Join me today as we take a look at the development of Wraparound.
Wraparound
Clouds billow past. The sun is blinding. And your mind cannot even begin to comprehend the monstrous scale of the imposing towers that surround you. As your eyes follow the flowing lines of the Forerunner architecture, your body picks up the implied movement and your mind suddenly asks, “Where am I?” The answer comes to you, a subtle whisper hidden within the whistling of the wind: you’re inside a tower, suspended in the atmosphere….
You’re on Wraparound.
Wraparound was one of the first maps we worked on for Halo 4, and because it was done early in the development process, it went through a few different reboots. From a design perspective, it stayed the same. Visually, though, it became more ornate with each successive iteration.
When the first iteration didn’t meet our vision for the Forerunner style, we (literally) went back to the ol’ drawing board. Significant progress was made between the second and third iterations, and that’s when this particular multiplayer map became an integral part in helping define the visual style of the Forerunner geometry found in Halo 4.
Some of the things we really wanted to push were the impossible scale of being on colossal towers, the complexity of the high-reaching structures, and the familiar yet foreign sky. We also felt it was important to capture a feeling of movement. When you look at a still image of Wraparound, the form pulls your eyes in different directions. Players follow those guiding lines, which helps with traversing this two-tiered playspace.
Stylistically, the philosophy behind the layout of the map is closer to some of the small, symmetrical arenas in Halo: CE, 2, and 3. We wanted something balanced and tuned for competitive play, and something that supports Halo in its purest form: aiming, running, shooting, and jumping.
Jump gaps that you use to get into the center are there so if you find yourself on the losing side of combat, you can drop down, recharge your shields, and regain your composure. Those very same jump gaps also give you that adrenaline-filled moment when you’re charging into combat and leaping over the center, confidence soaring that you are, in fact, going to finish the fight.
Yes, you’re a humanity-defending, ancient-evil–fighting, codpiece-wearing, cybernetically enhanced super-soldier. And yes, you should have those hero moments where you feel every single bit of that, too.
Back to the map, though. Halls in the center provide long lines of sight. This map is not as powerful for long-range weapons, but, if you look hard enough, you can still find locations where you can use those weapons effectively. The bulk of the combat, as you would expect from a smaller-sized map, is close to mid. But, no matter what happens in the sandbox, this level tends to play out consistently.
The center is a rally point, with the rear disconnected from the front and middle. While you can get there on foot, man cannons are also available to launch you directly into this high-occupancy area. In addition to the established lines of travel, there are a few secret routes that lead from the lower level to the upper center for players who are observant about the angles of the pillars leading to the upper deck.
I can neither confirm nor deny that fancy-schmancy jumping may be involved in those routes. I can say, however, that fancy-schmancy jumping is definitely involved in those routes.
Warhouse
You look to the left and see nothing but industrial, man-made surfaces. A glance to the right, however, reveals space as far as the eye can see. As you wander around one of the exposed platforms on a mysterious mining ship, you become captivated by the dramatic vista.
After working your way through the numerous levels, stairs, and crates that litter the outer deck, you sneak a furtive glance inside the spacecraft, which reveals the sounds and shape of a half-constructed mech. Curiosity gets the better of you, and you decide to venture down the vessel’s tight and twisted corridors for a closer look.
We hope you have a weapon because if your experience is anything like ours, you’re going to need it.
By the way, welcome to Warhouse.
The original concept for Warhouse (which is a working title and not the final name) was to build a smaller level catered to Slayer. It was born from the idea that a symmetrical map doesn't have to be generic. We wanted it to feel like something memorable, from an interesting and unseen part of the Halo universe, that tells a story.
We explored several ideas for the theme, including a space platform, a spooky science experiment, and a jungle-bound UNSC facility for bio research. We settled on the space-platform idea, which eventually evolved into a stratospheric gas–mining ship. This idea offered not only more explanation for gravity, but also greater opportunities for orienting players.
Inspiration for this map came from a wide variety of places, including oil refineries, giant mechs from films and cartoons, NASA imagery of gas giants, naval shipyards, and aircraft carriers, to name a few. We also referenced numerous well-developed sci-fi places throughout its development.
Because Warhouse is a symmetrical map, our greatest challenge was making sure players know where they are at any given point, and yet having it make sense as an inspiring visual story. There are lots of complex mirrored paths which could be overwhelming, so we had to develop landmarks and key features to give players a sense of unique position.
Adding another layer of complexity to situational awareness was the fact that this map is made entirely of man-made surfaces, with no terrain. Answers came in the form of symmetrical design elements that fit within each side’s geometry and convince players that each side is visually very different.
We wanted this playspace to be similar competition-wise to older symmetrical maps in previous Halos, so we sought influence from those, and also from the industrial close-quarters combat in more recent games. There are many paths from the center room, allowing you to surprise opponents from unexpected directions and separate them from their comrades. There are also numerous over-and-under pathways that can be used to sneak up behind opponents who are holding their ground. Since this map is symmetrical, one team doesn't have an advantage over the other based on where they spawn or what part of the map they control.
If you are a fan of small-team, close-quarters combat, or you love wreaking havoc with effective, close-range infantry weapons, Warhouse is for you. If you’re not a fan of small-team, close-quarters combat, or you don’t love wreaking havoc with effective,
close-range infantry weapons, Warhouse is still for you. You’ll see. In Holiday 2012, of course.
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