1. Introduction
With the release of Halo 3, players were given the ability to move weapon and item placements around maps using the Forge system. This was later expanded on in a DLC map pack containing “Foundry,” which let you create walls, doors, vehicles, and much more in an abandoned warehouse. Following Foundry, Bungie released the map “Sandbox,” which took Foundry’s system to a whole new level. You could now create full maps capable of large-scale combat similar to Valhalla or Sandtrap using the Forge system. However, the building was clunky and imperfect due to the original intention as an item editor.
Halo Reach took all of those problems and threw them out the window with the map “Forge World.” The map is exactly what it sounds like, a massive area set on a Halo ring, that contains the largest amount of Forge objects ever released in a Halo game. You could now phase items together, fix them in a position, and essentially create anything. With the massive enhancements to Forge, Bungie also creating several new ways of labeling items to work in various game types. In this guide, I will be explaining the basic functions of Forge, how to setup game types, and even some advance techniques. Let’s get started with setting up game types.
2. Setting up Gametypes
Listed below is a list of each tag and explanation as to their function. Red-colored tags are required for the game to function.
Slayer
“Slayer” – Objects with this label will only appear in Slayer games.
“team_only” – Objects with this label will not spawn in a free-for-all game.
“ffa_only“ - Objects with this label will not spawn in a team game.
CTF
“CTF” – Objects with this label will appear only in Capture the Flag games.
“CTF_flag_return” – Required Object. Flag spawn location and capture point. (Team-specific)
“CTF_res_zone” – Respawn area when your flag is at home. (Team-specific)
“CTF_res_zone_away” – Respawn area when your flag is away. (Team-specific)
Assault
“Assault” - Objects with this label will only appear in Assault games.
“as_bomb” – The bomb will spawn on this object.
“as_goal” – Plant the bomb here.
“as_respawn_zone” – Respawn area (influencer) when the bomb is not planted.
“as_respawn_zone_away” – Respawn area (influencer) when the bomb is planted.
HeadHunter
“Headhunter” – Objects with this label will only appear in Headhunter games.
“hh_drop_point” – A hill area. This is where you drop your skulls and earn points.
Juggernaut:
“Juggernaut” – Objects with this label will only appear in Juggernaut games.
Infection:
“Infection” – Objects with this label will only appear in Infection games.
“inf_spawn” – Used only to distinguish regular spawns from infection spawns. Not required.
“inf_haven” – Used to create a safe haven.
King of the Hill:
“King of the Hill” – Objects with this label will only appear in King of the Hill games.
“koth_hill” – The location of the hill. Create several for “crazy king” variants.
Oddball:
“Oddball” – Objects with this label will only appear in Oddball games.
“oddball_ball” – The location of the ball.
Race:
“Race” – Objects with this label will only appear in Race games.
“race_spawn” – Used only to distinguish regular spawns from race spawns. Not required.
“race_flag” – Checkpoints. Use the “Spawn sequence” number to indicate order(1, 2, 3…etc.) You can have more than one checkpoint with the same numbers. In which, case you can go through either.
“none” – This item will be deleted.
Stockpile:
“Stockpile” – Objects with this label will only appear in Stockpile games.
“stp_flag” – Spawn location for the flags.
“stp_goal” – Spawn locations for the goals. (team specific)
Territories:
“Territories” – Objects with this label will only appear in Territories games.
“terr_object” – Object will be a territory.
3. Forge Basics
Spawning
Setting player spawns is the most important part of Forging. You will be using several objects to help you set up your spawns correctly. First up, you will need to place “Initial Spawns” x8 for each team you have the map setup for. Make sure to change the “team color” to the correct setting depending on their placement. Initial spawns should be located near their bases, facing the base and overlooking the opponent’s base. They should be close to each other, not spread apart around the base. Next, place “Respawn Points” across the map in various places. A good technique is to place them facing towards objectives, weapons, bases, and vehicles. You want every player spawning to have a goal. Don’t place any spawn point simply to “have a spawn point.”
Place them in groups of two or three as well. This will help to focus teams spawning together and will cut down on single players spawning and being “spawn-killed.”
For a more advanced explanation of spawning including information about spawn zones, read this advanced spawn guide on Forgehub.
Kill Zones
There are two types of Kill Zones. The first version is a Soft Kill, which will give any area it highlights a 10-second kill timer. A normal “Kill” volume will cause any player who enters that selected zone to kill players. When you’ve finished setting weapons, structures, etc. you will want to place a single Safe Zone(see the next section regarding them for more information) and then cover any areas that are still inside the map that are outside the intended area of play.
For example, if you have a building with a rooftop that needs to reside within the Safe Zone, but at the same time do not want players to be able to stay on it, you would cover it with a Soft Safe Zone. Generally, you should not use a “Kill Zone” unless you are building a map similar to Lockout or Guardian where you want there to be a hard kill area below the map so players do not fall for several minutes before hitting the ground or ocean.
Safe Zones
Every map should have a single Safe Zone covering the entire playable area. If you need to extend it a ways beyond the play area to compensate geometry, you can always block problem areas with a Soft Kill Zone. The recommended style of Safe Zone is to place a “Soft Safe” zone, which makes the entire area outside the hill a “soft kill” area with a 10-second timer.
Using a regular “Safe Zone” will create an instant kill-zone outside the hill. Using a normal Safe Zone to create a “Kill Zone” is not recommended. Most maps will use a Soft Safe Zone over the map with Soft Kill Zones inside the map area to cover problem spots.
4. Conclusion
As a reminder, this guide is just a basic quick-reference for those who wish to expand their forge pallet(pun intended!) For more information regarding Forge and all of it’s functions, I would highly recommend visiting Forge Hub and getting involved in the community there. There are also a large number of Youtube guides to Forge, creating maps, weapon placement, and even aesthetics in map design! You can always post a thread on our own forum asking for help with your Forge Projects. Just remember: we can provide some feedback and help you out, but we’re not here to make your map for you. We hope you found this brief guide useful and informative in your Forging art!
