximum to the highest number it can.
3. Do this with as many objects as you can before the map budget hits 0. Now save and quit.
4. Start up a new round on the map you just saved and continue on with spawning all objects and changing their Run-time Maximum to as high as it can be.
5. Continue until every object is on the map and has its Run-time Maximum as high as it can be.
The whole process can be very lengthy, but is worth it. Here is a link to Foundry with unlimited budget if you don’t feel like making one yourself.
There are some important things you must know about the unlimited budget glitch:
• You MUST have one of each object on the map at all times if you ever wish to use that object again. Once you have deleted that one object, you can never place that object type again.
• When you have used all but one of a specific object be careful! Once you place that last object, do NOT delete it. If you do, it will not let you place it again.
• BEWARE when forging with more than one people using this glitch. Strange occurrences happen, and sometimes you will not be able to place ANY more objects!
